3.02 Public Policy

Florida Statute 443.091 helps to address the problem of unemployment for those who actually need it. Unemployment is a big problem in our country, that many people face, and is something that needs to be addressed. The statute lays out the requirements for unemployment benefits which help to support those who face unemployment until they find a new job. This is an important thing, especially because there are a lot of people who lose their jobs for something that is not their fault. For example, they may be laid off from their job because their company has financial issues. Because of these problems, people may not be able to afford the basic necessities they need for them and their family so survive. As of December 2021, there were over 450,000 unemployed workers in the state of Florida.

To qualify for benefits a person must make a claim, have lost their job for reasons that are not their fault, totally or partially unemployed, have a minimum amount of wages earned in what is called a "base period,” and must be ready/available to work. Through this protection, those unemployed would be able to have the necessary money to spend on life-critical things (such as food and bills). However, this could be seen as a negative thing to some, as more money will need to be spent for this to come through successfully. Also, if unemployment were to suddenly skyrocket, there could be an imbalance of money being spent on those who still have a job, and those who do not.

I believe that this public policy can really help out those who need it, however it has to be done the right way. There needs to be a process for this to work, to make sure that those who really need it are getting the protection. Dishing out protection to people who “claim” they need it will not help anybody, it will just make the problem much worse as more money will have to be spent on those who really do not need it, taking it away from those who really need it. As of February 2022, there was an average of nearly 50,000 unemployment insurance claims (and over 450,000 unemployed workers overall). This shows that there are people out there who need help. I am fully in support of helping them, however it needs to be done the right way.