Jobless rate recovers from storms

Employmentlevels in Florida recovered in October, the state said Friday, following September’sHurricane Irma, which pummeled that month’s payroll count.

“Getting a report that’s very normal is a good sign. The South Florida economy is bouncing back and that’s exactlywhatwewant to see, “said Mekael Teshome, Florida economist forPNCBank.

He said the region even saw an increase in the leisure and hospitality jobs sector. “Tourists and even thesnowbirdswere not deterredby the storm,” Teshome said.

In South Florida, Broward County continued to lead job growth in October, according to the monthly unemployment and job creation report released Friday.

Broward added 25,200 jobs, an increase of 3.1percent over the year. The largest number, 9,800, was in educationandhealth services. That was the highest annual job growth for educationandhealth services in the state, according to Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity. Thatwas followed by 4,200 jobs in construction; 3,500 in professional and business services; 2,300 in trade, transportation and utilities; 2,000 in government; 1,400 in other services, 800 in manufacturing; 600 in leisure and hospitality; 400 in financial activities; and 200 in information.

No industries lost jobs for the period of October 2016-2017. As a result, the county’s unemployment fell to 3.3 percent, down from 4.7 percent in the same month a year ago.

PalmBeachCounty’s jobless rate was 3.6 percent, down from 5 percent a year ago. The county added 8,900 jobs, an increase of 1.5 percent over the year.

The construction industry added the most jobs, 3,200 over the year; followed by 2,200 in professional and business services; 2,000 in government; 1,800 in other services; 1,500 in education and health services, and 200 in information. Manufacturing jobs were unchanged for the year.

Unemployment in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties was 4.5 percent compared with 5.4 percent a year ago. The counties added 27,900 jobs over the year, an increase of 2.4 percent.

Florida’s unemployment rate was 3.6 in October, down from 4.9 percent a year ago. State rates are not seasonally adjusted, while county rates are. The state remains belowtheU.S. unemployment rate, whichwas 4.1percent in October.

The number of jobs in Florida was about 8.66 million in October, an increase of 197,500 jobs or 2.3 percent over a year ago, the state said.