New number released last week by the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL)  show that the number of unemployment claims jumped dramatically in Chattooga County during the month of May.  According to the DOL, last month, there were 295 first-time unemployment claims in Chattooga County. That was a 574% spike over the number of claims filed in May of 2022, when just 4 people filed unemployment claims.  Georgia’s unemployment rate rose slightly last month to 3.2% after holding steady at 3.1% for the previous nine months, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.