Warning: Constant ABSPATH already defined in /home/flanews/public_html/wp-config.php on line 34
Capitol News Service » Blog Archive » Florida Sees Eighth Straight Month of Job Growth

Welcome to

Capitol News Service

Florida's Best Political Coverage on Television

 


 


 


Recent Posts

RSS Quote of the Day

  • Charles Baudelaire
    "Everything that is beautiful and noble is the product of reason and calculation."
  • Wilson Mizner
    "The best way to keep your friends is not to give them away."
  • Benjamin Disraeli
    "Silence is the mother of truth."
  • H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
    "Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness."

Florida Sees Eighth Straight Month of Job Growth

January 22nd, 2021 by Jake Stofan

Florida has experienced eight straight months of job growth according to the report released Friday from the Department of Economic Opportunity.

The report shows positive signs in the Florida economy with jobs increasing and unemployment rates dropping.

Florida’s unemployment rate for December was 6.1 percent.

It’s down two tenths of a percent from November, but even as the unemployment rate improves, there are still pockets of sky high unemployment in tourism heavy counties.

Osceola, Miami-Dade and Orange Counties all have unemployment rates over seven percent.

“And so just the nature of their industry makeup has led to an elevated unemployment rate,” said Adrienne Johnston, Bureau Chief of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research at DEO.

But Chief Economist for the Florida Chamber of Commerce Dr. Jerry Parrish has high hopes for a faster than anticipated recovery of the state’s tourism industry.

“I will guarantee you that as soon as people get vaccinated and feel comfortable again, we’re going to see a big return of visitors from other states and other countries,” said Parrish.

And Johnston said overall, the numbers are trending in the right direction.

“Seeing labor force actually increasing while our unemployment rate is going down,” said Johnston.

While the numbers are trending in the right direction, the state still has a ways to go to get to its pre-pandemic unemployment rate of 2.8 percent.

But as the Chamber points out, four of the state’s major industries, manufacturing, construction, finance and education and health services have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“So other than leisure and hospitality, which has obviously taken a big hit, I think Florida is doing really well,” said Parrish.

Florida’s new unemployment rate represents 614,000 people out of a job and actively looking for a new one.

DEO’s report also identified at least 64,000 people who stopped looking for work all together and therefore not counted in the unemployment rate.

The Florida Chamber attributes the positive economic trend in Florida to the state’s decision to reopen schools and businesses.

Florida hovers half a point lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.

Posted in State News | No Comments »

Comments are closed.

copyright © 2016 by Capitol News Service | Powered by Wordpress | Hosted by LyonsHost.com