Florida unemployment rate up to 11 percent; over 98,000 unemployed in Broward

Florida’s unemployment rate is creeping up. During September, jobless numbers increased .2 percent to 11 percent statewide. This means just over one million Florida residents were unemployed in Florida as of September  2009. This number does not include the under-employed, part time employees or self-employed. This is up 4.3 percentage points from the September 2008 rate. The state’s current unemployment rate is 1.2 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate of 9.8 percent. The last time the unemployment rate was as high as the September rate was October1975 when the rate was also 11.0 percent.

Broward County is looking at a 9.8 percent unemployment, up from 9.6 percent in August, and up from 6 percent in Sept. 2008. According to the Agency for Workforce Innovation, Broward has a little over a one million person labor force, with over 98,000 people unemployed.

Th agency said industries losing the most jobs are: trade, transportation, and utilities; professional and business services; and construction. These three industries account for more than two-thirds of the job losses in the state. Healthcare has been Florida’s only growth sector for most of 2009.

“We remain committed to serving unemployed workers and providing them with job placement and training services to support rapid reemployment and help reinvigorate the economy,” said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “The recovery is coming slowly, but it is coming. The latest unemployment figures confirm that the economic downturn continues to impact a significant number of Floridians and businesses. However, a reduction in employers announcing closings or large-scale layoffs is a positive sign of Florida’s growing economic stability.”

One indication that Florida’s economy is beginning to stabilize is the reduction of Worker Adjustment and

Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notices. The notices are submitted by employers to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation as required by federal law. WARN notices received by the agency decreased over the past several months from a peak of 36 WARN notices in March 2009 to seven notices received in September.

There were no notices submitted during the week of October 5 – 9, 2009. The last time the agency experienced a week with no notices was a year ago the week of September 29 – October 3, 2008.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation remains committed to ensuring customers have ready access to the full range of programs and services available through Florida’s workforce system and continue to receive their benefits as quickly and accurately as possible.

For more information about the Agency’s UnemploymentCompensation, Workforce or Early Learning services, go to: www.FloridaJobs.org.

Florida’s workforce system provides critical programs and services to job seekers and businesses alike. Such services offered throughout the state include:

•  Employ Florida Marketplace: The Employ Florida Marketplace Online Job Bank provides 24/7 access to

a wide variety of local, state and national job openings. Follow this link to access the Employ Florida

Marketplace. (www.employflorida.com/).

• One-Stop Career Centers: Florida’s nearly 90 One-Stop Career Centers, locally operated by Regional

Workforce Boards, provide local access to job placement services, local workforce information and job

training opportunities. Follow this link for a Map of Florida One-Stop Career Centers.

(www.floridajobs.org/onestop/onestopdir/index.htm)

• Agency for Workforce Innovation

The Caldwell Building, Suite 100, 107 East Madison Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4120

• Telephone (850) 245-7105
• Fax (850) 921-3223
• TTY/TDD 1-800-955-8771-Voice 1-800-955-8770

www.floridajobs.org

• Mobile One-Stop Career Centers: Florida’s Mobile One-Stop Career Centers allow citizens in rural areas,

at job fairs and during emergency situations to access critical workforce information and services.

• Ready to Work Credential: The Florida Ready to Work Credential program provides a career readiness

certificate signed by Governor Charlie Crist that verifies the employee or job seeker has the foundational

workplace skills required for most positions. Of value to both businesses looking to hire and workers

seeking to find or maintain employment, Ready to Work is a free program funded by the State of Florida.

For more information, please visit www.floridareadytowork.com or call 1-877-444-4505.

• Labor Market Information: The Agency for Workforce Innovation’s Labor Market Statistics Center

produces data such as employment, unemployment and wage information that assist workforce/economic

development, education, employers and job seekers. These statistics assist with economic analysis,

business recruitment, career counseling and other critical business decision-making. Follow this link for

information about the Agency’s Labor Market Statistics Center. (www.labormarketinfo.com/.)

• Work Opportunity Tax Credit: The Work Opportunity Tax Credit offers a financial incentive to private, forprofit

employers to hire individuals from certain targeted groups who experience high rates of

unemployment due to a variety of employment barriers. Follow this link for information about the Work

Opportunity Tax Credit. (www.floridajobs.org/workforce/wotc.html)

For more information on these and other Agency for Workforce Innovation programs, go to

www.FloridaJobs.org.

Related posts:

1. Unemployment rate in Florida still creeping up
2. Florida unemployment rate goes down slightly
3. Unemployment rate drops for third month in a row in Florida
4. New extended unemployment compensation available in Florida
5. Florida’s unemployment down again; 4200 Gulf jobs available

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