By Jim Turner/News Service of Florida
May 24, 2021
TALLAHASSEE - Florida plans to stop providing $300 a week in additional federal unemployment benefits as it pushes for people to return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that starting June 26 the state will no longer participate in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. State and business officials have argued that, when added to state unemployment payments, the $300 a week in federal aid is keeping people from returning to jobs.
After a report Friday showed that an estimated 487,000 Floridians were unemployed in April out of a workforce of 10.24 million, the Department of Economic Opportunity called Monday’s move “another key step to returning more Floridians to work,” dubbing it the “Return to Work” initiative.
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On Monday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced that it is withdrawing from the federal pandemic unemployment assistance program on June 26 as part of the DEO s Return to Work initiative. (Shutterstock)
FLORIDA On Monday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced that it is withdrawing from the federal pandemic unemployment assistance program on June 26 as part of the DEO s Return to Work initiative.
Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his plan to get Floridians who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic back to work.
Starting June 1, unemployed Floridians will have to prove that they applied for five jobs a week to qualify for the $275 a week in state unemployment benefits. The job search rule was lifted during the pandemic last year.
By Jim Turner/News Service of Florida
May 24, 2021
TALLAHASSEE - Florida plans to stop providing $300 a week in additional federal unemployment benefits as it pushes for people to return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that starting June 26 the state will no longer participate in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. State and business officials have argued that, when added to state unemployment payments, the $300 a week in federal aid is keeping people from returning to jobs.
After a report Friday showed that an estimated 487,000 Floridians were unemployed in April out of a workforce of 10.24 million, the Department of Economic Opportunity called Monday’s move “another key step to returning more Floridians to work,” dubbing it the “Return to Work” initiative.