Joblessness shoots up in Palm Beach, falls slightly in Florida
By Palm Beach Business.com
DELRAY BEACH — Florida’s jobless rate fell ever so slightly in January, while Palm Beach and Broward rates moved higher as jobs related to the holiday shopping season came to an end.
Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 11.9 percent in January from 12.0 percent a month earlier, according to Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation, which released the monthly jobs report Thursday. A year ago, the jobless rate sat at 11.3 percent.
In Palm Beach County, the jobless rate rose to 12.0 percent from 11.6 percent in January and 11.6 percent a year ago. The actual number of those out of work rose to 73,783, up from 72,576 in December.
In Broward County, the rate rose to 10.5 percent from 10.2 percent in December and 10.1 percent in Janurary 2010.
County rates, unlike the state rate, are not adjusted for seasonal factors that annually affect employment levels, meaning the rise in Palm Beach and Broward counties reflects layoffs of temporary workers hired for the holiday shopping season.
Three job sectors gained jobs: leisure and hospitality, up 32,600; education and health care, up 13,000; trade, transportation and utilities, up 9,300. Seven sectors lost jobs, including construction, down 24,000; financial services, down 7,700; manufacturing, down 6,100.
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