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Unemployment Pay Remains Low Even as More Floridians Lose Their Jobs

June 24th, 2008 by flanews

Florida’s unemployment pay is among the lowest in the nation at a time when more people are out of a job. The state’s unemployment rate is higher than it was a year ago and as Whitney Ray tells us, it could get worse.

Hear it Here: Unemployment Pay Remains Low Even as More Floridians Lose Their Jobs

For the last six months Renee Bryant has been looking for a job.

“The job market is very tight,” said Bryant.

Bryant use to make more than 30,000 dollars a year. When she got her unemployment check it was less than half of her old salary.

“It’s shocking knowing that you’re normal pay is much much more than what that unemployment check really is.”

The maximum unemployment pay in Florida is 275 dollars a week. Someone whose old job paid 100,000 dollars a year would receive the same employment check as someone with a salary of 30,000.

Two hundred and seventy five dollars a week breaks down to 6.88 cents an hour, that’s just nine cents more than minimum wage. You could make more money working at a fast food restaurant. Tiffany Frazier, who will be a laid off at the end of the month, was shocked at the news.

“That’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t be able to live off of that,” said Frazier.

Work Force Plus is a state agency helping people find jobs and receive unemployment benefits. Kimberly Moore is a regional director for the agency. Moore says the low unemployment wages have motivated some people to job hunt.

“Our numbers in terms of individuals accessing our services though our one stop centers across the region have grown tremendously as a result,” said Moore.

As the unemployed search frantically for jobs more people are being laid off and the cost of gas continues to increase. Hundreds of state, county, and city workers are expected to join the more than half million unemployed Floridians as budget cuts go into effect in July.

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