Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Brunswick added jobs and employed residents in February.
 
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate dropped sharply. Almost all monthly and annual numbers for these categories remain positive for the three-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).    
 
“We’ve started strong in 2019,” Butler said. “Communities across the state added jobs, workers and improved employment. That is very good to see.”
 
The unemployment rate climbed by 0.8 in January but fell 0.6 in February to reach 3.9 percent.  A year ago, the rate was 4.3 percent.
 
The labor force in Brunswick was up by 510 in January but fell by 314 in February to reach 53,346. That number is down by 222 over the past year – an average monthly decrease of about 18.
 
Brunswick gained 45 employed residents in January and an additional 34 in February, pushing the total to 51,259. The number is up three for the year.
 
Jobs fell by 200 in January but grew by 100 in February to reach 44,800. The job total in Brunswick is up 800 over the year – an average increase of 65 per month.
 
Claims for unemployment insurance increased by 48 percent in January and settled by decreasing 48 percent in February. They were down 24 percent when compared to the same month a year ago.