Escambia County’s Unemployment Rate Skyrockets To 12.8%

May 23, 2020

The April unemployment rate in Escambia County and across Florida skyrocketed in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 12.9 percent in April 2020, up 8.5 percentage points from the revised March 2020 rate of 4.4 percent, and up 9.6 percentage points from a year ago. There
were over 1.2 million jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9,438,000. The U.S. unemployment rate was 14.7 percent in April.

Escambia County’s unemployment rate soared to 12.8% in April, up from 4.5% in March and 3.2% in February. One year ago, it was just 2.9%.

There were nearly 11,000 people that lost their jobs in Escambia County between March and April.

The jobless rate is bad across Florida, with 43 of the states 67 counties with a jobless rate of 10% or worse.

The jobless numbers do not count those that applied for unemployment in May. Those numbers will be out in June.

Comments

11 Responses to “Escambia County’s Unemployment Rate Skyrockets To 12.8%”

  1. a changed society on May 27th, 2020 6:40 pm

    From a friend of mine….
    Went to Hobby Lobby and Dillard’s yesterday for the first time in 3 months. In conversation at checkout, I asked a worker at each place if they were glad to be back to work. Their reply? “No. I made more money getting paid to stay at home. “ Me…. but aren’t you ready to get back to some normalcy? Them…”Why would I? I like the new normal! Get paid to do what I want, when I want and not work!”
    This was both of their replies, basically verbatim.
    As I walked away, I thought about how hard my husband and his team have been working literally around the clock to find product from various sources, to keep trucks scheduled to deliver that product to all our stores, to keep limited supplies fairly spread to all stores to have supply available to each customer. And where do these ‘unhappy to be back at work’ people think the money comes from to pay them? I’ll tell you. My husband for one. And if you’re my fb friend, I’d say probably you too. I really wish they’d be thankful for a job instead of wishing they were back home on the couch waiting on their ‘more than normal dollar amount paycheck’.

  2. southerner on May 26th, 2020 11:09 pm

    David….You don’t know me! I AM a business owner and have had hard time WITHOUT government assistance. I know what I am talking about. People have bought into the lie that we need the government to pull us out. We just want to work AND not be dependent on the government nor be told our job is nonessential. It is my livelihood. As a business owner, I did not apply for the business stimulus. We will just learn how to work through this on our own. Many people have gotten themselves into debt and are freaking out now because they cannot pay the debt off. This pandemic will cause everyone to rethink money…save…save…save….and never HAVE to depend on the government again. It is such a good feeling knowing that your success was by your hard work and not a handout.

  3. David on May 25th, 2020 6:17 pm

    @ southerner…
    ” when the government gives them more than what they use to make”
    tell us how much each person made before this issue arose being you are so wise
    You need to walk in others shoes..and feel the loss and the hoplessness.
    You act like everyone wants it this way
    Plus when egomaniacs as you who lost nothing and are set open their mouths, excrement from being full of hot gas expels from every orifice imaginable
    You are your biggest fan
    Stop being full of yourself and stop judging people
    You are the last one that we need to hear from on any subject
    You know nothing and desperately need self validation

  4. southerner on May 24th, 2020 7:22 pm

    Why would anyone want to work when the government gives them more than what they use to make? Want to help the economy? Get to work. The owners of business need workers. If you left my business, I would never let you come back to work for me. Many business owners had to permanently close because of losses. You have no interest in the business but your greedy self. I would hire someone that came in during this time. If all the people ignored the “so called” rules and just continued their business as normal, we all would be just fine. There are not enough jails for us all. This is unconstitutional! We are making people lazy and dependent on government for our needs. Give me liberty or give me death!!

  5. Tom on May 24th, 2020 5:58 pm

    (Whatever) Sure like I said I filed 3 months ago via Florida, And have not received not one cent from State or Federal Government. Sure restaurants are opening but that minimum wage McDonald’s job’s not going to pay my Car payment and Mortgage Payment. Like I said I was working a high paying job before this pandemic hit and paying my taxes expecting unemployment relief til the oil and gas industry recovers, But as the President himself said he has total authority over the States, so it should be an easy fix for him.

  6. Whatever on May 24th, 2020 12:59 pm

    @Tom
    So you’re telling me you’ve not filed for state and federal unemployment to the tune of $875 per week? And then you blame the president? Get real. There’s money sitting on the table waiting for you. Every restaurant I’ve been to since reopening, the server told me that they did just fine with the UI provided. It cracks me up how people blame the executive branch of government for their own inaction!

  7. Working Citizen on May 24th, 2020 12:56 pm

    I know for a fact Domino’s is hiring. Yall just ain’t looking.

  8. BRING IT ON on May 23rd, 2020 7:42 pm

    Yep, they shutdown everything so what do you expect. The unemployment this ridiculous shutdown brought will go higher. The repercussions from this is is what I’ve been expecting thanks to the destruction of our economy. When you listen to fools, this is what you get. GOD HELP US.

  9. Tom on May 23rd, 2020 3:49 pm

    (Caraway) What benefits? and especially what extra benefits. I filed on March 16th about 3 months ago, Currently living in poverty and unable to get back to my job working in the Oil industry. Florida is a JOKE, I’ve talked to them everyday almost, With no help for me and my family. They have Billions put back specifically for something like mass unemployment, its Greed! Its gonna get a whole lot worse once people cant afford power and water and food, Trump dropped the ball again…

  10. Caraway on May 23rd, 2020 8:42 am

    And with the extra benefits nobody is even thinking about finding a job. We’re hiring everyday and can’t get applicants. Everybody wants something for nothing…..

  11. Dwn on May 23rd, 2020 8:37 am

    Given Florida’s Republican approved and previous Gubernatorial certified fire-walled unemployment claims system, making it as difficult as possible to file, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number isn’t higher. Many people couldn’t file for extended periods.

    But on the flip side, many who are broadly classified as “unemployed” may be on furlough.

    Of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.