Unemployment numbers in Fayette and Coweta counties edged up in May, topping out at 7.8 percent in Fayette and 8.1 percent in Coweta.
The jobless figures for May released last week by the Ga. Dept. of Labor showed Fayette County with a jobless rate of 7.8 percent, up from the 7.7 percent rate in April. Meantime, the rate in Coweta was 8.1 percent, up from the 7.8 percent rate in April.
The largest cities in each county saw a mixed results from the report. The jobless rate in Peachtree City held firm at 7.3 percent in May, the same rate seen in April. Newnan’s unemployment numbers in May hit 9.4 percent, up from 8.9 percent in April.
For both cities the unemployment picture in May was worse than it was a year ago. Peachtree City in May 2011 had a jobless rate of 6.7 percent while Newnan’s rate was 8.9 percent.
The regional unemployment situation also came with increases in joblessness in May.
The 10-county Three Rivers Commission area that includes Coweta County saw unemployment increase from 9.2 percent in April to 9.5 percent in May. The jobless rate in Three rivers a year ago was 10.3 percent.
The 10-county Atlanta Regional Commission area, of which Fayette County is part, saw a May unemployment rate of 8.7 percent. That rate compares to the 8.5 percent rate in April and a rate of 9.5 percent in May 2011.
Jobless numbers also rose statewide in May. The 8.7 percent rate in April increased to 8.9 percent in May. That number represents 421,504 people out of work in a workforce of 4.76 million.
It would almost be a blessing if the government-generated unemployment numbers were the whole story. But that is not the case since government figures do not account for issues such as underemployment where people wanting full-time employment can only find part-time work. Figured nationwide, according to Gallup, the 8 percent of workers currently underemployed included another 10 percent of the U.S. workforce.
Combining both the unemployment and underemployment rates show that 18 percent of the U.S. workforce is still being affected by the Great Recession that, according to both Washington and Wall Street, has long ended. The National Bureau of Economic Research in 2010 said the recession ended in June 2009.
