Savannah’s first-time unemployment insurance claims rose from 663 in February to 1,046 in March, a 57.8 percent increase, the Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday.
The department reported that 30,477 laid-off workers statewide filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in March. This represents a slight increase of 4.4 percent statewide from February, when 29,191 claims were filed. Initial claims are considered to be a leading economic indicator, because they measure newly laid-off workers.
The March increase in initial unemployment insurance claims indicates that Georgia is not creating enough jobs for the workers in this state, said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. Over the past year, job growth has declined to less than one percent and unemployment has risen by more than one percent.
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