By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Despite increased concerns about layoffs and a looming recession, Florida’s unemployment rate dipped in June.
The state Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday released a report that said the June rate was 2.8 percent, down from a revised 2.9 percent in May. The June number represented 303,000 Floridians unemployed in a workforce of 10.633 million.
The June rate was a decrease from 4.8 percent in June 2021, when 499,000 people were out of work.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office seized on the new rate, saying Florida’s labor force has grown by 2.8 percent over the past year compared to the national rate of 1.8 percent.
“Despite Biden administration policies that have produced record inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, and slowing national GDP (gross domestic product), Florida continues to outpace the nation with strong job growth and an increasing labor force,” DeSantis said in a news release.
The release also said the state’s labor force was up by 40,000 people in the past month, an increase of 0.4 percent, while the national labor force shrunk by 353,000 in the same time, a 0.2 percentage-point reduction.
The national unemployment rate has hovered around 3.6 percent since March, after it was 5.9 percent in June 2021.
Florida’s 10 major employment sectors are up in jobs from last year, but the June report showed a monthly decline of 2,400 construction jobs, 2,200 government jobs and 600 information-technology jobs.
But state economists pointed to positives.
Jobs in the leisure and hospitality fields, which still have ground to recover after massive losses early in the COVID-19 pandemic, had the largest gain in June at 12,100 new jobs, followed by education and health services which grew by 7,800 positions.
The state’s labor force was up 339,000 people from pre-pandemic levels, but has seen increases in people quitting jobs for 15 consecutive months.
Florida was one of 10 states to record unemployment rate declines in June and one of 20 with rates below the national mark, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Florida Jobless Rate Dips in June added by Staff on
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@ Barb,
Your husband should run for mayor.
I know some of these elections requires a lot of prayer in order to be guided to the right candidate to vote for. PRAY!!!
@Hope,
No, I wasn’t kidding. I was thinking how nice it would be if FPL upgraded our power grid/infrastructure and how I don’t know the terms of the contract, etc.
But, my husband reminded me of Tallahassee’s tax structure which is different than most other cities. So, regardless of the terms and promises, before too long, the money will be gone, property taxes will be double what they are now and we will be in a world of hurt.
I don’t know if I am going to vote for Mayor at all.
I’m not a fan of the “unemployment rate” statistic. It’s been redefined and muddled entirely too many times over the years so that it paints a rosier picture than the previous definition(s).
The Labor Participation numbers are much more meaningful.
@ Barb,
You are kidding, right?
Hope,
I’m just wondering…why is it a bad thing to sell the City of Tallahassee utilities to FPL?
Breaking news…
Mayor Dailey’s influence of the CSC director’s position through his wife recommending a Gillum associate that knocked out the number one choice and the committee giving the position to the Gillum associate. Dailey’s influence is destructive to humanity.
But it gets worse… and the Dailey supporters need to wake up because on the heels of the Blueprint Doak $27 million giveaway (to trade favors for campaign contributions) he is meeting with FPL, a client of his wife.
DAILEY and and City Manager Goad are in tandem considering selling the City of Tallahassee utilities to FPL? It looks bad it looks real bad for Mayor Dailey…
The Doak $27 million giveaway, the influence of the CSC director, and now the city utilities? King Dailey must go!
So do not understand how we are still making people spend 5 days away from work for COVID and not requiring people to be required to do the same for flu, monkey pox or ANY other virus for that matter! The hypocrisy is deafening!