Florida saw its unemployment rate continue to tick up
TALLAHASSEE --- Florida saw its unemployment rate continue to tick up as 2023 ended .
The state Commerce Department on Friday released a report that said Florida had a 3 percent jobless rate in December , with an estimated 334,000 Floridians out of work from a labor force of 11.194 million .
The rate was up from 2.9 percent in November and 2.7 percent in December 2022 , when the number of people out of work was estimated at 291,000 from a labor force of 10.84 million .
The Commerce Department said in a news release that the new data showed Florida “ continued to outperform the nation throughout the year . despite negative national headwinds caused by failed federal economic policies .”
The national unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in December and has been under 4 percent for 23 months .
When the national rate was updated on Jan . 5 , the White House said 2023 “ was a strong year for jobs , labor supply , and wage growth . Combined with the past few years , the data reveal a uniquely strong labormarket-bounce-back from the pandemicinduced recession .”
After spending the first half of 2023 at 2.6 percent , Florida ’ s rate slowly rose starting in July . The state ’ s record low was 2.4 percent during the housing boom of 2006 .
10 DITCHMEN • JANUARY 2024