McClatchy Washington Bureau

Posted on Fri, Dec. 18, 2009

Florida joblessness hits highest rate since 1975, 11.5 percent

Scott Andron | Miami Herald

last updated: December 18, 2009 12:45:07 PM

MIAMI — Florida's unemployment rate continued to rise last month, up two-tenths of a point to 11.5 percent, the state labor department said Friday.

It was the highest rate since May 1975.

Miami-Dade County's rate was 11.1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Those numbers are adjusted to remove the effect of normal seasonal changes, such as summer layoffs in the tourism industry. Adjusted numbers aren't available for other Florida counties, but here are the raw figures for South Florida:

• Broward, 10.1 percent.

• Monroe, 7.3 percent.

• Palm Beach, 11.7 percent.