By The News Service of Florida
First-time jobless claims in Florida continue to come in at a pace that highlights a slowing of hiring and firing.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,047 new unemployment claims were filed in Florida last week, up from a revised count of 4,476 the week ending Oct. 31.
The estimate is close to the weekly average for the state, about 5,700 for the year.
In 2025, the weekly average of first-time claims was just over 6,100.
Over the first 10 months of this year, the Florida Department of Commerce has received 220 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification announcing about 16,000 layoffs. Around 30 percent of the layoffs were attached to the closure of Dania Beach-based Spirit Airlines in early May.
In 2025, Commerce received about 250 notices from January through the end of October advising of nearly 17,500 layoffs.
An economic report on South Florida by Florida Atlantic University indicated wages were increasing and new business formation remained strong in the region, but employment growth had flattened.
“What we’re seeing looks less like a downturn than a low-hire, no-fire market,” the school quoted College of Business Economics Professor Bryan Cutsinger.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties have long held the lowest unemployment rates in the state, which has a 4.4 percent unemployment rate.
The statewide rate reflects an estimated 489,000 out of work from a labor force of 11.1 million. The jobless number has grown by 28,000 over the year while the workforce is up 21,000 in the same time.
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