Unemployment Benefits Going Up In FL

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Unemployment checks are going up $25 a
week for jobless Floridians.
Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday the increase is retroactive for
those eligible for unemployment benefits as of Feb. 22. He said the
increase is being paid for with money from President Barack Obama's
federal stimulus plan.
The Agency for Workforce Innovation has begun mailing payments
and electronically depositing funds for qualified unemployment
compensation recipients.
State unemployment compensation claims currently carry a maximum
of 26 payable weeks, but federal extended benefits provide an
additional 33 weeks for a total of 59 weeks for qualified
Floridians.
Roughly 800,000 Floridians were out of work in the state's
January unemployment report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)