GAINESVILLE - With less than four days to go until Christmas, there is reason to have cheer when it comes to the economy. The latest unemployment figures released by the state show Florida's jobless rate sitting at a four-year low.

 

The numbers released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity show the state's unemployment rate for November sitting at 8.1%. That's the lowest level since November of 2008, the height of the economic meltdown. 

 

While the numbers may seem like good news, economists say part of the decrease can be attributed to a drop in the number of people looking for work. 

 

Here in north central Florida, the Gainesville unemployment rate actually ticked up 0.2% to 6.4%, because the labor force actually increased.