New layoffs are slowing, but Georgia workers are out of work longer.
That's the word from State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond on the release of new numbers on Georgia's unemployment picture.
The state's labor department says 69,869 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits in August.
That represents a jump of 18.2% from August of 2008.
The last time the over-the-year increase in initial claims was this low was January of 2008, when an increase of 7.2% was recorded.
Most of the claims made last month were by workers in the sectors of manufacturing, wholesale-retail trade, construction and administrative services.
