TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's unemployment rate is going up slightly.
State officials on Friday announced the state's jobless rate was 4.8 percent in October. That's a slight increase over the September rate, although it's lower than the national jobless rate of 4.9 percent. The unemployment rate has hovered around the same place much of this year.
In a release, Gov. Rick Scott's office said the rate rose because people are returning to the labor force and are seeking jobs.
Florida added 5,700 jobs in October. That number trailed behind at least ten other states in the nation, including Alabama, California, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Gov. Rick Scott announced the jobs numbers during a visit to Ideal Aluminum, a manufacturer of gates, railings and fences, located in St. Augustine. Scott has made job growth his main focus as governor.
