The unemployment rate in Flagler County rose again in June, from 15.1 to 15.4 percent, and unemployment rose by four-tenth of a percent in Volusia County, largely due to a statewide loss of 25,000 government, census-related jobs.
An even more worrisome sign for Flagler: while there was an actual net loss of 63 jobs in a workforce of 32,731 in June, the workforce itself shrank by almost 1 percent, a significant reduction that suggests the county is bleeding workers who are choosing to relocate elsewhere. The workforce stood at 32,731 in June, down from 33,028 in May–and down from its year-ago level of 32,893.
Click On:
- The Florida Labor Department’s Full June Employment Report
- June: National Economy Loses 125,000 Jobs
- May: Census Jobs Help Lower Unemployment; Flagler at 15.1%, Florida at 11.7%
- Complete May 2010 Florida Unemployment Report
- April: Flagler Unemployment Lowest in a Year
- April: National Job Creation Soars by 290,000, Unemployment at 9.9%
- March: At 16.6%, Flagler Unemployment Crawls Lower
- Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights: For Workers
- Where and how to file for unemployment
There was some private-sector job creation in the rest of the state, but it did not compensate for the large loss in temporary census jobs, leading to an overall net loss of 1,900 jobs in Florida last month, and reversing the gains of the last few months. The loss was steeper in Flagler and Volusia, where the underlying job market remains weak. Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 11.7 percent in May to 11.4 percent in June–not because there were more jobs, but because there were fewer entrants into the work force, and more of the unemployed quit looking. There are still 1.06 million Floridians out of work.
“This continuing decline in Florida’s unemployment rate is another strong indication that our economy is improving,” said Cynthia R. Lorenzo, director of the state’s labor department. Lorenzo is overstating the case: it’s difficult to claim that an economy is improving when job creation is negative. But there are signs that the private sector was picking up some of the unemployment slack. Professional and business services added 11,800 jobs across the state. Construction, in an surprising turn-around, added 2,800 jobs. Trades, utilities and transportation added 3,700 jobs. Administrative and waste services added 7,700, and leisure and hospitality services, meaning tourism, added 7,000 jobs–an especially bright spot considering the dreaded effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Florida’s beaches.
Besides the 25,100 government jobs lost, some 3,400 jobs were lost in health care, 1,900 in financial services, 1,100 in real estate, and 500 in education and health services. Other sectors were either static or saw modest gains.
Florida's 10 Highest and 10 Lowest Rates by County
| Rank | County | Unemployment Rate, % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hendry | 16.1 |
| 2 | Flagler | 15.4 |
| 3 | St. Lucie | 14.3 |
| 4 | Hernando | 14.2 |
| 5 | Indian River | 14.2 |
| 6 | Marion | 13.9 |
| 7 | Putnam | 13.4 |
| 8 | Citrus | 13.3 |
| 9 | Levy | 13.1 |
| 10 | Lee | 13.0 |
| 58 | Alachua | 8.4 |
| 59 | Jackson | 8.4 |
| 60 | Leon | 8.2 |
| 61 | Wakulla | 8.2 |
| 62 | Franklin | 8.0 |
| 63 | Lafayette | 7.9 |
| 64 | Okaloosa | 7.6 |
| 65 | Monroe | 7.4 |
| 66 | Walton | 7.4 |
| 67 | Liberty | 6.8 |
bill harvey says
politicians ought to be real proud of themselves for bringing absolutely no decent paying jobs in the county, no wait , we are getting another super wal-mart with no more than 7-8 dollars to start and than 1/3rd of the 250 dollars you make for the week will give you medical.
PCadiron says
More great news for Flagler! Maybe a strategic default isn’t such a bad idea!!!!!!!
PCer says
Get the retirees off of city council and bring in some young people who want jobs and industry.
J.J. Graham says
Yeah, some people need to work a little harder at being retired.
dlf says
How is hope and change working out for Flagler? Mr/Mrs Lorenzon states thing are not has bad as they look, Lorenzo has a goverment job making I would guess $74,000 or more, so I guess things are looking better for him or he is playing Obama stand in?. I agree with PCer lets get some council people who want to grow instead of spend, spend and spend some more, wake up America.
Bill Harvey: why should the politicans worry about jobs for you or me, they have a job working for the goverment, which pays on average $74,000 a yeare and produces nothing but spending, would you care if you were in their place?
Taxman says
To all of the previous posters please understand that Palm Coast, Flagler County is a consumer economy not a producer economy. Decent paying jobs is not the reason a company will invest in this county, city.
Florida is a low wage, right to work state. A company will not move here to pay wagers that are higher than the prevailing standard. For example Palm Coast Data was to have many jobs in the city. The people that I have spoken with who work there say the jobs are low paying and in short supply. All in all the most Palm Coast will ever attract is low paying service jobs. Those who manage the city, county are not visionaries nor do they seem to have the understanding of what is required to shift a paradigm. Unless the regions model is changed we will continue to get what we have always have gotten.
The Palm Coast town council wouldn’t even spend $50k to install a citywide wifi. Internet access may seem like a small nice to have feature but having it speaks of vision, change, adapting to the future etc. All but one of the town council was stuck in a regressive; we don’t see a dollar return and keep things as there are mentalities. Until this mode of thinking changes the city of Palm Coast will continue to stagnate. Sure it will have Walmarts, movie theaters, chain restaurants but not much else.
PCadiron says
It’s not just Palm Coast. There aren’t really any decent paying jobs within what, an 80 mile radius?? Florida needs to get its act together too, find ways to rebound from the recession and attract good jobs and people that actually give a crap