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Hernando Today

Hernando unemployment jumps to 13.1 percent

State unemployment reaches 10.6; Tampa region is at 11.1

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By TONY HOLT | Hernando Today

Published: July 17, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - The last time Florida's unemployment was this high, people were still reeling from the Watergate scandal, the first episodes of Saturday Night Live had just been aired and Jimmy Hoffa was pronounced missing.

The outlook is worse for Hernando County, which saw its unemployment rate jump to 13.1 percent in June – the fifth-highest in the state.

In May, Hernando County had 12.7 percent unemployment.

From May to June, the workforce increased by 135 people, but the latter month had 83 fewer employed workers and 118 more people out of work, according to figures by the Agency for Workforce Innovation out of Tallahassee.

People 16 and older who are employed or actively seeking employment make up the labor force. Full-time students, stay-at-home parents, people on disability and retirees are not included.

Hernando has seen its jobless rate increase almost every month since April 2008. The only month-to-month improvement was in April 2009.

Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June is 10.6 percent, which is 1.1 percentage points higher than the national figure.

The last time statewide jobless numbers were higher was in October 1975, according to AWI.

The four counties with higher unemployment than Hernando are Flagler, 15.5; Indian River, 14.1; St. Lucie, 14.1; and Hendry, 13.9.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan region – which includes Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties – has 11.1 percent unemployment. In May, it was at 10.6 percent.

Flagler, at 15.5 percent, recorded the highest unemployment rate in the state for the seventh consecutive month. Flagler, like Hernando, has suffered due to the continued slide in the residential construction industry.

Since June 2008, the unemployment rate in the construction industry alone has dropped by 15.6 percent statewide, according to AWI.

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

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