June Unemployment Numbers Released for Stephens Co.

The latest unemployment figures for Stephens County show a fairly steady unemployment rate, but a drop in the number of employed and the total labor force in June.

According to state Labor Department numbers released this week, Stephens County had a preliminary unemployment rate of 6.6 percent in the month of June.

That is one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the revised May rate of 6.7 percent and well below the revised June 2014 unemployment rate, which was 8.2 percent.

However, the Labor Department said that Stephens County had a labor force of 10,917 in June.

That is down from May’s labor force of 11,072 and the labor force in June 2014, which was 11,261.

Also, Stephens County’s number of employed in June, which was 10,197, is less than May and June 2014 as well.

In May, Stephens County had 10,334 employed and in June 2014, the county had 10,332 employed.

Looking at other area counties, Franklin County’s preliminary unemployment rate went up four-tenths of a percentage point in June to 6.9 percent, Habersham County saw its preliminary June unemployment rate rise two-tenths of a percentage point to 6 percent, and Banks County also saw its preliminary unemployment rise two-tenths of a percentage point in June to 5.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Mountains region, which includes Stephens County, had a preliminary unemployment rate in June of 5.5 percent, up from 5.2 percent in May, but down from 6.7 percent in June 2014.

State Labor Department officials said the rate rose as the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 16.5 percent in June.

The Labor Department said most of the increase came in manufacturing and construction, wholesale and retail trade, and professional and technical services.