FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida's unemployment rate jumped higher in May, hitting a record 14.5% as the state continued reeling from the economic shutdowns caused by the corona virus outbreak, statistics released Friday show.Florida’s unemployment rate jumped slightly from the 13.8% figure in April.
Before the coronavirus hit and devastated the state's tourism, retail and other industries, February's unemployment rate had been 2.8%.
Florida has shed about 850,000 jobs compared to May 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.The national unemployment rate stood at 13.3% in May, a slight decrease from April, but up from 3.5% in February.