Early this morning, the Georgia State Department of Labor announced that the number of laid-off workers filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits amounted to 120,139 people in January.  Compared to last January, this is an 81 percent increase.  In the press release announcing the grim statistics, Georgia State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said that they are, “witnessing the emergence of a Darwinian job market.”

Thurmond went on to say, “The growing number of layoffs has created a surplus of jobseekers who are talented, experienced, educated, and well-trained. In this challenging environment, the most successful jobseekers will be those who demonstrate the highest levels of persistence, determination, and above all, flexibility when looking for work.”  In essence, the commissioner is urging residents to be open to new opportunities that may come their way.  With such a multitude of talent in the unemployment pool, employers are able to be more discerning when it comes to finding the best candidates for new positions they have available.

Later this afternoon, Commissioner Thurmond will address a joint meeting of the Senate and House committees who have been charged with overseeing employment and job market conditions in the state of Georgia.

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