ATLANTA (AP) – State labor officials say the preliminary unemployment rate in metro Atlanta rose to 9.4 percent in December.

The Georgia Department of Labor said the new figure is up two-tenths of a percentage point from 9.2 percent in November. The jobless rate in metro Atlanta in December a year ago was 10.1 percent.

Labor officials say the rate increased because of layoffs in construction, manufacturing, retail trade, administrative and  support services, and accommodations and food services.

The Dalton area had the highest rate among Georgia’s metro areas at 12.1 percent. The Athens and Warner Robins areas had the lowest area rates at 7.3 percent.      The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.  Statewide, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in December for the third straight month, dropping to 9.7 percent.