Carpet Center Sees Rising Unemployment

Dalton, GA, Aug. 25, 2008--The Dalton, Ga. area, the center of the carpet industry, saw its unemployment rise from 6.5 percent in June to 7.1 percent in July.

In Whitfield County, the rate was 7.3 percent, according to the Georiga Department of Labor.

The number of jobs in metro Dalton fell from June to July by 1,200, or 1.5 percent, from 78,000 jobs to 76,800.

"We are experiencing a rising tide of unemployment not seen in Georgia in more than 15 years," said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond in a news release.

"The surge of jobless workers into our career centers is challenging our ability to keep pace with the demand for assistance at a time when it is most needed."

Metro Dalton's unemployment rate exceeds statewide numbers, which are higher than national employment trends. Georgia's July unemployment rate of 6.2 percent is higher than the national average of 5.6 percent and is the highest in the state since March 1993.