Unemployment

State economists have pointed to new entrants to the job market needing more time to find work, as opposed to people losing their jobs as one of the culprits behind the rise in the jobless rate.

Senate Bill 216 would disqualify recipients who fail to contact five -- or in small counties three -- new employers each week, miss three interviews without notifying the employer, or fail to return to work if called back.

While still considered just above “full employment” by state economists, the November rate was up from 3.5% a year earlier.

In the Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater metro area, inflation is only slightly cooler than the national rate. Unemployment is lower, too.

Floridians can receive a weekly benefit up to $275 if their employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to a major disaster.

Su mentioned the Biden administration must still address issues like the cost of housing, gas and groceries.

A new quarterly report on Florida’s economy shows the Sunshine State is still in a major economic storm, but doing better than previous years.

The state Department of Commerce on Friday released a report that estimated a 3.3 percent jobless rate, representing 361,000 Floridians qualified as unemployed in mid-April. The number of unemployed people was up by 8,000 from March. Meanwhile, the labor force totaled 11.095 million in April, down 2,000 people from a month earlier.

Tallahassee businesses are among those getting creative in recruiting and developing talent, thanks in part to Apprentice Florida.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will release new workforce data on October 20. Anca Voicu, professor at Rollins College, says the current job market favors workers.

Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show that Hispanic or Latino unemployment was 9.3% in December 2020, President Donald Trump’s last full month in office. That rate fell from 8.5% in January 2021, the month Joe Biden was sworn in, to 4.9% in August 2023.

Our soaring economy may be leaving some Floridians behind.