Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond will host the Georgia Jobs Summit on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the Georgia Department of Labor)
Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says the layoffs came from a cross-section of businesses, particularly manufacturing, construction and administrative support.
"This confirms that Georgia's job market is still mired in a prolonged and severe downturn," says Thurmond. "Typically December and the holiday season result in increased hiring but that was not the case this year."
The state Department of Labor will host the Georgia Jobs Summit on Monday, where business, community leaders and jobseekers will discuss ideas to help people find work.
The summit will focus on how the state can tailor and aid and job training so it can more effectively reach out to some of the people hardest hit by the economic downturn, men and middle-aged employees. That's a shift from African-American women, says Thurmond.
"Men now represent about 58 percent of the individuals who are receiving unemployment insurance in our state," he says. "However, many of the employment training programs and income support programs were designed to support women and children."
The summit will be held from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center on Monday.
