unemployment

The state Department of Economic Opportunity released a report Friday that showed the April unemployment rate was down from 3.2 percent in March.

Florida continues to see unemployment claims roll in at a pre-pandemic pace as new data showed aspects of inflation possibly slowing. But that trend has not been reflected at gas pumps.

Unemployment claims in Florida continue to roll in at a pre-pandemic pace and tax collections are up, but Gov. Ron DeSantis is maintaining a drumbeat that federal economic policies might “plunge” the nation into a recession.

Workers are shifting away from gigs at hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues for higher-paying jobs in manufacturing, warehousing and logistics.

Florida’s first-time unemployment claims last week were slightly higher than during the previous three weeks, but the pace of claims continues to be similar to levels seen before COVID-19 hammered the economy in early 2020.

U.S. employers added 678,000 jobs in February as the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%, from 4% in January. The Federal Reserve hopes to curb inflation without stalling job growth.

The U.S. economy grew last year at the fastest pace since 1984, but growth was tempered by successive waves of the pandemic.

First-time unemployment claims in Florida rolled in last month at a pace similar to the period before the coronavirus pandemic pounded the economy. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated 3,982 unemployment claims were filed in Florida during the holiday-shortened week that ended Dec. 25.

Unemployed Floridians will receive 12 weeks of benefits, down from the pandemic-boosted 19, starting Jan. 1.

Unemployment continues to slowly improve in Florida as the state gets closer to regaining the number of jobs lost when the COVID-19 pandemic caused business closures and layoffs last year.

Forecasters think job growth accelerated last month after a slowdown in August and September, but millions of would-be workers are still on the sidelines, leaving the pace of the recovery in doubt.

In September, Florida's unemployment rate dropped .1%, making it 4.9% versus 5% in August. Florida's ranking as the 29th lowest state for unemployment by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics remains the same.