More Than 700,000 Florida Jobs Created in Less Than Four Years

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida businesses have added 715,700 private-sector jobs since December 2010, far surpassing his goal to create 700,000 jobs in seven years. In November 2014, Florida experienced the highest single month of private-sector job growth since Governor Scott took office, with 38,600 jobs created. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate in November was 5.8 percent, the lowest since May 2008. Governor Scott made today’s announcement at Viewpost, a financial services company that will be creating 262 new jobs over the next three years in Maitland.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Four years ago, we unveiled an ambitious plan to fix Florida’s economy and turn the state around. Our goal was to create 700,000 jobs in seven years. Today our goal was reached three years early, with 715,700 private-sector jobs created in Florida since December 2010. I applaud our job creators across the state who sacrifice and work hard to create new jobs. Every job impacts a family and we will keep working each day to make Florida the world’s number one destination for jobs.”

Since December 2010, Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped 5.3 percentage points, from 11.1 percent down now to 5.8 percent in November 2014. Florida’s unemployment rate has declined or held steady over the month for 48 of the last 51 months. Florida’s November unemployment rate is also down 0.2 percentage point from last month, and down 0.7 percentage point from the November 2013 rate of 6.5 percent.

Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “Florida’s incredible economic turnaround story had one of its best chapters yet in November. Our private sector continues a long-term trend of nation-leading job creation, decreased unemployment, labor force growth, and record job demand. Pro-growth policies work and Florida’s economy is proof.”

More Floridians Getting Back to Work

• Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded that of the nation since April 2012.
• Florida’s private sector job growth month-to-month has been positive for 45 of the last 48 months.
• November’s private-sector job growth is an increase of 226,900 jobs over the year.
• All ten major industries experienced over the year job gains.
• Private-sector employment has increased by 212,900 jobs in 2014.
• Florida has created 715,700 new private sector jobs since December 2010.
• Florida job postings compiled by the Help Wanted OnLine data series from The Conference Board showed 279,394 openings in November 2014.
• According to the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey that project hiring intentions, 22 percent of businesses surveyed expected to hire more workers in the first quarter of 2015.

Home Sales Robust

• Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 33.7 percent from December 2011 (Florida Realtors).
• Florida median home prices were up 4.6 percent over the year in October 2014.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

• In November, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported more than 33,900 Floridians were placed in jobs. An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a CareerSource Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 6,779 previously received Reemployment Assistance. 
• In 2014 to date, more than 377,500 individuals have been placed into jobs through the regional workforce boards, including more than 23,000 veterans.
• In 2013, more than 479,000 Floridians were placed in jobs, with 135,384 former claimants finding employment.

To view the November 2014 employment data, visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.

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