Metro Atlanta job growth modest in April

April’s hiring was a little less energetic than usual, compared to metro Atlanta’s pre-pandemic average of 10,040 jobs for the month.

But weaker than usual doesn’t mean weak.

The job market in metro Atlanta remains favorable for job seekers – one clue is wages. When workers are in demand, employers pay more to recruit and retain them. This spring, the average wage is rising — not as fast as two years ago, but still higher than inflation, according to the Atlanta Federal Reserve.

The region’s unemployment rate was below its best before the pandemic. April’s unemployment rate marked the 34th consecutive month below 4%.

The state unemployment rate is 3.1% and the national rate is 3.9%.

According to the state Department of Labor, about 93,000 people in metro Atlanta are officially unemployed, meaning out of work and actively looking for work. That compares to about 180,000 a decade ago, when the region’s population was much smaller.

One of the reasons for this is the low percentage of people in the labor force.

Before the pandemic, 63.1% of working-age people were part of Georgia’s labor force. Today, it’s 61.5%. In the Atlanta metro population, that translates to a difference of about 65,000 potential workers.

Ten years ago, many job seekers took months to find work. Today, with a smaller pool of job seekers, qualified candidates often don’t stay on the market very long, even if they need some fine-tuning first.

Danny McClure, 67, left the United States Marine Corps in the 1980s and worked in a variety of jobs before falling on hard times, losing his job and spending time without housing. Last year, he enrolled in a Decatur Veterans Administration program aimed at helping veterans land stable employment.

He also got help from Hire Heroes USA, an Alpharetta-based group that offers resume and interview advice to veterans.

“I had a resume that was okay, but they helped me write a resume that got the attention I needed to get an interview,” McClure said. “I left the program on April 30 and found a job the following week. »

He is now a security guard at a luxury building in Buckhead.

About 225 veterans are currently participating in the same VA program, according to Chanel Cook, a VA spokeswoman.

Faced with labor shortages for certain jobs, many employers have hired people they might have overlooked in the past: immigrants, people with disabilities, minorities, incarcerated people. Programs like VA are adding to the applicant pool.

Hire Heroes USA, an organization based in Alpharetta, advises and assists veterans and their spouses in finding employment. Last year, the group placed 14,000 people, said Ross Dickman, the chief executive.

This help can be crucial: While the unemployment rate for veterans is generally lower than the national average, many veterans don’t even pay attention. Fewer than half of working-age veterans are in the labor force, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Having a successful and meaningful job after leaving the service is the most important predictor of their life after the service,” he said.

A career fair for veterans and their spouses is planned for May 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Georgia International Convention Center. The event is hosted by Disabled American Veterans and RecruitMilitary.

A year ago, economists were predicting a recession. Inflation was eating away at wallets, and the Federal Reserve’s campaign to rein it in had dramatically increased the cost of borrowing for businesses and consumers by raising interest rates to two-decade highs.

Inflation has fallen, but not as much as the Fed wants, so rates remain high.

The economy has proven surprisingly resilient, but expansion has slowed and hiring has slowed. The pace of growth in the region has been around 1.3% over the past year, compared to slightly faster national growth of around 1.8%.

Unemployment claims during the month rose slightly, which may portend trouble — but only when laid-off workers fail to find other jobs and so far, hiring has continued.

However, there are also announcements of layoffs that will not be counted in the coming months, workers who are not yet watching, while various companies file plans for job cuts.

Swissport Cargo Services is laying off 235 workers at its Atlanta location starting this week, according to a filing with state authorities. Wellpath, a for-profit provider of medical services to prisoners, plans to cut 135 jobs in Newnan at the end of June. Future Forwarding, a logistics and transportation company, will cut 78 jobs in Atlanta in August.

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Job Change in Metro Atlanta, April

Best, before the pandemic: 30,500 (2005)

Worse, before the pandemic: -6,600 (2009)

Average, before the pandemic: 10,040

Recent: 7,700 (2024)

Unemployment rate in metro Atlanta, April

Best, before the pandemic: 2.9% (1999, 2000)

Best, overall: 2.5% (2022)

Worse, before the pandemic: 10.0% (2010)

Worst, overall: 12.3 (2020)

Average, before the pandemic: 5.5%

Recent: 2.8% (April 2024)

Change in Metro Atlanta’s Workforce

Best: 4,250 (2016)

Worst: -23,233 (2014)

Average: -8,905

Recent: -16,791 (April 2024)

Number in metro Atlanta unemployed and actively looking

Highest, before the pandemic: 303,986 (June 2009)

Pre-pandemic: 107,453 (February 2020)

One year ago: 102,004 (April 2023)

Recent: 92,930 (April 2024)

Metro Atlanta Georgia Job Share

Maximum: 63.4% (July 2023)

Low: 53.3% (May 1990)

Recent: 62.0% (April 2024)

National Unemployment Rate by Veteran Status

Women veterans: 3.1%,

Non-veteran women: 3.5%,

Male veterans: 3.0%,

Non-veteran men: 3.8%.

Share of working-age adults in the labor force, average. 2023

Veterans: 48.2%

Veterans, men: 47.2%

Veterans, women: 56.5%

Overall, United States: 62.6%

Georgia: 61.6%

Sources: Georgia Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Veterans Administration, Hire Heroes USA