Florida’s jobless rate remained unchanged at 7.1 percent for the third straight month, with 34,500 private-sector jobs created in July, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Friday.
Florida’s unemployment rate in May, June and July of 7.1 percent is below the national average of 7.4 percent.
“It is great news that with 34,500 new private-sector jobs created in July, we are more than half-way to our goal of creating 700,000 jobs in seven years,” said Gov. Rick Scott.
Scott, who touted Florida as having “the best climate for business,” and that “it’s working,” declined to point out that the vast majority of jobs created are minimum wage or low-wage ones that leave Florida families living at or near the poverty line.
Economists have said too, the initial decline in Florida’s jobless rate from 11.1 percent four years ago to the current 7.1 percent, has in large measure been due to job seekers leaving the labor force, while others have put off their job search.
According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, currently 665,000 people are unemployed and can’t find work.
