ATLANTA (AP) — State labor officials say Georgia's jobless rate has risen to 8.8 percent.

The Georgia Department of Labor released July's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate early Thursday. It is up from last month's 8.5 percent rate, but still lower than the 9.1 percent from July a year ago.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the rate increased due to a significant number of new layoffs, and non-contract school employees remaining unemployed because of the summer break.

However, Butler said there are signs that the situation is improving. He said the vast majority of the layoffs were temporary, and the school employees are beginning to return to work.