The number of persons unemployed in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area rose by 29,500 in March than a year earlier the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. While 12.1 percent of the labor force was unemployed in March 2010, a slight improvement over the 12.6 percent recorded in February, the jobless rate is up 2.6 percent from March 2009.
The Bureau also reported that 28,800 less employees were on the non-farm payrolls in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area in March 2010 as compared to the previous year, representing a decline of 2.8 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate for March 2010 was 12.3 percent, the highest recorded since 1970. This represented 1.1 million jobless out of a labor force of 9.3 million. The unemployment rate was up marginally from the February revised rate of 12.2 percent, and up 2.7 percentage points from the March 2009 rate of 9.6 percent.
The report also revealed that unemployment rates were higher in March 2010 than a year ago in 321 of the 372 metropolitan areas, lower in 41 areas and unchanged in 10 areas.
The national unemployment rate in March was 10.2 percent up from 9 percent a year earlier.
