Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis informed unemployed Floridians during a Wednesday press conference that May will be the last month they can collect unemployment benefits without proving they are looking for work.
DeSantis, who had lifted the state’s policy requiring such proof because of the pandemic, said that reopened Florida now offers ample opportunity for employment, and capable residents need to get off the government dole, according to CBS Miami.
“Normally when you’re getting unemployment, the whole idea is that it’s temporary, and you need to be looking for work to be able to get off unemployment,” DeSantis said. “It was a disaster, so we suspended those job search requirements. I think it’s pretty clear now — we have an abundance of job openings.”
“We absolutely can put more people to work,” he continued. “The demand is there. Businesses want to hire more people, and I think we can go in that direction very soon.”
During the height of lockdowns in April 2020, Florida’s rate of unemployment was 13.8%, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. In the most recent report from the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity, the rate had dropped to 4.7% in March, which is below the national average and represents approximately 475,000 unemployed people out of a workforce of 10.7 million.
“I think now we’re in just a different situation, you have a surplus of jobs, particularly in restaurant, lodging, hospitality, that people want to hire,” DeSantis said.
“I mean, you see the signs all over the place. Look, that’s a good problem to have. But we also just want to make sure, like, look, if you’re really unemployed, can’t get a job, that’s one thing. But making sure that you’re doing your due diligence to look for work, and making sure those incentives align, better.”
This is an excerpt from The Daily Wire.
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