Though a $300 per week federal unemployment supplement expires this Saturday, the Florida AFL-CIO and other advocates are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to keep the supplement going as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
On Thursday, the union plans to deliver a petition of more than 6,000 signatures to DeSantis’ office — signatures from the AFL-CIO, the Tallahassee-based Florida People’s Advocacy Center and other organizations.
The groups also plan a press conference Thursday, as the clock ticks down on the last day of the $300 supplement on Saturday.
“The idea that ending these benefits will end Florida’s so-called ‘hiring crisis’ is a shaky one at best. In reality, this move will only damage our local communities by pulling roughly $700 million in stimulus funds out of our economy. Those funds will now go to states still enrolled in the program. This short-sighted move will only hurt out of work Floridians and pass up federal funding vital to our economic recovery,” the AFL-CIO said in a news release.
While the advocacy groups call the $300 supplement a lifeline for the unemployed, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, in an announcement in May, described the situation as a “Return to Work” initiative.
Meanwhile, some unemployed workers continue to struggle to find work.
Florida already has the lowest unemployment benefits in the nation, based on a combination of 12 weeks and a maximum amount of $275 a week in payments.
In the spring legislative session, both Democrats and some Republicans pushed to enhance Florida’s unemployment benefits, but the effort failed.
The post 0 supplement for unemployed set to expire Saturday; advocates ask that DeSantis give an extension first appeared on Daily Florida Press.
from Daily Florida Press https://dailyfloridapress.com/300-supplement-for-unemployed-set-to-expire-saturday-advocates-ask-that-desantis-give-an-extension/
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