New unemployment claims dip in Florida for second week in a row

The number of first-time unemployment claims in Florida dropped. Image via AP.

Initial unemployment claims in Florida declined for the second week in a row, according to new data released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

There were 5,660 new unemployment claims for the week ending April 26. It was a modest decrease, down by 400 claims from the week ending April 19. The latest figures continue the trend in Florida of new jobless claims dropping for most of 2025, save for a few weeks where filings rose.

Florida’s drop in initial jobless claims went against the trend nationally. There were 223,614 new filings for the week ending April 26, per unadjusted data. That’s an increase of 12,901 claims, or a 6.1% jump.

That national figure was completely opposite of what DOL analysts had expected. They projected a decrease by some 3,791 claims, or a 1.8% drop.

The latest national numbers also showed a sizable increase in the year-over-year comparison. There were 189,634 first-time unemployment claims for the comparable week in 2024.

The weekly data comes as the Bureau of Labor Statistics released data Friday showing that the U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs last month. That was a greater uptick than many analysts had projected.

“Employment continued to trend up in health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance. Federal government employment declined,” the Bureau’s report said.

Florida’s general unemployment picture has stabilized in recent months after the beginning of 2025 saw some upticks. January’s jobless rate increased to 3.5% and February’s figure went to 3.6%. That figure remained the same in March, according to FloridaCommerce.

The state’s unemployment rate had held steady at 3.4% for most of the back half of 2024. The Florida rate was as low as 3.2% last year, with that mark last seen in March 2024.

Florida’s unemployment rate still remains lower than the national rate, which has held steady at 4.2% in March and April. It’s the 53rd month in a row the Sunshine State has had a lower rate than the national figure.