Florida jobless rate

The unemployment rate in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area stood at 2.6 percent.

The November rate of 2.6% was down from 2.7% in October. An estimated 280,000 Floridians qualified as unemployed in November.

The unemployment rate of 2.7% is unchanged from July. It means an estimated 293,000 Floridians were out of work last month.

Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to 2.7 percent in July, matching the level before the COVID-19 pandemic slammed into the economy in early 2020, state officials announced Friday.

Despite increased concerns about layoffs and a looming recession, Florida’s unemployment rate dipped in June. The June number represented 303,000 Floridians unemployed.

Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to 3.2 percent in March, as workers shift away from gigs at hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues for higher-paying jobs in manufacturing, warehousing and logistics.

As first-time unemployment claims continue to roll in at levels similar to before the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning that issues linked to inflation could push the nation toward a recession.

Florida’s employment picture continues to brighten, while the state jobs agency envisions conditions slowing to a more “stable” pace over the next two years.

Florida’s first-time unemployment claims last week were slightly higher than during the previous three weeks, but the pace of claims continues to be similar to levels seen before COVID-19 hammered the economy in early 2020.

First-time unemployment claims in Florida rolled in last month at a pace similar to the period before the coronavirus pandemic pounded the economy.