From December 2024 to March 2025, Florida’s private sector saw a net employment gain of 29,630 jobs, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Gross job gains from opening and expanding establishments reached 510,563, while gross job losses from closing and contracting establishments totaled 480,933 during the first quarter of 2025.
Victoria G. Lee, Regional Commissioner at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, stated that “the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 29,630 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2025.” In comparison, the previous quarter saw more losses than gains by a margin of 19,111 jobs.
Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track changes in employment at private-sector businesses from one quarter to another. These statistics reflect both increases and decreases in employment across all private businesses.
During this period, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 percent of Florida’s private-sector employment, which was slightly higher than the national figure of 5.6 percent. Gross job gains result from expansions at existing businesses as well as new openings; expanding establishments contributed 379,055 jobs—10,625 more than in the previous quarter—while opening establishments added 131,508 jobs but marked a decrease of nearly 26,000 compared to the prior period.
Gross job losses made up 5.5 percent of Florida’s private-sector workforce during the same timeframe; nationally it was reported at 5.4 percent. Contracting establishments lost a total of 358,089 jobs in Florida—a reduction compared to last quarter—and closing establishments accounted for an additional loss of nearly 123,000 positions.
Eight out of eleven major industry sectors in Florida posted net job increases over the quarter. The education and health services sector led with a net increase of over 13,500 jobs after accounting for both gains and losses within that sector. Retail trade recorded a net gain exceeding 8,500 jobs; professional and business services added almost 7,000 positions on balance. In contrast, transportation and warehousing experienced a net loss exceeding 7,500 jobs—the largest among all sectors—while leisure and hospitality reported a net decline exceeding 4,300 positions.
The BED series provide detailed data on gross job gains and losses by industry subsector across all states as well as territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; they also include figures by employer size class.
Additional details are available on the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and through related summaries provided by BLS online resources.
The next release covering second-quarter data for Business Employment Dynamics is scheduled for February 26th 2026 at 10:00 a.m Eastern Time.
The BED data are compiled through collaboration between federal and state agencies under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program using established records maintained by BLS.
Formal definitions regarding methodology or coverage can be accessed via accompanying technical notes published by BLS.
