Unemployment Rate Spikes In FL

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - More Florida workers are losing jobs.
There are now 893,000 Florida workers looking for jobs, the
state agency overseeing the labor market reported Friday.
Florida's unemployment rate increased to 9.7 percent in March
after nearly 20,000 more workers got pink slips last month.
And for the first time since the beginning of the recession 17
months ago, the most jobs were lost in the professional and
business services sector. Construction previously was the hardest
hit.
Florida has lost 424,300 jobs over the last year, reaching its
highest unemployment since 1975 when it stood at 10 percent.
Flagler County in east-central Florida remains the hardest hit
with 14.3 percent of eligible workers on the street.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)