Governor DeSantis Announces Jacksonville Area Labor Force Up 4.4% Over the Year in April 2022

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that in April 2022, the Fort Lauderdale area unemployment rate decreased to 2.5 percent, down 2.8 percentage points from the year-ago rate of 5.3 percent. The Fort Lauderdale metro area added 32,000 new private sector jobs over the year, a 4.4 percent increase. The Fort Lauderdale area labor force also grew by 24,726 over the year, up 2.4 percent. The industry gaining the most jobs over the year was trade, transportation, and utilities, increasing by 10,400 jobs.

In April 2022, Florida’s unemployment rate decreased by 2.1 percentage points over the year to 3.0 percent and continues to remain below the national rate, which is currently 3.6 percent. Florida’s unemployment rate has remained below the national rate for 17 consecutive months and has declined or held steady for 21 consecutive months. As of April 2022, Florida employers have added jobs for 24 consecutive months since May 2020.

Data in the month of April continues to indicate there are many job opportunities available for Floridians throughout the state, with more than 515,000 jobs posted online. Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities are encouraged to turn to the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can find guidance on how to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings. Career seekers also can improve their employability by perfecting resume writing and interviewing skills, establishing career goals, and pursuing customized career training. These services are provided at no cost to job seekers.

To view the statewide April 2022 employment data, visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.  

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