The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 12.9 percent in April.
That’s an increase of 7.4 percent over the month, 9.1 percent higher than the region’s rate a year ago and 0.4 percentage point lower than the state rate of 13.3 percent. There were 24,342 unemployed, an increase of 13,049 without jobs since March and 16,723 more than April 2019 when the jobless rate was 3.8 percent.
The labor force was 189,154, down 14,633 over the month and a loss of 10,451, or 5.2 percent, over the year. There were 164,812 employed, which represents a one-month drop of 27,682 and a decrease of 27,174 compared to April 2019.
Nonfarm employment in the Ocala/Marion County metropolitan statistical area was 100,400, a decrease of 6,600, or 6.2 percent, over the year. Mining, logging and construction was the only industry in the Ocala MSA that gained jobs over the year. At 2.4 percent, adding 200 jobs, it grew faster in the metro area than statewide.
According to the preliminary jobs report for April, released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Levy County had the lowest jobless rate in the region at 11 percent, up 6.1 percent point over the month. Marion County followed with a rate of 12.1 percent, an increase of 6.9 percent. And Citrus County’s rate was 15.8 percent, up 9.1 percent.
Florida’s not seasonally adjusted jobless rate – a measure that matches the way local rates are calculated – was 13.3 percent, an increase of 9 percent over the month and up from 2.9 percent a year ago. The nation’s jobless rate was 14.4 percent, up from 4.5 percent in March and an increase of 11.1 percent higher than a year ago.
Rusty Skinner, CEO of CareerSource CLM, said those numbers weren’t unexpected.
“In the previous March report, we were just beginning to see the impacts of COVID-19 on our economy, but we knew those would show up in April,” he said. “For example, leisure and hospitality, which was ‘unchanged’ in March, took a major hit in April, losing 2,400 jobs for a drop over the year of 17.4 percent. The hope is that as businesses continue to reopen, we’ll reverse course. There’s no telling, though, how long it will take to fully recover.”
Skinner said that CareerSource CLM is doing everything possible to assist businesses and job seekers. He noted that all career centers in the region are open, by appointment only, to focus primarily on the needs of those laid off due to COVID-19. In-person, career center services include job searches, Welfare Transition and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. Though CareerSource CLM does not run the state’s Reemployment Assistance (unemployment compensation) program, staff also may be able to help claimants decipher issues with their benefits and reset PINs.
Additionally, all business and job seeker services continue to be provided virtually by phone, email, live chat and online. CareerSource CLM also has launched a new Help is Here outreach effort to:
- Connect job seekers and businesses to critical resources for local, personalized help;
- Develop innovative solutions to generate job recovery/retention and business continuity, driving economic recovery; and
- Provide links to state and federal assistance programs.
Skinner added that as of Friday, there were 128 businesses working with CareerSource CLM to actively fill multiple positions, up from 87 a month ago.
“I think it surprises people to learn there are robust recruiting efforts going on throughout our region,” he said.
Among the myriad businesses now hiring are Amazon.com, ANCORP, AutoZone stores and distribution center, Bayfront Health Seven Rivers, Chewy Dollar Tree Distribution Center, and the cities of Ocala, Inverness and Crystal River.
In March, the Ocala MSA led all other metro areas for fastest job growth in manufacturing, while in April over-the-year job growth dropped by 600 jobs, or 6.5 percent. But Skinner said that a variety of manufacturers have ramped up hiring – including Capri Furniture, Cardinal Glass, Chariot Eagle, Custom Window Systems, E-One and Southwind Manufacturing – which should be reflected in next month’s jobs report.