Flagler County s unemployment rate in March rises to 5.3%, up from 4.9% in February.
Volusia-Flagler area employers added 1,680 jobs in March, compared with the number employed in February.
The Volusia-Flagler area s labor force grows by 2,739 in March, compared with February levels, as more resume actively looking for work.
DAYTONA BEACH Unemployment rates in Volusia and Flagler counties rose in March, but that could actually be good news for the local economy.
The reason: an increase in job seekers coming off the sidelines after months of inactivity that could help fix the area s labor shortage.
The number of people actively seeking employment in March grew by more than 2,700 compared with February in the two-county area. Hiring also picked up as employers in Volusia and Flagler counties added 1,680 more workers to their payrolls, according to the latest workforce statistics released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
DAYTONA BEACH Hiring began this week for the new Big Tuna s Beach Bar & Grill as the beachside eatery gets set to open at the end of this month at Bellair Plaza on A1A.
Less than a mile up the street, renovation work is underway on the former Bonefish Grill to become a new restaurant called Dal Mare Italian Chophouse that is expected to open in June.
But with a growing labor shortage that has caused some area restaurants to reduce operating hours and/or close off some seating sections, can the new eateries find enough workers?
Mike Lucas and Stephen Stavris, the owners of Big Tuna s, are confident that they can fill the 20 to 25 full- and part-time positions they need to be fully operational.