Media Contact:
Laura Byrnes, APR, CPRC
Director of Communications
O: 352.291.9559 | M: 352.816.1264
[email protected]
OCALA, Fla. (Oct. 21, 2022) – The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 3.4% in September, down 0.2 percentage points over the month and 1.1 percentage points lower than the region’s year ago rate of 4.5%. The labor force was 211,633, up 4,201 (+2.0%) over the year. There were 7,128 unemployed residents in the region.
According to preliminary employment data released today by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, there were 204,505 employed across the region, an increase of 6,386 compared to the same time last year. The number of unemployed was 2,185 fewer than in September 2021.
Levy County continued to post the lowest unemployment rate in the region at 2.9%, a 0.3 percentage point drop over the month and 1.1 percentage points lower than the previous September. Marion County followed at 3.2%, down 0.4 percent point compared to August’s rate and 1.2 percentage points lower over the year. Citrus County’s rate was 4.0%, 0.2 percentage point lower than the previous month and 1.0 percentage point less compared to September 2021.
The last time the region saw similar employment numbers for the month of September was in 2006 when the rate was 3.7%. At the time, the labor force totaled 208,404 with 200,667 people working and 7,737 unemployed.
Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s chief executive officer, noted that there were also 9,328 more people employed in September, and virtually the same number of unemployed, than in February 2020 just prior to when the pandemic hit and the region’s unemployment rate was 3.5%.
“If you’ve been waiting for the right time to jump back into the labor force, this is it,” Skinner said. “While all key indicators point in the right direction – expanded labor force, robust increase in jobs, and decrease in the number of unemployed – there continues to be a very high demand for more workforce as area businesses continue to grow.”
Skinner said that one way CareerSource CLM can help is the 10th Annual Paychecks for Patriots job fair, which is part of a coordinated statewide effort to connect Florida veterans with employment opportunities.
Paychecks for Patriots takes place on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Marion County Public Library headquarters in Ocala. While veterans, military families and active service members get priority access, the job fair is also open to all job seekers beginning at 10:30 a.m. There is no charge to attend the job fair which is available to anyone in the three-county region and, to date, features 20 top businesses all with immediate jobs to fill.
Information about fee-free job fairs, hiring events and other job seeker and employer services are available at careersourceclm.com or by calling 800-434-JOBS (5627).
State and local employment reports for October 2022 are scheduled for release on Nov. 18, 2022.
For more details, access DEO’s employment summary for the region here: September 2022 Employment Overview
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Looking for a New Career? Here’s Help
CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion offers in-person job fairs, hiring events, workshops and facilities for job searches, training grants for eligible candidates, career development and one-on-one consulting – all at no charge to those seeking employment. Call 800-434-JOBS (5627) or visit careersourceclm.com to learn more. Career Centers are open for self-service and in-person assistance weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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CareerSource CLM also provides fee-free services to help build and sustain businesses in today’s challenging marketplace. Services include recruitment, assessment, screening, and referrals of qualified job candidates; logistics, coordination, and promotion of customized hiring events; and grants and incentives for training new hires and existing employees. Call 800-746-9950 to learn more.
CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion is a member of CareerSource Florida and a proud partner of the American Job Center network. CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion is supported by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other agencies as part of awards totaling $8.2 million (revised annually). Unless otherwise stipulated, all statements, news releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations and other applicable documents are fully funded from federal sources. CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities and in Spanish. All voice telephone numbers listed above may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711. If you need accommodations, call 800-434-5627, ext. 7878 or e-mail [email protected]. Please make request at least three business days in advance. Stay connected with CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.