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Hernando Today

Unemployment Reaches 10.2 Percent

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: December 20, 2008

SPRING HILL - The gap between Hernando County's unemployment rate and that of the state's worst-ranked county isn't what it used to be.
Hernando County is gaining ground.

The local unemployment rate for November was at 10.2 percent - up .5 percent from a month earlier.

That gives Hernando County the fourth-highest percentage of out-of-work residents in all of Florida. The county with the highest unemployment is Hendry County with 11.9 percent.

"Anytime unemployment moves in this direction it becomes a cause for great concern," said Hernando County Office of Business Development Director Mike McHugh. "I don't know if you can go county by county and say it's inherently different here compared to other places. What you're seeing in Hernando County you're seeing statewide and across the country."

The local labor force consists of 64,187 "able-bodied men and women" ages 16 and older who are either working or actively looking for work. In all, 6,550 of those people (or 10.2 percent) were still looking as of November, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

Those job loss trends are no longer restricted to any specific industry or income bracket.

"At first, we saw the drop in the residential construction market," said Ken Russ, a spokesman with the Pasco-Hernando Workforce Board. "Now, it's the commercial type of construction that's hurting. At first, most of the foreclosures were coming from (working class) people. Now, we're seeing foreclosures in upscale neighborhoods."

While there was a bump statewide in education and health services, Hernando County has suffered, particularly at local hospitals.

Previously, the local health care industry seemed impervious to the slumping economy. In the last few weeks, the three hospitals in Hernando County - Oak Hill, Brooksville Regional and Spring Hill Regional - laid off a total of 47 workers. The eliminated jobs ranged from switchboard operators to nursing managers.

Tampa ranks behind Miami as the metro area with the most lost jobs during the 12-month period from December 2007 through November 2008 (2.4 percent).

The state's unemployment rate for November was at 7.3 - up from 7.0 in October. Of Florida's 67 counties, only five showed improvements.

One of those was Hendry County, which went from 12.9 percent unemployment in October to 11.9.

That means Hernando is 1.7 percentage points below top-ranked Hendry. In October, the difference was 3.2 percentage points.

Economists predict the decreases in the job market will level off by the middle of next year, Russ said.

McHugh said industries are still looking at Hernando County as a viable location to move or expand.

"We're still seeing activity," he said. "That hasn't stopped. Many companies are still interested in our airport properties."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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