Water cooler: Take note of the top working stories of '07

Here are some of the top Working stories of Florida and Tampa Bay in 2007:

By Times Staff
Published December 30, 2007

Here are some of the top Working stories of Florida and Tampa Bay in 2007:

10 Despite a rough economic year in housing and some other sectors, Florida's unemployment rate remains at 4.3 percent - still historically low, and lower than the nation's - though the state boasted just a 3.3 percent unemployment rate one year ago.

9 The Tampa Bay area that includes Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties boasted 1,300,632 employed people in November for a metro-wide unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. One year ago, the area employed 1,296,976 even though the unemployment rate was lower. That shows the area is growing.

8 Biggest Florida layoff notices of 2007, based on Worker Adjustment and Retaining Notification notices? Miami's PRC (1,500), Riverview's Home Depot customer contact center (751) and Jacksonville's Aramark (670).

7 After starting the year happier, we faded. The Hudson Employment Index, which tracks worker confidence in 11 cities, found that Tampa's workers started the year the happiest of any they measure. But by the fall, Tampa was dead last, as fears rose about jobs.

6 We saw a new state chief at Workforce Florida. Chris Hart, former state legislator with roots in Tampa, became president of the agency and is pushing for better-paying jobs.

5 Three business school deans - USF Tampa's Robert Forsythe, USF St. Pete's Geralyn Franklin and UTampa's Frank Ghannadian - settled in to raise the bar for business students.

4 Florida added more jobs in the past year - 90,200 - than any state but Texas.

3 Only two states (Illinois and New Mexico) had larger percentage point increases in their unemployment rates this past year than Florida (up 1 percentage point).

2 Biggest winners in job gains in Florida: educational services and leisure industry. Biggest loser, of course: construction.

1 In our second annual Working survey this fall, a whopping 80 percent told us it's common for job candidates to voice concerns about housing costs here. Maybe the declines in home prices will help ease those worries in 2008.

[Last modified December 28, 2007, 19:29:03]