Hall County's unemployment rate increased to 5.6 percent in April, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.5 percent in March, the Georgia Department of Labor announced today.

The rate in Metro Gainesville was 6.8 percent in April a year ago.

The rate increased primarily because 239 new job-seekers entered the labor force looking for work and while they’re looking they’re counted as unemployed. Also, the number of new layoffs, which are represented by new claims for unemployment insurance, increased by 11, or 1.9 percent, to 578.

Most of the increase in claims came in manufacturing. There were 1,476 claims filed in April 2013.

The number of jobs increased to 78,400 in April, up by 1,000, or 1.3 percent, from 77,400 in March. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation, and warehousing, government, and other service-related industries.

Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 1,600, or, 2.1 percent, from 76,800 jobs in April 2013. The big job gainers were trade, transportation, and warehousing, local government, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

The jobless rate in the Georgia Mountains region decreased to 5.7 percent in April, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.9 percent in March. The rate was 6.9 percent in April a year ago.

Statewide, metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.8 percent.

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.0 percent, unchanged from March. The rate was 8.3 percent in April a year ago.