No summer slowdown here.
Florida added 17,440 private sector jobs in May, second-highest in the country and nearly twice as many as the state had added in April, according to a report released Wednesday by payroll and employee benefits company ADP.
A month ago was the first time ADP began releasing a regional breakdown for its oft-cited monthly report.
Wednesday's release could be a harbinger for Florida's unemployment and jobs report coming from government estimates June 21. If so, it bodes well that Florida continues to be a leading player in job creation this year after suffering one of the deepest plunges in employment during the Great Recession.
Only Texas, with the addition of 18,850 jobs, outperformed Florida. California was third, with 10,460 new private sector jobs, according to ADP.
Earlier this month, ADP reported the country added a total of 135,000 jobs from April to May.
Just as encouraging for Florida, the jobs weren't primarily clustered in low-paying industries as has been the trademark of much of the prolonged economic recovery.
Construction and natural resources/mining added 3,720 jobs while professional and business services swelled by 3,690. Manufacturing added 1,050 jobs. All three industries tend to pay higher wages and were among the bigger job losers during the recession.
Trade, transportation and utilities — which includes the lower-paying retail industry — grew by 2,870 jobs.
Unlike the official Labor Department estimates, ADP examines only the private sector, not government jobs.