By John Haughey
(The Center Square) – Employers in Florida hired nearly 70,000 workers in June, doubling May’s job growth despite a marginal increase in the state’s unemployment rate, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).
“The change in Florida’s unemployment rate – up 0.1 percentage point from May – reflects the significant increase in the labor force of 83,000 over the month, showing that active job seekers continue to rejoin the workforce with many job opportunities available,” the DEO said in a Friday news release.
The 83,000 increase in job market participation includes 69,300 new private sector jobs. Florida’s total employed workforce in June was 10.398 million, the agency tabulates.
Florida’s unemployment rate in June was an even 5%, a 6.6-percentage point decline from last June, the DEO reports, noting there are “528,000 available jobs posted online throughout the state.”
Over 14 consecutive months of job growth, the DEO documents that Florida has gained 907,900 jobs since the height of the pandemic last spring.
June marked the 11th straight month Florida’s unemployment rate was below the national unemployment rate, which was 5.9% in June, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
There were 523,000 Floridians receiving unemployment benefits in June, up 20,000 from May but a 54% plummet from the 1.15 million receiving unemployment benefits in June 2020, the DEO notes.
“Many job seekers are returning to the workforce, and businesses across the state continue to provide Floridians with opportunities for employment, which bolsters our state’s economy,” DEO Secretary Dane Eagle said
Florida’s private sector employment has increased by 378,500 jobs, or 5.2%, since last June with the leisure and hospitality sector – Florida’s largest industry – generating 41,500 new jobs last month.
According to the DEO, the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sector added 8,000 new jobs, Education and Health Services 5,700 new jobs and Financial Activities 3,400 new Florida jobs in June.
Regional breakdowns confirm that tourism and high tech are driving employment in South and Central Florida.
Orlando: The unemployment rate in the Orlando area was 6% percent in June, down from 18.5% in June 2020. Private sector employment increased 9%, by 89,900 jobs, over the year with leisure and hospitality adding 48,600 jobs, and education and health services adding 12,100 jobs.
West Palm Beach: The unemployment rate in the West Palm Beach area was 5.3% in June, down from 11.5% in June 2020. Private sector employment increased by 31,900 jobs over the year, a 6% boost. Leisure and hospitality led the way, adding 11,700 new jobs.
Tampa: The unemployment rate in the Tampa area was 5.2% in June, down from 10.5% last June. Private sector employment increased by 73,400 jobs over the year, a 6.3% boost. Professional and business services paced growth by adding 25,400 jobs. Leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 22,100 jobs; and trade, transportation, and utilities added 11,300 jobs.
Southwest Florida: The unemployment rate in the Fort Myers area was 5.3% in June, down from 11% in June 2020. Private sector employment increased by 9,400 jobs over the year, up by 4.3%. Construction led the way with 2,200 new jobs; education and health services added 2,000 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities added 1,900 jobs; and leisure and hospitality added 1,400 jobs.
Pensacola: The unemployment rate in the Pensacola area was 5.2%in June, down from 8.2 % ;last June. Private sector employment increased by 4,800 jobs over the year, up by 3.1%. The industries gaining the most jobs over the year in the Panhandle region was professional and business services, which added 1,400new jobs; leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 1,000 while education and health services employment added 1,000 new jobs.
Miami: The unemployment rate in the Miami area was 7.1% in June, down from 10.1% in June 2020. Private sector employment increased by 49,900 jobs over the year, a 5.2% boost. The industries gaining the most amount of jobs over the year in the Miami-Dade area were leisure and hospitality, which added 19,100 jobs, and professional and business services, which added 17,500 jobs, in June.
Jacksonville: The unemployment rate in the Jacksonville area was 5% in June, down from 8.8% last June. Private sector employment increased by 36,000 jobs, up by 5.9%, in the last year with leisure and hospitality adding the most new jobs in June, 9,500 jobs, followed by the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which added 7,200 jobs.
Ft. Lauderdale: The unemployment rate in the Fort Lauderdale area was 5.7% in June, down from 14% in June 2020. Private sector employment in June increased by 34,000 jobs, a 5% increase over last June. The industry gaining the most jobs over the year in Broward County was leisure and hospitality, increasing by 16,600 jobs.
Originally published by The Center Square. Republished with permission.