State Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.4%
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) — Florida's unemployment rate dropped from 6.7 percent to 6.4 percent in the month of November, but job creation was nearly stagnant as just 6,100 jobs were created in the state.
Looking at the numbers in South Florida, Broward County saw the unemployment rate drop from 5.4 percent in October to 5.2 percent in November. The November 2013 rate of 5.2 percent was a drop of more than 1.5 percent from November 2012.
According to the state numbers, Broward County's labor force decreased by 1,894 workers in November and the overall number of employed workers in Broward County dropped by 259 jobs. The number of people on unemployment insurance fell by 1,635 workers.
Miami-Dade County's unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 percent in October 2013 to 7.0 percent in November 2013. Comparing year-over-year numbers, Miami-Dade's unemployment rate dropped by 1.3 percent, almost as much as the last month.
A total of 7,031 workers disappeared from the labor force in Miami-Dade County from October to November, but the state said 12,565 jobs were created in the same period. Miami-Dade County also saw the total number of people receiving unemployment insurance drop by 19,596 workers.
The state's jobless rate in October was 6.7 percent. Florida in October led the nation in job growth, adding nearly 45,000 jobs.
Payroll provider ADP reported earlier this month that the state added 19,450 private sector jobs during the month of November. ADP's survey is separate from the one that is conducted by government agencies.
Gov. Rick Scott has contended the state's unemployment rate is dropping due to his policies; however it could be part of the national improvement of the economy that is also boosting Florida.
State economists have said another reason for the decline is that people were leaving the labor force or had delayed their job search.
The biggest questions, which Governor Scott's administration doesn't have data for, is are the jobs that are being created going to Floridians and are the jobs paying living wages or are they largely in the service industry or minimum wage jobs.
