First-time unemployment claims in Georgia ticked down slightly last week after increasing for two weeks in a row. Jobless Georgians filed 24,700 initial unemployment claims last week, down 274 from the previous week, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

Meanwhile, the labor department has begun implementing the unemployment benefits extension included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief legislation President Joe Biden signed into law last week. The bill will extend weekly supplements of $300 to unemployed Americans through September 6, 2021.

In the Northwest Georgia area unemployment rates were down according to the most recent numbers released this week by the Georgia Department of Labor.  Chattooga County’s unemployment was down a half-percent to 6.6% and Walker County’s rate dropped to 4.2%.  The Rome metro area unemployment rate was 4.7%, down from December but up slightly from the previous year. Catoosa County has the lowest unemployment rate in Northwest Georgia at 2.9%.  Overall, the Northwest Georgia Region’s unemployment rate is 4.3%.