SHARE:
Press Release
Florida's unemployment rate drops to eight-year low
Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in February, down from 10.7 percent in December 2010. This milestone marks the state’s lowest unemployment rate in eight years. Florida’s annual private-sector job growth rate of 3.4 percent has consistently exceeded the nation’s for 47 consecutive months. Over the year in February, Florida businesses created 235,200 new private-sector jobs. Since December 2010, 1,056,000 private-sector jobs have been created in Florida.
Governor Rick Scott said,
“I am proud to announce today that our unemployment rate is at the lowest it has been in eight years at 4.9 percent. We have cut taxes over 55 times since 2010, including more than $1 billion in taxes cut over the last two years, which has saved Floridians $5.5 billion. This has resulted in our private sector adding more than one million jobs in only five years. While these are incredible accomplishments for our state, we will continue to do all we can to support economic growth so Florida can be first in the nation for jobs.”
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Cissy Proctor said,
“When Governor Scott took office, the unemployment rate was 10.7 percent. His efforts to improve Florida’s economy and spark private-sector growth have cut that unemployment rate more than in half. Today, more than one million Floridians are back to work in new jobs thanks to his unrelenting commitment to job creation in our state.”
Other positive economic indicators include:
- Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over the year in February were professional and business services with 52,200 new jobs; leisure and hospitality with 42,800 new jobs; trade, transportation, and utilities with 41,500 new jobs; and education and health services with 39,300 new jobs.
- Florida job postings showed 277,391 openings in February 2016.
- During February 2016, Florida’s 24 local workforce development boards reported 34,977 Floridians, including 1,758 veterans, were placed in jobs.
To view the February 2016 employment data visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.
