looks to me like they are using that new math to make the numbers say what they want them to.
The Georgia Department of Labor reported this morning that the unemployment rate in the metro Augusta area rose to 9.3 percent in December, up slightly from a 9.2 percent in November.
For the larger 11-county Central Savannah River Area, the unemployment rate decreased to 9.8 percent, down from 10 percent in November, the department reported.
The number of unemployed workers in the six-county metro area increased by 506 from month to month.
The state estimates there are 23,943 unemployed job seekers in the metro area, which includes Richmond, Columbia, Burke and McDuffie counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina.
The metro area is a full percentage point lower than the state unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, which ties a record for the highest – reported in July 2009.
In December 2008, there were 20,090 jobless workers in the metro Augusta area, when the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent.
The number of payroll jobs in December 2009 was 210,500, a loss of 4,500 jobs, or 2.1 percent, from December 2008.
County-by-county, the unemployment rate dropped in Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie and Burke counties.
According to data obtained by the South Carolina Employment Security Commission, the unemployment rates in Aiken and Edgefield counties increased in December.
That news affects many across the region.
Erin Ziegler is hoping to break her 13-month streak of unemployment soon.
The North Augusta 30-year-old was laid off from her clerical job at a construction company in December 2008. And then her son Cole was born seven months ago.
The news of businesses coming to Aiken County sheds a glimmer of hope, but she said she fears her skill set will keep her from benefiting from the incoming jobs.
"I worked in the industry for five years. That's pretty much all I know," she said. "Jobs are coming, but a lot of people are doing their own clerical and administrative work. They can't afford to pay someone to do it."
Since December, two companies have announced intentions of opening operations in Graniteville's industrial park, bringing more than 300 jobs to the county.
MTU Detroit Diesel Inc. is awaiting an environmental clearance before it takes over a former wheel bearing plant, eventually creating 250 jobs making diesel engines.
MCA Industries in December said it would employ 95 people when it relocates from Ohio.
The recovery act hiring at Savannah River Site continues too.
Paivi Nettamo, a spokeswoman for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, said one of the construction contractors, Champion Concrete Inc., plans to hire more than 110 people in February. The company has a contract to provide concrete over a 13-month period of time and needs general laborers, heavy equipment operators and drivers.
Nettamo said the recovery act work at SRS has created or saved 2,860 jobs so far.
Metro Augusta employment picture
Aiken County: 10.4 percent unemployment in December, up from 9.3 percent in November.
Edgefield County: 11.6 percent unemployment in December, up from 10.6 percent in November.
Richmond County: 9.6 percent unemployment in December, down from 9.9 percent in November.
Columbia County: 6.6 percent unemployment in December, down from 6.8 percent in November.
Burke County: 10.9 percent unemployment in December, down from 11.3 percent in November.
McDuffie County: 11.7 percent unemployment in December, down from 12.0 percent in November.
Comments
looks to me like they are using that new math to make the numbers say what they want them to.
What do these stats mean? What are they compared to? How are the "unemployed" counted? Augusta has a HUGE subsidy community and unemployment is common there. Are these people counted?
No, cliff, they aren't counted. Because they aren't receiving unemployment benefits and they aren't looking for work. And for most of them, they never will look for work.
They are using Obamatics to get these numbers.
Number games. Just wait until the Census.
I read that if you are receiving jobless benefits and have exhausted the original 26 weeks of benefits you will no longer be counted as unemployed. Even if you began receiving the federally extended unemployed benefits.
I'm sure you guys could call up the department of labor and ask them what the numbers mean. That is if you were inclined to be active in your community.
We see this every day, more and more families struggling yet the state legislature continues to consider more taxes, such as the cell phone tax I keep hearing about. The state should be encouraging growth, not taxing the working poor. Many of us need cell phones for our businesses but cannot afford to be charged more taxes to use them. I pray that our representatives get in touch and try to help us.
That's right, OIC, because the rates are state unemployment rates, the Federal extended benefits is a different (Fed) program. And the unemployment rates do not accurately reflect the true unemployment picture, it just reflects who is collecting state benefits. Because the Federal programs are only done some of the time, the states don't count them, so that one method is consistently used. And every President knows that.
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