GDL Offering Summer Internship Program

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond announced that the Georgia Department of Labor's 2009 Summer Internship Program will offer internships for up to 80 students.

The internship program is designed to provide students at universities, colleges and technical colleges with practical work experience, an opportunity to earn school credit, and a chance to make up to $1,400 this summer.

Interns will work 25 hours per week for seven weeks between June 15 and Aug. 14, and will be paid semi-monthly. The program is open primarily to college sophomores, juniors and seniors presently enrolled in a college, university, or technical institute in the state, or a Georgia resident enrolled in a similar school in another state.

School credits may be earned, but interns are responsible for making arrangements with their respective institutions to obtain the credit. Interns will be selected on the basis of their interests, areas of expertise that will be enhanced by their work with the labor department, maturity level, and access to one of the department's offices around the state. Whenever possible, the selected interns will be allowed to choose the office where they will work.

Applicants must submit an application and a one-page essay answering the following question:

Why do you think internships are important?

Interns may also be required to complete a job interview conducted by a member of the department's staff. Applications are available at any office of the Georgia Department of Labor, on the department's Web site at www.dol.state.ga.us, or by writing to Kyna Demons, Georgia Department of Labor, 148 Andrew Young International Blvd., Suite 600, N. E., Atlanta, GA 30303-1751.

The deadline to apply is April 30, 2009. Applications should be mailed to Kyna Demons at the above address, or faxed to (404) 656-2683. Students selected for the internship will be notified via mail beginning May 21. Questions about the internship program should be emailed to Kyna.Demons@dol.state.ga.us.

More Georgians to Receive Added Unemployment Benefits

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Friday that the Georgia Department of Labor has begun mailing an additional $25 per week to more than 180,000 jobless Georgians who have a valid unemployment insurance claim with the Georgia Department of Labor.

“The weekly supplement to unemployment insurance benefits comes at a good time,” said Thurmond. “This recession is expected to last longer than many economists and the Federal Reserve initially projected. The additional $25 each week will help the many thousands of Georgians who’ve lost their jobs through no fault of their own better weather this economic downturn.”

The action is the result of an agreement signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue and Thurmond to allow unemployed Georgians to receive the additional funds in federal unemployment insurance benefits. Unemployment insurance recipients are eligible for the additional benefits beginning the week ending Feb. 28, 2009. And, more than 180,000 payments were released the week ending March 7, 2009.

The additional benefits, paid from a U.S. Department of Labor trust fund, are provided through a program called Temporary Federal Additional Compensation (FAC). In order to qualify for the added benefits, claimants must be receiving benefits on a valid claim filed with the state’s Regular Unemployment Insurance Program, Extended Unemployment Compensation, or Trade Readjustment Assistance. The additional benefit will be a separate weekly payment of $25.

In addition to those now receiving unemployment insurance benefits, others eligible for the FAC program include those who file a valid claim before Jan. 1, 2010. The FAC program ends July 3, 2010. The new law changes the exhaust date for extended unemployment compensation from March 31, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009, and the payment phase-out date from Aug. 29, 2009 to May 29, 2010.

Also, under the new law, federal income tax will be temporarily suspended on the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits paid to each claimant.

GDL: Unemployment Numbers Up 80% Since January '08

The news from the Georgia Department of Labor did not bring a good start to 2009, with the department reporting this week that the number of people filing first-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits is up 80.7 percent from a year ago January.

Labor officials reported today that 120,139 people who have been laid off filed for benefits in January. The metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of increase in claims are Dalton, seeing an increase of 164.7 percent; Brunswick, up 163.7 percent; and Rome, growing 153.4 percent.

The areas witnessing the smallest gain in claims are Columbus, up 21 percent; Valdosta, up 35.4 percent; and Savannah, up 39.1 percent.

The majority of initial claims were filed by those who were let go from their jobs in manufacturing, trade, administrative services, including temporary employment agencies, and construction.

Unemployment Numbers Creep Up in Metro Atlanta

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) reported that the unemployment rate in the metro Atlanta area rose to a preliminary unadjusted rate of 7.0 percent in November, up 2.9 percentage points over the year from November of 2007.

The jobless rate in metro Atlanta rose three-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 6.7 percent in October. Meanwhile, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 7.5 percent in November, the highest rate since July 1983 when it was also 7.5 percent. The jobless rate was up 3.0 percentage points from 4.5 percent at this same time last year. The November unemployment rate was up six-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 6.9 percent in October. The state rate remained above the national rate of 6.7 percent for the 10th straight month. At present, 365,244 unemployed Georgians are looking for work.

“My Christmas Wish is that all Georgians will embrace the true meaning of this holiday season,” said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. “During this unprecedented economic crisis, we should remember to give the gift of love and encouragement to unemployed family members and friends. It is also important to reassure those facing economic uncertainty that expensive gifts they can ill-afford to purchase are not expected or needed.”

Thurmond encouraged jobseekers to take advantage of the employment services offered by the Georgia Department of Labor. The department’s Web site www.dol.state.ga.us includes easily accessible listings of current job openings, as well as information about job search, career planning, and education and training opportunities. A complete listing of all 53 career centers is also provided.

In addition, Thurmond called on Georgians to consider upgrading their skills and employability by enrolling at one of the state’s two-year colleges and technical colleges.

Over the last year, the number of payroll jobs in Georgia decreased 94,400 or 2.3 percent. Manufacturing, construction, and trade, along with administrative and support services, including temporary employment agencies, were the hardest hit industries. In metro Atlanta, the number of jobs in November dropped 67,800, or 2.7 percentage points, from 2,489,800 to 2,422,000. From October to November, the number of jobs in metro Atlanta declined 11,700.

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.