Florida unemployment falls for first time in four years.
For the first time since February 2006, Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has fallen. April unemployment slipped to 12 percent from March’s revised rate of 12.3 percent.
This represents 1,113,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,282,000, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.
“While we recognize that it will take time to emerge from this recession, this decrease in the unemployment rate for the first time in four years coupled with a significant increase in jobs nationally and growth here in Florida are very positive signs,” agency Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo said in a news release.
In Palm Beach County the unemployment rate fell to 11.4 percent from 12.2 percent a month earlier. The rate in Broward County fell to 9.9 percent in April from 10.6 percent in March. In Miami-Dade, it fell to 11.3 percent from 12 percent.
The county rates are not adjusted for seasonal changes.
Statewide, nonagricultural employment gained 15,500 jobs, month-over-month, but still saw a year-over-year loss of 117,900 jobs.
Nationwide, the April unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent from 9.7 percent one year prior. Economists suggest the increase is typical as discouraged job seekers who stopped looking for work begin to re-enter the market.
In April, 805,000 people without jobs entered the national labor force to search for work.
In the meantime, Floridians’ consumer confidence is also showing signs of improvement, with a six-point increase – to 77 in April from 71 in March out of an index of 100, according to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
The largest increase was in Floridians’ perceptions of whether it is a good time to purchase big-ticket consumer items, which rose 14 points to 87. Consumers have a positive outlook on short- and long-term economic conditions, as well. Expectations of national economic conditions over the year rose 10 points to 80.
Read more: Florida unemployment falls for first time in four years – South Florida Business Journal
