FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: AWI Communications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: AWI Communications

Rick Scott

Governor

Cynthia R. Lorenzo

Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: AWI Communications

EMBARGOED: September 16, 2011, 10:00 AM (850) 245-7130

Florida’s August Employment Figures Released

TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August 2011 is 10.7 percent. This represents 987,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,201,000. The state’s unemployment rate is unchanged from July and is 0.9 percentage point lower than the August 2010 rate of 11.6 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is 9.1 percent in August.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment in August 2011 is 7,233,100, an increase of 9,900 jobs (+0.1 percent) from July 2011. From January to August 2011, Florida has gained 71,600 jobs.

“An increase of nearly 10,000 jobs since last month is another positive indication that Florida’s employers are gaining confidence, people are getting back to work, and our state is making progress under Governor Scott’s leadership,” said AWI Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo. “With the launch next month of the Department of Economic Opportunity, we are taking a bold step to position Florida as the number one state in the nation to do business and create jobs.”

The Department of Economic Opportunity was created during the 2011 Legislative Session in response to Governor Scott’s priority of establishing a more unified approach and rapid response to job creation through the consolidation of the state’s economic development functions. Encompassing responsibilities overseen by AWI, the Department of Community Affairs and the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, the department becomes operational on October 1, 2011.

United States and Florida Unemployment Rates (seasonally adjusted)

Florida’s Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted)

  • The number of jobs in Florida is 7,233,100 in August 2011, up 46,100 jobs compared to a year ago. August is the eleventh consecutive month with positive annual job growth since the state started losing jobs in July 2007. The industry gaining the most jobs is leisure and hospitality (+46,400 jobs, +5.1 percent).
  • Other industries gaining jobs include private education and health services (+22,200 jobs, +2.1 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (+11,200 jobs, +0.8 percent); professional and business services (+8,900 jobs, +0.9 percent); financial activities (+1,700 jobs, +0.4 percent); and other services (+200 jobs, +0.1 percent).
  • These industry job gains are partially due to increases in food services and drinking places; ambulatory health care services; food and beverage stores; legal services; real estate; and repair and maintenance.
  • Industries losing jobs over the year include: total government (-20,400 jobs, -1.8 percent), construction (-17,600 jobs, -5.1 percent), information (-5,700 jobs, -4.2 percent), and manufacturing (-800 jobs, -0.3 percent).
  • These industry job losses are partially due to losses in federal government which employed temporary census workers last year; construction of buildings; telecommunications; and miscellaneous manufacturing.

Local Area Unemployment Statistics (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

  • In August 2011, Monroe County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate (6.7 percent), followed by Walton County (7.0 percent), Liberty County (7.1 percent), Okaloosa County (7.4 percent), and Lafayette County (7.7 percent). Many of the counties with the lowest unemployment rates are those with relatively high proportions of government employment. Others have seasonal increases in tourism-related employment.
  • Hendry County has the highest unemployment rate (17.9 percent) in Florida in August 2011, followed by Flagler County (14.9 percent); Hernando and Indian River counties (13.9 percent each); and St. Lucie County (13.7 percent). Seasonal declines in agriculture and layoffs in state government contributed to Hendry County’s high unemployment rate. There are 42 Florida counties with double-digit unemployment rates in August.

Area Nonagricultural Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

  • Thirteen metro areas of the 22 in the state have over-the-year job gains in August 2011. The areas with the largest gains are Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (+14,800 jobs, +1.3 percent), Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall (+13,900 jobs, +1.4 percent), and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach (+8,100 jobs, +1.6 percent).
  • Of the metro areas with job declines, the largest losses are in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville (-6,400 jobs, -3.3 percent), Naples-Marco Island (-3,000 jobs, -2.8 percent); and Lakeland-Winter Haven (-2,700 jobs, -1.4 percent).

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An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation is Florida's lead workforce agency and directly administers the state's various workforce and unemployment programs and the Office of Early Learning. Workforce development policy and guidance are provided by Workforce Florida, Inc. Partnering together, along with the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards that deliver services through more than 90 One-Stop Career Centers around the state, they compose the Employ Florida network.

The next Florida Employment and Unemployment release will be on October 21, 2011, at 10:00 A.M.

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