Jun. 20--PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Northwest Florida's jobless numbers continue to be considerably lower than the rest of the state's, with Bay County recording an 8.6 percent unemployment rate in May.

The Florida Agency for Workforce InnovationreleaseditsMayunemployment numbers Friday, with the state producing a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.2 percent, the highest jobless level recorded in Florida since October 1975.

Kim Bodine, Gulf Coast Workforce Board executive director, said she thought May's Bay County unemployment numbers would be flat or even slightly lower than April's 8.5 percent rate.

Bodine said she considered a .1 percent m o n t h -- t o -- m o n t h increase "flat" in terms of unemployment numbers.

"I think it's good news. To me, it says we're leveling off," Bodine said Friday.

She said the Workforce Center has consistently received more job orders in recent weeks, and Bodine added she had not heard of any impending layoffs at area companies.

Because of federal stimulus funding, the Workforce Board has more about 100 people lined up for training in stimulusrelated jobs, Bodine said.

Bodine said the county and region were faring better than Florida and most of the country, in terms of unemployment numbers.

More than 30 Florida counties recorded May unemployment rates of 10 percent or higher, with Flagler County the highest at 14.4 percent.

Bodine said AWI chief economist Rebecca Rust told workforce directors Friday the state initially forecast a peak unemployment level of 10 percent to occur in January 2010.

"Their theory now is that we've peaked earlier than the forecast," Bodine said.

Nationally, Michigan had a 14.1 percent unemployment rate in May, the highest in the U.S and one of 13 states with jobless levels higher than 10 percent.

The Panama City-Lynn Haven metropolitan area saw a year-over-year loss of 3,200 jobs from May 2008, with construction and manufacturing the hardest hit industries.

Bodine said the area recorded year- overyear job increases in the leisure/hospitality and government sectors.

She said there was a net gain of 200 government jobs in May, something she attributed in part to federal government civilian hiring at the county's military bases.

AWI is anticipating that June or July's unemployment number could be higher, with teacher job cuts going into effect in most Florida school districts, Bodine said.

B a y C o u n t y ' s unemployment numbers also could be affected by area teacher cuts in the next two months.

"I don't expect that to be huge, though," Bodine said.

Washington County recorded the highest May unemployment rate among surrounding counties, with a 9.2 percent mark.

Franklin County had the lowest unemployment rate at 6.4 percent.

-----

To see more of The News Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The News Herald, Panama City, Fla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.