Jobless rate headed the right way

Once again, the Oconee County unemployment rolls are moving in the right direction. The seasonally-unadjusted numbers released by the state reflect a drop from January’s 5% county jobless rate to February’s 4.6%. Nearly 35,000 workers were gainfully employed in Oconee during February. That left nearly 1,600 on the sidelines but actively looking for jobs. Jobless rates in the category below 5% spark the occasional complaint that local job providers have fewer and fewer qualified applicants to choose among when trying to fill jobs.