JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Florida has reached an 11.9 percent unemployment rate, tying a record high since the state began keeping track four decades ago.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation said Wednesday unemployment figures for January rose 0.2 points from the revised December rate of 11.7 percent. That equals the record low jobless rate established in May 1975.

Florida's figures are 2.2 percentage points above the national average of 9.7 percent.

The jobless rate went up from December to January in every county in northeast Florida, with the rate in Duval, Putnam and Flagler counties higher than the state average.

As it has for most of the past year, Flagler County has the highest unemployment rate in the state -- 17.1 percent -- 1.4 percent higher than the next highest county (Hernando) and 4.9 percent higher than the state average and 6.5 percent higher than the national unemployment rate.

JANUARY 2010 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE       Alachua County 8.7% up .6%       Baker County 12.0% up .7%       Bradford County 10.0% up .8%       Clay County 11.2% up .8%       Columbia County 11.8% up .8%       Duval County 12.6% up .8%       Flagler County 17.1% up 1.0%       Nassau County 12.1% up .9%       Putnam County 14.2% up .8%       St. Johns County 10.4% up .8%       Union County 10.0% up .7%

The jobless rate in Alachua, St. Johns and Union counties are among the lowest in the state -- well below the state average.

Gov. Charlie Crist was traveling around the state on Wednesday for signing ceremonies of a bill that delays an increase in the unemployment tax on Florida businesses by two years.

House Bill 7033 was unanimously passed in both the House and Senate last week on the first day of the legislative session.

"This legislation will help prevent layoffs and encourage businesses to create new jobs immediately," Crist said.