JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Unemployed Floridians will be required to prove they are applying to jobs in order to receive unemployment benefits by the end of the month, Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced.
When the “work search requirement” is reinstated, claimants will have to prove they applied to five jobs per week, or they’re ineligible for benefits.
“Only people that are exempt from performing the work search are members who are official members of a legitimate union hall who have a hiring pool, or people who are returning to work in 8 weeks,” said unemployment expert Vanessa Brito.
The executive order waiving a work-search requirement ends May 29
The requirement is not new. It’s always been required in order to receive benefits prior to the pandemic.
The requirement was waived last year when there weren’t many jobs available in the state
Brito points out the work search wasn’t only waived because of the lack of jobs, but the burden it would put on Florida’s troubled unemployment system.
“It’s the fear that the system is not prepared to handle this burden and this kind of data,” Brito said.
Brito says with system changes often come massive glitches.
Marty Fuchs, who lost his job as an event coordinator, said he has been applying to many jobs and doesn’t care about putting it on the record, he’s worried about glitches instead.
“I’m more concerned we’re going to crash the system,” Fuchs said. “I’m really concerned we are going to have more system and computer issues and will prevent people from getting paid in a timely fashion.”