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Florida Jobless Claims Jump Post Hurricane

First-time unemployment claims in Florida more than tripled last week as applications started to come in after Hurricane Ian. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report that estimated 14,637 initial claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Oct. 8, up from a revised count of 4,269 during the week that ended Oct. 1.

First-time unemployment claims in Florida more than tripled last week as applications started to come in after Hurricane Ian. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report that estimated 14,637 initial claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Oct. 8, up from a revised count of 4,269 during the week that ended Oct. 1.

Last week’s total was the most since early May 2021, when 17,555 applications were filed. During a roundtable discussion Wednesday with Gov. Ron DeSantis, Robbie Roepstorff, president of Edison National Bank, pointed to a need for small businesses to access cash to meet their payrolls. He said Southwest Florida workers are scared.

“They were affected in their place where they rent,” Roepstorff said. “They now don’t have a job. They’re going to leave us if we don’t get them on a good payroll.”

In the news: In Just Two Weeks FEMA Approves $327 Million In Florida Hurricane Ian Relief

Before last week, Florida averaged 4,996 new jobless claims a week over the prior four weeks. Claims nationally also increased last week but not at the rate seen in Florida. The Labor Department estimated 228,000 claims were filed nationally, up from 219,000 the previous week.

In anticipation of more claims, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity made changes in storm-damaged areas. It eliminated what is known as the “waiting week” before unemployment benefits can be paid. The agency also suspended a requirement that applicants in the areas contact five potential employers a week to keep unemployment benefits flowing.

“I’m optimistic we’re going to see a quicker bounce-back than in most storms of this magnitude, but we know there is going to be a period of transition,” DeSantis said during Wednesday’s roundtable.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida and crossed the state. Florida had a 2.7 percent unemployment rate in August, with an estimated 293,000 residents out of work from a labor force of 10.706 million. Florida will release a September unemployment report Oct. 21.

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