ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida House is advancing a proposal to tighten unemployment eligibility rules for residents across the state.
The measure would disqualify individuals from receiving benefits if they miss job interviews, refuse to return to work after a layoff or fail to contact a specific number of employers each week.
The legislative push comes as Florida maintains some of the lowest unemployment benefit amounts in the United States.
Residents are currently limited to a maximum of $275 in weekly benefits for 12 weeks.
State Rep. Shane Abbott, a Republican from DeFuniak Springs, supports the bill as a tool to address fraud within the unemployment system.
Abbott argued that the new requirements would not hinder those with legitimate needs. “This doesn’t make it hard to get unemployment for somebody that has a valid claim,” Abbott said. “This bill stops the fraudulent stuff.”
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, spoke against the proposal during the House proceedings.
Eskamani emphasized that unemployment benefits are an earned resource rather than a public gift. “This is not a handout; this is actually your money that you have contributed with your employer to an insurance program to be there for you if you lose your job at no fault of your own,” Eskamani said.
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