Jobless rate down in metro Savannah
Metro Savannah’s unemployment rate decreased to 8.7 percent in July, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 8.8 percent in June, the Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday. The rate was 8.9 percent in July a year ago.
The number of layoffs, represented by new claims for unemployment insurance benefits, decreased by 436, or 23.5 percent, to 1,418, down from 1,854 in June. Most of the decline came in transportation, warehousing, and accommodations and food services.
There were 157,500 jobs in July in metro Savannah, down by 1,500 from 159,000 in June. Most of the job loss came in local government and leisure and hospitality.
The area has gained 700 jobs since the 156,800 jobs in July 2012. The annual gains came mostly in trade and transportation, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services.
The labor force, which is the number of people employed plus those unemployed but actively looking for work, declined by 648 to 181,812 in July, down from 182,460 in June. It was down by 2,084 from 183,896 in July 2012.
Hancock Askew honored for workplace flexibility
Hancock Askew & Co., LLP has received the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility for its use of flexibility and other aspects of workplace effectiveness as a strategy to increase business and employee success.
The award is part of the national When Work Works project administered by Families and Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.
“By providing flexible work options, we are able to recruit and retain the best and the brightest, which benefits the employees, the firm and our clients,” said managing partner Mike McCarthy.
The Sloan Awards include a two-step selection process, which involves an evaluation of employers’ flexibility programs and practices and a confidential employee survey.
Ford Plantation, Seabolt Brokers join forces
The Ford Plantation, a housing community located on the former site of Henry Ford’s winter retreat in Richmond Hill, has announced a partnership with Seabolt Brokers LLC to operate an on-site real estate sales office.
Seabolt Brokers, based in Savannah, is the exclusive affiliate of Harry Norman Realtors of Atlanta and Christie’s International Real Estate for the Coastal Georgia area.
“We are extremely confident in our real estate partnership with Seabolt Brokers,” said Nick Cassala, CEO and general manager of The Ford Plantation.
The Ford-Seabolt partnership launched with the opening of a new real estate sales office on Aug. 1.
Peter Nelsen will serve as sales manager and Helen Duffy as sales associate.