Georgia’s unemployment rate continued its record-breaking trend in November.

The rate fell by 0.1 percent again last month, bringing the unemployment rate to 3.3 percent, state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler announced Thursday.

Butler said it is one of the best months in the state’s history. The rate is the lowest recorded since 1976, when the federal government first started tracking unemployment.

“I can’t recall us ever having a better month, and I’ve talked to people who’ve been around a lot longer than I have,” he said. “It’s nice to see this at the end of the year. I think we are going to continue to see Georgia move in the right direction.”

At 3.3 percent, Georgia’s unemployment is below the national rate of 3.5 percent. The state has seen the same pattern of declining unemployment rates over the past several months.

Unemployment claims dropped by 18 percent last month as the total labor force grew by 5,980. The state now has a total workforce of more than 5.1 million. Butler said there still are many jobs available in the workforce.

Georgia added 6,500 jobs in November. Most of the jobs were in trade, transportation, utilities, education and health services.

“We have seen the labor force start growing again,” Butler said, “but it’s still not where I want it to be. I’d like to see it grow even more. We need more individuals in the workforce to take all the jobs we have open.”

The Center Square