Unemployment: county ranks 2nd in state
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

**Figures are for the month of April

The closing of the local Jockey International plant has earned Jenkins County the unwanted distinction of having the second highest unemployment rate in the state, 8.4 percent, for the month of April 2007. Only Taliaferro County ranks higher with a rate of 9.7 percent.

According to statistics released by the Georgia Depart- ment of Labor, 329 residents were unemployed during the month of April. This compares to 369 during the month of March, for which Jenkins County posted an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent, or 369 residents unemployed.

The county's unemployment rate for April 2006, prior to the Jockey job losses, was 4.4 percent.

Five other Georgia counties were ranked with unemployment rates of 7-8.9 percent for the month of April 2007. They are Chattahoochee, 8.4; Turner, 8.1; Sumter, 7.9; Macon 7.2; and Upson, 7.0.

The state unemployment rate for April was 4.1 percent and 4.0 percent for March.

Approximately 203 Jockey employees lost their jobs in 2006 when sewing operations were phased out at the local plant. The remaining 60 job positions in the cutting department at the facility were eliminated in March 2007. The job losses represent 25 percent of Jenkins County's industrial workforce of approximately 1,025.

It should be noted, however, that 110 former Jockey employees have elected to continue their education at area technical colleges and universities. Georgia Department of Labor officials indicate that this represents the largest percentage doing so out of any mass layoffs in the state.

The labor department has established a Transition Center at 856 Cotton Avenue to assist not only former Jockey employees, but anyone who has become unemployed.

Officials report that they are also servicing clients from surrounding counties in the Millen office.