Florida's jobless claims remain low
TALLAHASSEE - The number of first-time unemployment claims in Florida remained relatively low last week, after three months of the state having a 3.1 percent jobless rate.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday issued a report that said an estimated 5,080 claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended March 23, down from a revised count of 5,351 the previous week.
Since the start of December, Florida has averaged 5,741 new claims a week.
Nationally, the Department of Labor estimated that 210,000 first-time claims were filed last week, a decrease of 2,000 from the week that ended May 16.
The state Department of Commerce released a report last week that said the state's unemployment rate remained at 3.1 percent in February, with an estimated 345,000 Floridians qualified as unemployed.
Meanwhile, Kroger Fulfillment Network on Monday advised the state that 109 employees will be laid off on May 25 with the closing of a facility in Opa-locka. Almost all of the affected workers will be delivery drivers or people who oversee transportation operations.