By The News Service of Florida
First-time unemployment claims in Florida increased last week to the highest weekly total since Hurricane Milton crashed into the state in October.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 8,549 initial claims were filed in the state during the week that ended June 7, up from a revised count of 5,698 during the previous week, which was shortened by the Memorial Day holiday.
Last week’s estimated total was the most since the week that ended Oct. 19, when 10,800 claims were filed after Milton.
Heading into last week, Florida had been averaging 6,213 claims a week since the start of the year.
Nationally, an estimated 248,000 claims were filed last week, the same as in the prior week.
The national unemployment rate in May was 4.2 percent.
Florida had a 3.7 percent unemployment rate in April, with the state Department of Commerce scheduled to release a May report on June 20.