Florida’s New Unemployment Rules 

Florida’s governor recently signed a new unemployment law.  What does that have to do with you?

If you’re currently receiving unemployment:  You can no longer re-certify by phone.  You’ll have to do it by computer.  You also are now required to contact at least five potential employers each week, then report this online to the state every other week.  If you can’t make your weekly contacts requirement, you’ll need to meet with your local job counselor.  Otherwise, you may not receive your benefit check.   Don’t have a computer or direct online access?  Time to visit your local job center or library.

If you’re an employer: You’ll get a well-deserved break in you unemployment tax, which tripled from 2010 and was scheduled to go even higher next year.

Florida’s unemployment fund – a pot funded entirely by businesses – enjoyed a healthy $2 billion balance until the recession sharply increased unemployment, and depleted the fund. We had to borrow $2 billion from the feds; businesses have been bearing the brunt of paying that interest.

Another welcome change is the new, saner definition of “misconduct”.  No longer can someone be terminated for good reason (i.e. flunking a drug test, negligence) and then be awarded unemployment benefits.

If you become unemployed in the future:  When filing a new claim, you’ll be required to complete a “skills assessment” online, with questions about “applied math, reading for information and locating information”.  Counselors will use results to assist in the job search, but it won’t affect your eligibility.

Starting in 2012, you’ll have fewer weeks of benefits.  Depending on the unemployment rate, the maximum employment benefits drops from the current 26 weeks to anywhere between 12-23 weeks (the lowest in the nation).   In other words, if the employment rate stays the same (around 10%), your maximum benefits are 23 weeks.  But if rates dropped to 7%, you’d only get a benefit of 16 weeks.

Bottom line:  Don’t despair.  Sure, folks all around are worried about their jobs, looking for a job, waiting to hire, or holding their breath.  But the truth is, more companies are hiring now than were last year.  Could we be seeing the proverbial light?  Perhaps, in the meantime, stay positive.

© Copyright Eva Del Rio