TALLAHASSEE – Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2008 is 5.5 percent. This represents 512,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,261,000. The unemployment rate is up 0.5 percentage point from the revised April rate of 5.0 and is up 1.6 percentage points over the year. Florida's May 2008 unemployment rate is the highest since January 2003, which was also 5.5 percent. The state's unemployment rate is equal to the national unemployment rate of 5.5 percent. ...more

June 28, 2008

TAMPA - Florida's unemployment rate surged in May to 5.5 percent, its highest rate since January 2003. ...more

June 20, 2008

TALLAHASSEE — Highlands County's unemployment rate dropped slightly in December, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The percentage of unemployed was 4.9 last month. It was 5.1 percent in November of last year. Highlands' rate in December 2006 was 3 percent. Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in December 2007, representing 441,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,312,000. Florida's unemployment rate was up by 0.4 percentage point over the month and up by 1.4 percentage points over the year. ...more

January 20, 2008

TAMPA BAY AREA Unemployment On Rise The unemployment rate in the Bay area and the state continues to rise. According to statistics from the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, the unemployment rate in Florida rose to 4.7 percent in December, compared with 4.3 percent in November. The unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in December 2006. ...more

January 19, 2008

TAMPA BAY AREA Publix Opening On Ehrlich A Publix supermarket will open Jan. 10 at the site of a former Albertsons at 5371 Ehrlich Road. The new store will be one of 33 in the 900-plus stores Publix chain to include an adjoining liquor store. A Publix spokeswoman said there are no plans to close or absorb nearby Publix stores in the Shoppes of Citrus Park or Westgate Shopping Center. ...more

December 22, 2007

SEBRING – The refrain is the same from restaurant owners – regardless of the size of the eatery – when asked about a pay increase for employees who receive tips: it's part of the cost of doing business. Florida restaurateurs face another increase on Jan. 1, 2008 when the direct wage for "tipped employees" goes up to $3.77 an hour. According to the Agency for Workforce Innovation, the employer must pay tipped employees a direct wage. The direct wage is calculated as equal to the minimum wage ($6.79) minus the 2003 tip credit ($3.02) or a direct hourly wage of $3.77. Florida's minimum wage will increase to $6.79 per hour on Jan. 1, which is up from $6.67 this year. The majority of local businesses are now paying employees above the minimum wage. ...more

December 16, 2007

Florida has partnered with Google to help residents track down online government records and services more easily, Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday. ...more

December 4, 2007

A contractor in Mississippi has withdrawn a government application to allow up to 400 foreign workers to enter the United States to take welding jobs at Tampa's largest shipyard, an official with Florida's Agency for Workforce Innovation said Wednesday. ...more

October 18, 2007

We at the Agency for Workforce Innovation are proud of the success of Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program. I read with great interest the article 'Legislature Scolded For Cutting Spending For Pre-K' (Metro, Sept. 25), in The Tampa Tribune and want to share some additional facts about the program: ...more

October 5, 2007