Gov. DeSantis' lack of urgency on unemployment: Jobless workers still don't have $300 supplement

From the East Coast to the West, from the Gulf Coast to Alaska, at least 30 states have signed up for a $300 federal supplement per week for jobless workers. But not Florida.

In a state that has the lowest unemployment benefits in the nation, Gov. Ron DeSantis has thus far chosen not to provide the additional $300, raising questions about his lack of urgency in helping vulnerable residents who are out of work.

For months, DeSantis has used his extensive executive authority to quarantine certain travelers, establish highway checkpoints, shut down and reopen businesses, block and reinstate evictions, and take other actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But when it comes to Florida’s meager unemployment benefits — $275 per week for 12 weeks — the governor appears to be at a standstill, says Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy with Florida AFL-CIO.

Read more: https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/08/26/gov-desantis-lack-of-urgency-on-unemployment-jobless-workers-still-dont-have-300-supplement/