"This

record-low unemployment is due largely to the underlying strength of our

economy and the hiring of seasonal workers for the holiday shopping season,"

said Thurmond. "Because of continuing low unemployment and the shortage

of skilled workers, some employers are having a difficult time finding

enough employees."

Despite good

news on the unemployment front, Thurmond remains concerned about a prolonged

slowdown in job growth here in Georgia and the nation a slowdown that

may be masked by the increased hiring of seasonal workers for the holidays.

Georgia added

18,900 new jobs during November, bringing its total to 4,035,500. However,

the latest figures from the Labor Department show a slowing in the state's

annualized job growth rate over the past nine months. The annualized job

growth rate has declined from 4.2 percent in March to 1.5 percent in November,

a drop of 64 percent. In absolute numbers, 161,400 jobs were added between

March 1999 and March 2000, while only 58,700 were added between November

1999 and November 2000.

Labor market

data is now available on the Georgia Department of Labor's Web site at

www.dol.state.ga.us .

Back

to Business Home Page