Updated 4/3/20

New data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development shows unemployment rates improve in many counties during February 2020. The lagging statistic reflects the employment situation before the COVID-19 health emergency starts to take an unprecedented toll on the economy.
In Giles County, the February rate decreased to 4.9 percent  from 5.2 percent in January 2020.
The county had a total of 747 people unemployed in January.
During the month, unemployment decreases in more than one-third of Tennessee's counties. Thirty-six counties report lower unemployment, while rates remain the same in 31 counties. Unemployment did increase in 28 of the state's 95 counties in February.
The seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for February is 3.4%, a 0.1 of a percentage point increase when comparing the new statistic to January's rate.
Nationally, unemployment declines in February by 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5%.