Labor force, employment and jobless numbers down across region – Ocala Gazette

The CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region unemployment rate was 3.8% in May, down 0.4 percentage points for the month and 0.3 percentage points higher than the region’s year-ago rate of 3.5%. The labor force was 217,695, a decrease of 1,570 (-0.7%) over the year. There were 8,370 unemployed residents in the region, a decrease of 825 compared to April and an increase of 652 during the year.

According to preliminary employment data recently released by FloridaCommerce, there were 209,325 people employed across the region, a drop of 615 from April and 2,222 less than the same time last year. Levy County continued to record the lowest unemployment rate in the region at 3.6%, down from 4.0% during the month; followed by Marion County at 3.7%, also down from 4.0%. Citrus County reported an unemployment rate of 4.5%, up from 4.9% in April, according to materials provided by CareerSource CLM.

Marion County’s labor force was 150,710, down 947 over the month and 699 over the year. There were 145,197 people employed, a decrease of 386 compared to April and 1,065 compared to the same time last year. The county had 5,513 unemployed in May, 561 fewer than last month and 366 more than in May 2023.

Rusty Skinner, chief executive officer of CareerSource CLM, noted that labor force and employment numbers were down for all three counties in the region both in May and for the year. Because the data is not seasonally adjusted, Skinner said it may be related to the school.

“Historically, we see workforce reductions and headcount adjustments as support staff leave schools for the summer,” he said in the news release. “At this time of year, there seems to be a bit of a pull between those temporarily leaving the workforce in late spring and early summer and those seeking seasonal work, such as college students, or returning to the workforce on a temporary basis full.”

In May, non-farm employment in the Ocala Metropolitan Area, which covers all of Marion County, was 121,300 in March, an increase of 1,200 jobs over the year for a 1.0% growth rate over the year.

With a growth rate of 3%, the education and health services industry grew faster in the metro area than nationwide during the year. Industries that gained jobs were Trade, Transport and Utilities (+700 jobs); Education and Health Services (+600 jobs); Mining, Logging and Construction (+300 jobs); Leisure and hospitality (+300 jobs); Government (+100 jobs); and Other Services (+100 jobs). The industries that lost jobs were Manufacturing (-400 jobs): Professional and business services (-300 jobs); Information (-100 jobs) and Financial Activities (-100 jobs).

CareerSource CLM provides business and candidate services free of charge. To learn more, go to careersourceclm.com or call 800-434-JOBS (5627).