Jobless rate jumps to 12.3 percent

Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 11.9 percent in January 2010, up 0.2 percentage point from the December revised rate of 11.7 percent, and up from 8.7 percent a year ago, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

January's rate equals the May 1975 rate, the highest in the recorded series.Florida's unemployment rate remained higher than the national average, which was 9.7 percent in January.

The rate in Highlands was 12.3 percent. It was 11.7 percent in December 2009 and 9.6 in January of last year.

Employer Tax Relief

On the first day of Florida's Legislative Session last week, state lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist approved a bill to bring much-needed tax relief to Florida's businesses. The new law reduces the minimum rate of unemployment tax businesses owe from $100.30 to $25.50 per employee.

The bill also extended until Feb. 27, 2010 Florida's Extended Benefits program for unemployment compensation customers who have exhausted all state and federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits. Extended benefits will immediately provide benefits to nearly 20,000 Floridians for up to eight additional weeks. The agency is notifying Floridians who may be eligible by mail. Those who believe they may be eligible may apply online at www.floridajobs.org or by mail or fax using the application they will receive from the agency.

Florida Back to Work

Crist announced that AWI, in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families, Workforce Florida Inc. and the state's Regional Workforce Boards, will receive its first installment of $61.2 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the $200 million Florida Back to Work initiative. Distribution of the remaining funds will follow. Once these funds are released, Florida is ready to begin implementing the program statewide and putting Floridians back into the workforce.

Florida Back to Work will employ Floridians who receive, or are eligible to receive, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).To date, the agency has received more than 1,100 proposals from businesses around the state. Participating employers will post job openings on the Employ Florida Marketplace at www.employflorida.com as positions become available. Visit www.floridajobs.org to learn more.

Flager County's rate the highest

In January, Liberty County had the state's lowest unemployment rate (7.5 percent), followed by Monroe County (8.2 percent), Leon County (8.5 percent), and Alachua County (8.7 percent). Many of the counties with the lowest unemployment rates are those with relatively high proportions of government employment.

Flagler County (17.1 percent) had the highest unemployment rate in Florida in January followed by Hernando (15.7 percent); Marion County (15.4 percent); Hardee and St. Lucie counties (14.9 percent); and Citrus County (14.6 percent).

The counties with the highest unemployment rates in the state experienced continued weakness in construction, manufacturing, and financial activities. There were 57 Florida counties with double-digit unemployment rates in January, up from 51 the previous month.