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Unemployment rate rises in December for CSRA, Augusta

Posted: 1:12 AM Jan 24, 2013
Reporter: Staff

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Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013

ATLANTA (WRDW) -- The Georgia Department of Labor has released the preliminary unemployment rates for the CSRA and the metro Augusta area for the month of December.

The rate for metro Augusta rose to 9 percent in December. That is up one half of a percentage point from 8.5 percent in November. The rate back in December 2011 was 8.9 percent.

The rate rose due to a slight increase in new layoffs and a reduction in the labor force.

For the unemployment rate in the CSRA, the department found that rate rose to 9.8 percent, which is up two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.6 in November. In December 2011, the rate was also 9.6 percent.

There were 643 more new claims for unemployment benefits in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, accommodations and food services.

In Georgia, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased to 8.6 percent in December. South Carolina saw 8.4 percent unemployment. The national average hovered around 7.8 percent.