Carter Statement on Georgia's Unemployment Rate Rising to 50th in Nation

Press Release

Sen. Jason Carter issued the following statement after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its July 2014 labor report showing Georgia has the 50th worst unemployment rate in the country.

"Gov. Deal has brought Georgia nearly to the bottom. More than 370,000 Georgians can't find jobs in Gov. Deal's economy and thousands of others have given up looking.

"We used to lead the way by sending students to pre-k and college. Now we lead in having one of the highest drop-out rates and close to the worst jobless rate in the nation, and the jobs we are adding pay extremely low wages.

"With thousands looking for work, Gov. Deal is declaring victory. He says Georgia is at the pinnacle, bragging about rankings that are a poor substitute for jobs for middle-class families. That's what happens when you stop looking for solutions.

"Maybe Gov. Deal thinks things are going well because he has made millions of dollars for himself, while far too many Georgians have fallen behind.

"As governor, I'll prioritize investing in our workforce, giving workers the skills they need to get the best jobs and grow our economy."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this weekend that the new jobs that are being created in Georgia have among the lowest wages in the nation: "And in Georgia, particularly its second-tier cities … the proportion of low-wage jobs is among the highest in the nation."

There are now more than 370,000 unemployed workers in Georgia, an increase of 17,000 from the month before. That's the largest increase in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Georgia's unemployment rate of 7.8 percent is markedly higher than the national rate of 6.2 percent.

According to the Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia lost more than 12,000 jobs in July, and more than 4,800 people left the workforce. In June, Georgia lost 9,500 jobs.

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