Unemployment rate in Florida still creeping up

From the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation:

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 11.9 percent in January 2010, up 0.2 percentage point from the December revised rate of 11.7 percent, and up from 8.7 percent a year ago.  January’s rate equals the May 1975 rate, the highest in the recorded series.  Florida’s unemployment rate remained higher than the national average, which was 9.7 percent in January.

Florida’s total nonagricultural employment in January 2010 is 7,144,300, representing a decline of 6,100 jobs

(-0.1 percent) over the month and a job loss of 303,200 jobs, or -4.1 percent, compared to January 2009.  Florida’s rate of job decline is steeper than the national rate of decline for January which is -3.0 percent over the year.

Employer Tax Relief

On the first day of Florida’s Legislative Session last week, state lawmakers and Governor Charlie Crist approved a bill to bring much-needed tax relief to Florida’s businesses.  The new law reduces the minimum rate of unemployment tax businesses owe from $100.30 to $25.50 per employee.

The bill also extended until February 27, 2010 Florida’s Extended Benefits program for unemployment compensation customers who have exhausted all state and federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits.  Extended Benefits will immediately provide benefits to nearly 20,000 Floridians for up to eight additional weeks.  The agency is notifying Floridians who may be eligible by mail.  Those who believe they may be eligible may apply online at www.floridajobs.org or by mail or fax using the application they will receive from the agency.

“Under the leadership of Governor Crist and with the support of Florida’s Legislature, Florida businesses will benefit from a dramatically reduced employer tax rate that will help companies avoid layoffs and support economic growth,” said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo.  “This new law also provides federally funded Extended Benefits to assist nearly 20,000 Floridians who have exhausted their unemployment benefits.”

Florida Back to Work

Governor Crist today announced that AWI, in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families, Workforce Florida Inc., and the state’s Regional Workforce Boards, will receive its first installment of $61.2 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the $200 million Florida Back to Work initiative.  Distribution of the remaining funds will follow.  Once these funds are released, Florida is ready to begin implementing the program statewide and putting Floridians back into the workforce.

Florida Back to Work will employ Floridians who receive, or are eligible to receive, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).  To date, the agency has received more than 1,100 proposals from businesses around the state.  Participating employers will post job openings on the Employ Florida Marketplace at www.employflorida.com as positions become available.  Please visit www.floridajobs.org to learn more.

Census Hiring Impact

The Census Bureau, as part of the 2010 count of U.S. residents, is in the process of hiring thousands of employees between now and September to assist with the count in Florida.  The state anticipates the Census will employ more than 63,700 Floridians over the duration of the process with salaries in the $9-$16 per hour range.  Census job openings, both full and part-time, are posted in the Employ Florida Marketplace at www.employflorida.com.

These positions will be critical to the state’s effort to ensure an accurate count so that Floridians receive their fair share of funding and representation in Washington, D.C., during the next decade.  For more information on the 2010 Census, please visit www.sunshinecensus2010.com.

United States and Florida Unemployment Rates (seasonally adjusted)

	Source:  Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, Labor Market Statistics Center, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Florida’s Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted)

• The number of jobs in Florida is 7,144,300, down 303,200 in January 2010 compared to a year ago.  The industry losing the most jobs is construction (-90,700 jobs, -20.4 percent).
• Other industries losing jobs over the year include: trade, transportation, and utilities (-56,600 jobs, -3.7 percent); professional and business services (-44,900 jobs, -4.2 percent); manufacturing (-42,200 jobs,
  -12.2 percent); leisure and hospitality (-39,700 jobs, -4.3 percent); financial activities (-27,800 jobs, -5.6 percent); information (-13,700 jobs, -9.2 percent); other services (-8,400 jobs, -2.6 percent); and total government (-2,500 jobs, -0.2 percent).
• These industry job losses are partially due to weakness in specialty trade contractors; merchant wholesalers of durable goods; employment services; fabricated metal product manufacturing; food services and drinking places; credit intermediation; publishing; membership associations and organizations; and local government.
• Private education and health services (+23,600 jobs, +2.2 percent) is the only sector gaining jobs among Florida’s major industries.  Most of the increase is due to health care and social assistance (+19,500 jobs, +2.1 percent), primarily in ambulatory health care services.  Private education increased by 4,100 jobs (+2.9 percent) over the year.

Local Area Unemployment Statistics (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

• In January 2010, Liberty County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate (7.5 percent), followed by Monroe County (8.2 percent), Leon County (8.5 percent), and Alachua County (8.7 percent).  Many of the counties with the lowest unemployment rates are those with relatively high proportions of government employment.
• Flagler County (17.1 percent) has the highest unemployment rate in Florida in January 2010, followed by Hernando (15.7 percent); Marion County (15.4 percent); Hardee and St. Lucie counties (14.9 percent); and Citrus County (14.6 percent).  The counties with the highest unemployment rates in the state experienced continued weakness in construction, manufacturing, and financial activities.  There were 57 Florida counties with double-digit unemployment rates in January, up from 51 the previous month.

Area Nonagricultural Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

• All metro areas in the state except one lost jobs over the year in January 2010.  The Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach metro area gained 200 jobs (+0.3 percent) over the year.  Metro areas with the steepest declines include Sebastian-Vero Beach (-7.3 percent, -3,400 jobs); Naples-Marco Island (-6.2 percent, -7,200 jobs); Ocala (-6.0 percent, -5,700 jobs); and Cape Coral-Ft. Myers (-5.6 percent, -11,700 jobs).

Related posts:

1. Unemployment rate drops for third month in a row in Florida
2. Florida unemployment rate goes down slightly
3. Florida unemployment rate up to 11 percent; over 98,000 unemployed in Broward
4. Unemployment increases statewide; Florida has less jobs
5. Florida’s unemployment down again; 4200 Gulf jobs available

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