STATEWIDE -- By the state’s own estimates, tens of thousands of Floridians, at the least, are expected to apply for unemployment benefits in the coming days.

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In a letter to President Donald Trump asking for an emergency declaration, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at least 6,617 businesses have laid off 40,438 people at this point due to a dramatic downturn in business because of the coronavirus crisis. Of the layoffs, the state expects 31,246 to be temporary and 9,192 permanent. 

Nowhere is the surge of applications seen more than at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, which oversees distribution of Reemployment Assistance benefits. 

While Florida started 2020 at an historic unemployment rate of 2.8%, the novel coronavirus is expected to force that number up.

The DEO says 5,325 people applied for unemployment benefits last week and 4,853 the week before. The agency is also working to hire 100 people to staff a call center to handle the growing number of help calls to apply for benefits.

Two weeks ago, the agency received 28,000 calls. Last week, it got 130,000.

With Central Florida’s economy anchored by tourism, some fear the layoffs could grow. 

An Oxford economic study estimates at least 305,146 people could face potential layoffs, depending on how long the coronavirus downturn extends.

The theme park companies, Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld, previously said they would pay their full-time employees while the parks remain closed until the end of March. None has said what may happen to employees or operations should some estimates come true that the coronavirus closures could extend into the summer.

“Your mind is not resting at all. It’s scary. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. You don’t know how long this is going to go on for,” said Zeyad Elmashak, who worked for more than a year at the Starbucks at Orlando International Airport, operated by HMSHost, until the company abruptly laid off 450 of its 800 MCO employees. 

“They didn’t say anything at all. They didn’t offer any help. They didn’t apologize for the abruptness,” Elmashak said.

With the help of the Unite Here! Unions, Elmashak and others have now started applying for unemployment benefits, although not with ease. 

“It took me four to five hours to finish one form,” Elmashak said. “Multiple times it restarted, multiple times I got kicked out and had to enter information again. It’s difficult.”

The issues are likely to only become compounded as the number of applications rise. 

DeSantis has waived some requirements for applications, including suspending the requirement that an applicant be actively searching for work. 

State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-District 47) says major program changes are needed to ensure all Floridians impacted can find relief. 

Eskamani says self-employed and “gig economy” workers, such as those who drive for Uber and Lyft, do not currently qualify for unemployment benefits. 

“It’s becoming very clear for the state of Florida to actually support everyday people, we need to see serious reform of the Reemployment Assistance program, but also lean on federal relief for support,” Eskamani said. 

Reemployment benefits are currently funded with $4 billion in the state’s Unemployment Compensation Benefits Trust Fund.

Various proposals in Congress also aim to extend some kind of financial aid to Americans. 

Eskamani is also urging DeSantis to extend the time in which a person can receive unemployment benefits in Florida. Florida allows a person to collect up to $275 in unemployment benefits per week for 12 weeks. This is one of the lowest rates and shortest times in the nation. Eskamani said the payout structure is the product of past state administrations lowering unemployment insurance for corporations. 

Mimi Coenen, Chief Operations Officer for CareerSource Central Florida, cautions firms to treat employees like people. 

“Don’t think of your employees as a cost center to be minimalized,” she said.

Coenen said even in a dramatic job and economic downturn, opportunities remain for job seekers to retool their skills and job search as well as benefits for companies to keep people employed. 

“We want to be sure that people understand, for businesses, the best thing do is keep employees there, keep them working if at all possible, including staggered hours, short time compensation,” Coenen said. 

CareerSource Central Florida has closed its physical officers, but it's still meeting with individuals virtually, by phone and computer, to help people in their job searches and employers apply for various grants, loans, and other assistance.