As Florida Unemployment Falls, Miami-Dade's Rate Jumps Nearly a Full Point

Somewhat encouraging news on the employment front: Florida's unemployment numbers fell for the second month in a row. That's only the second two months run of dents in the massive unemployment rate since February 2006. For May, Florida's unemployment rate was 11.7 percent, that's three tenths of a percent less than April. Things...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

June 18, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Somewhat encouraging news on the employment front: Florida's unemployment numbers fell for the second month in a row. That's only the second two months run of dents in the massive unemployment rate since February 2006. For May, Florida's unemployment rate was 11.7 percent, that's three tenths of a percent less than April.

Things start looking a whole lot worse though when you get down to the county level. Miami-Dade's unemployment number took an enormous jump from 11.4 percent in April to 12.3 percent for May.

"This increase can be attributed to the slower summer season, the increase in the labor force after students graduated from high schools, colleges and universities, as well as people reentering the workforce who might have previously given up on finding a job," says Miami's Beacon Council in a statement trying to explain the number.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Miami New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.