State Unemployment Highest in 17 Years

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped again in January, hitting 8.6 percent – the highest since 1992 and 3.6 percent higher than a year ago.

State Unemployment Highest in 17 Years

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped again in January, hitting 8.6 percent – the highest since 1992.

This represents 800,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,256,000.  

The jobless rate is 3.6 percent higher than January 2008 and is 1 percent above the national rate of 7.6 percent.
 
The new figures, released early Friday by the state’s Agency for Workforce Development, are the highest since September 1992, when unemployment was 8.9 percent.  Prior to 1992, the seasonally adjusted rate for Florida, peaked at 9.7 percent in January, February, and March of 1976.  
 
A drop in construction jobs again contributed to the state’s job loss. Florida’s total nonagricultural employment in January 2009 was 7,557,700, representing a job loss of 355,700, or -4.5 percent compared to January 2008. This is slower than the national rate for January which is -2.5 percent.  The January 2009 rate of job loss continues the trend of over-the-year declines that began in August 2007.
 
Employers can post job openings and job seekers can post resumes at www.employflorida.com.  Employ Florida Marketplace currently lists nearly 130,000 job opportunities in Florida.
 
“Governor Crist has emphasized job creation and stimulating Florida’s economy by developing budget priorities that focus on these principles and translate federal stimulus dollars into action,” said Agency Interim Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “We are working diligently to ensure federal stimulus funds are distributed quickly to have significant impact on increasing benefits and enhancing our services to Floridians.  We are also working diligently to ensure our state and business partners are posting job openings on the Employ Florida Marketplace website.”