MIAMI – The coronavirus pandemic is leading many companies to downsize, but there is hope for those who have been laid off.
"I think, many times, businesses look at their employees as a cost center to be minimized, when they should be looking at them as the only appreciating asset that they have," said Mason Jackson with CareerSource Broward. "If you let them go, chances are, you’ll actually increase the recovery time as you try to hire and retrain new employees.”
Hoping for the short, but planning for the longer, Jackson said workers should immediately apply for unemployment benefits.
"We are in troubled times. We’re hoping that this disruption to the economy is going to be short-lived," he said. "In Florida, reemployment assistance, which is the new name for unemployment compensation, is done online."
It’s done through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity website, which can be found by clicking here.
Videos help guide users through the application process, while advising on what is needed to apply, and to qualify.
Due to the coronavirus and sheer number of applicants and questions, there is already a disclaimer on the website referencing longer than average wait times.
“Keep calm,” Jackson said. “There’s going to be delays in filing their unemployment compensation benefits, everybody needs to be understanding.”