Rome and Floyd County ended 2022 with a surge of new jobs — in part because of Christmas holiday sales. But also way up, year-over-year, in first-time jobless claims.
The workforce grew to 43,500 people, up 1,500 from a year earlier, and 300 positions higher than a bountiful November, the latest state Department of Labor reports show.
Amid the high employment stats were some potential red flags as well. Most of our area counties say first-time jobless claims soar from both November and December when compared to a year ago. They include:
♦ Floyd: 555 claims, up 54.2% vs. November and 246.9% from December 2021.
♦ Bartow: 356 claims, a 45.3% hike from the previous month and 95.6% above 12 months earlier.
♦ Gordon: 567 claims, 68.8% higher than the month before — and 472.7% above December 2021.
♦ Polk: 140 claims, the only local county reporting a dip from November (28.9%), but up 129.5% vs. the same month in 2021.
♦ Chattooga: 401 claims, almost 10 times the number reported in December 2021 (42 total). The month-over-month increase was 108.9%
♦ Statewide: Initial claims were up 2,403 (9%) from November to 27,921 in December. Over the year, initial claims were up 10,999 (65%).
There are ample jobs available in the region, including 64 positions on the Rome Floyd Chamber jobs page as of Thursday morning in addition to 18 at the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber. Also, QCells — the rapidly expanding solar panel manufacturer — is advertising 1,000 jobs to fill at a career fair today in Dalton (1-6 p.m., 300 Nexus Drive, Dalton).
As for the state report:
♦ Georgia’s December unemployment rate was 3%, unchanged from November. Job numbers reached another record high, increasing by almost 6,000 from November, according to newly elected state Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, a former Bartow state senator. Georgia’s unemployment rate was five-tenths of a percent lower than the national average. County reports are due next week.
♦ Jobs were up 5,900 (0.1%) over the month and up 165,300 (3.5%) over the year to 4,840,000. Job numbers were at record levels in Education and Health Services, 638,000, and Financial Activities, 273,900.
♦ In December, the number of employed residents was down 5,933 to 5,100,239, dropping 35,272 over the past five months. Over the past six months, the labor force has decreased 32,185.
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