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Jobless Rate Still Climbing; Economic Forecast Coming

Posted Jul 17, 2009 by Catherine Dolinski

Updated Jul 17, 2009 at 12:57 PM

Florida’s jobless rate climbed again last month by .3 percent to reach 10.6 percent, reflecting a loss of 392, 800 nonagricultural jobs, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

That’s worse than in June 2008, when the state’s unemployment rate was 6 percent. According to AWI, the June 2009 jobless rate is the highest since October 1975, when it hit 11 percent. AWI is currently providing unemployment compensation to 560,000 Floridians.

The new jobless figures come as the state’s top economic analysts begin their meeting at the Capitol to hammer out a new forecast for the state’s economy.

Florida is relying heavily on federal stimulus dollars to increase its payout of unemployment benefits. All told, AWI director Cynthia Lorenzo said this week, the state has spent $534 million to extend the length of benefits and boost payments by $25 per week.

Following a briefing by Lorenzo and other state agency heads, Gov. Charlie Crist said this week he doesn’t think that another federal stimulus package is needed.