First time unemployment claims in Chattooga County dropped from July to August according to the numbers released yesterday by the Georgia Department of Labor.

In July of this year Chattooga County saw 155 first time unemployment claims, that number dropped to 99 in August.

“The pace of new layoffs is decelerating,” said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. “However, a rising number of laid-off workers are remaining unemployed longer.”

The slowdown in first-time claims was recorded all across Northwest Georgia, where all counties saw a slowdown from July 2009 to August 2009 although the year-over-year numbers continue to increase.