Layoffs are widespread, judging by dismal jobless numbers released this week by Georgia, but area businesses — not just retailers seeking to restock shelves — are seeking workers.

A new webpage, ghcc.com/education/workforce-development/area-jobs, set up by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce listed 24 employers as of Friday, April 17. The page also features 28 employment resources and staffing agencies. 

The lists are hyperlinked, so web users can go straight to job/career and employment pages on companies’ sites.

“We will continue to update that list of firms that are hiring as we go forward,” said Tim Evans, the chamber’s vice president of economic development.

One of the sectors hiring is food processing, he said.

“A lot of (companies) that were supplying restaurants have found ways to convert their production capacity over to support consumer food retail,” Evans said.

Kit Dunlap, the chamber’s president, said the effort was begun because “we feel like, in this particular situation, with no job fairs and some disconnect, we need to to say there are companies that are still hiring.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Hall County had the lowest jobless rate in the state, with many companies struggling to fill ranks.

Local numbers during the pandemic haven’t been released, but statewide, the number of initial jobless claims has reached an all-time high, Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said this week.

Since March 14, the department has processed over 861,000 claims, including 319,581 April 5-11.