TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced the Pensacola area private-sector employment decreased by 13,500 jobs (-8.6 percent) over the year. The Pensacola area’s unemployment rate was 12.0 percent in April, up 9.1 percentage points from one year ago.

The industry losing the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality (-5,300 jobs).  Government was the only major industry that gained jobs over the year in April 2020 (+300 jobs).

Statewide, Florida businesses lost 989,600 private-sector jobs over the year.  In April 2020, the number of jobs decreased by 1,035,500, down 13.2 percent from March 2020. Florida’s unemployment rate increased to 12.9 percent in April 2020.  Florida’s labor force was down 893,000 over the month and down 824,000 over the year.

To view the April 2020 employment data, visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.

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