Florida jobless claims down slightly

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First-time unemployment claims in Florida slightly decreased last week, though a series of announcements will affect the jobs of more than 350 workers in the coming months. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 6,068 unemployment claims were filed during the week that ended April 20, down from a revised count of 6,215 during the week that ended April 13. The state has averaged 5,916 claims a week since the start of the year. Last Friday, the state Department of Commerce said Florida had a 3.2 percent unemployment rate in March, after three consecutive months at 3.1 percent. Meanwhile, the state agency has received a series of notices during the past week about job eliminations. On Tuesday, Fernlea Flowers announced that at least 31 employees will be affected as the company closes facilities in Stuart and Palm City to consolidate operations into a separate Stuart location by June 20. United Natural Foods, Inc. has told the state its transportation department will close the company’s Pompano Beach distribution center, which will result in the elimination of 87 positions on June 19. And Federal Express advised the state on April 17 that four locations, two in Naples and one each in Punta Gorda and Fort Myers, will close July 29, resulting in 225 positions being eliminated. In a series of letters to the state, Federal Express said employees whose positions are eliminated can seek to move to another location, receive severance or take a leave of absence to pursue other positions within the company.