Initial claims for unemployment insurance in Hall County were up 4.2 percent in February compared to January. They were up 31.5 percent compared to a year ago.
Statewide they were down 39 percent over the month and one percent compared to last February.
In the 13-county Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, which includes Hall County, the number of applications was down 22.6 percent from January but up 21.4 percent over the year. In the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, which includes several other counties in our area, they were down 20 percent from a month ago and up 12.1 percent compared to February 2023.