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Florida jobless rate rises

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The number of new jobless claims remain high in Florida.

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By RICHARD MULLINS

rmullins@tampatrib.com

Published: April 18, 2009

Florida's unemployment rate eked up one-tenth of a percent in March to 9.7 percent, the highest level since 1976 and up 4.3 percentage points since the same time last year, state officials said.

That means about 893,000 people are now out of work in Florida.

Florida's unemployment rate stood 1.2 percentage points higher than the March national unemployment rate of 8.5 percent.

Hillsborough County's unemployment rate was 9.9 percent for March, up from 9.8 percent for February and 5.1 percent for March 2008.

The Tampa Bay area had unemployment of 10.4 percent, up from 10.3 percent for February and 5.4 percent for March 2008.

Flagler County, at 14.3 percent, had the highest unemployment rate in Florida for March, followed by Hernando County at 12.9 percent.

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919.

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