Jobless rate jumps up to 11.5%

By Carol Heard (Contact) | Post-Searchlight

Published Friday, July 3, 2009

Decatur County's jobless rate for May jumped up to 11.5 percent—up from 10.8 percent in April.

It was a big jump following April decrease from the 10.8 percent to 11.5 percent reported in March, the Georgia Department of Labor reported.

The highest unemployment rate so far reported during this recession was the February rate, which was 12.8 percent.

The unemployment rate for the same period a year ago was 6.8 percent.

Decatur County's unemployment rate remains the highest in the southwest Georgia region.

Seminole County follows with 10.3 percent, which climbed from 9.8 percent in April. However, the March unemployment was 10.7 percent.

Early County's unemployment rate is 10.2 percent, up from 10 percent in April.

Grady County's unemployment rate is 9 percent, up from 8.4 percent in April.

Miller County's was 8.4 percent, up from 8.1 percent in April.

The state's not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 9.5 percent in May, up from 9 percent.