Florida is ending federal unemployment benefits to residents on June 26 in a bid to get 460,000 unemployed Floridians back to work on private-sector payrolls.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced the end of coronavirus-related relief from the federal government on Monday.
Businesses are in favor of the move as they deal with reopening and a labor shortage.
“I’ve always had at least 10 applicants a week and I might see that in two months now,” said William Penenori, who is a managing partner at The Cooper restaurant.
The local CBS affiliate reported on the development:
“I know people personally that are not working because they are making just enough to survive,” Penenori told CBS12 News.
The Cooper’s employees take home anywhere between $800 and $1,500 a week.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity tells CBS12 News there are 460,000 jobs available in Florida.
Democrat House member Rep. Lois Frankel opposes the move.
“It is not unemployment benefits that are keeping workers at home – it is a fear of unsafe workplaces, lack of opportunities in their fields, unavailability of child care, along with a range of other impediments to rejoining the workforce,” Frankel said on Twitter.
It is not unemployment benefits that are keeping workers at home – it is a fear of unsafe workplaces, lack of opportunities in their fields, unavailability of child care, along with a range of other impediments to rejoining the workforce.
— Rep. Lois Frankel (@RepLoisFrankel) May 25, 2021
CNN reported on the trend across the nation and on the exceptions in Florida:
The announcement brings the number of GOP-led states that are terminating the special pandemic supplement early to 23 — all citing labor shortages as the reason. A total of 4 million laid-off Americans will forgo roughly $23.3 billion in benefits, according to The Century Foundation.
However, Florida, which is led by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, is not ending two other federal unemployment programs that provide benefits for freelancers, the self-employed, independent contractors and certain people affected by the coronavirus pandemic and for those who’ve run out of their regular state benefits.
Follow Penny Starr on Twitter or send news tips to pstarr@breitbart.com
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