ORLANDO, Fla. — U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida is cosponsoring legislation aimed at reducing extended federal unemployment benefits.

Congress passed a new round of benefits in early 2021, providing $300 per week in supplemental federal unemployment benefits through September.

The Get Americans Back to Work Act proposes cutting benefits to $150 per week on May 31, 2021, before fully repealing the extended benefits program on June 30, 2021. 

More and more business owners across the U.S., including many in Florida, say they’re struggling to find workers, convinced their hiring challenges are due to people earning more on unemployment than they would on the job.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear from Florida business leaders that have done everything needed to survive shutdowns and the impacts of the COVID-19 and now find themselves struggling to fully reopen,” Scott, R-Florida, said in a statement. “What I heard from them today is what I’ve heard from countless other businesses in Florida and across the nation in recent months: They can’t compete when the federal government is paying Americans more to stay home than go back to their jobs.”

Dane Eagle, executive director of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said Wednesday that his agency is keeping tabs on other states where governors are now moving to shut off extended federal unemployment benefits.

Governors in at least six states, including Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina, and North Dakota say they are going to, or consider, plans to end benefits to force people back to work and to help businesses fill vacancies. 

Florida DEO is launching a renewed “Work Search Initiative” highlighting work search requirements that will be back in effect starting May 30. 

At that point, people will be required to prove they’re searching for work in order to qualify for benefits.

“Unemployment benefits are higher than current minimum wage, so people through no fault of their own, as the governor said, they’re availing themselves to the benefits made available to them. Why wouldn’t they stay home? But, that is not sustainable in today’s market,” Eagle said Wednesday.

Business owners and groups like the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association have been advocating for an end to extended unemployment benefits.

“We have been fighting for more than a year to save hospitality jobs and Florida businesses to get our state on the road to recovery,” Carol Dover, president and CEO of FRLA, said in a released statement. “We are lucky to be open in Florida, but now we face a ‘new pandemic’ — a labor crisis that is crippling the hotels, restaurants, and suppliers who have survived this last year only to face the threat of closing now.”

While business owners say they’re struggling to fill vacancies, job seekers tell Spectrum News they, too, are struggling to find decent jobs. 

Applicants have also shared accounts of business owners conducitng interviews for one job only to offer another. Some also say businesses continue to offer wages that make it difficult to make ends meet, and with few benefits.

“Applied for tons of jobs in my field (law) and nothing,” Kelly Kuoppala wrote. “No callbacks, nothing. I have a law degree, just haven’t taken the bar exam (personal reasons) and I can’t get a job.”

“I applied for one of the 100+ positions for Universal Call Center that you posted last week,” Felipa Jenkins said. “Over 8 years call center experience, over 20 years’ customer service experience. I got an email within 24 hours saying they were going with other candidates.”

“For myself, I have applied for over 30 jobs with only one conversation,” Laura Dunn wrote. “I am qualified for each of them. I think there’s a new expression out there that is being manifested and that is called ageism. Recruiters reach out to you, HR employers reach out to you to forward your resume, you look like a perfect fit, and then they don’t even respond back.”

Some also say restaurant owners are engaging in what they consider a "bait and switch."

“I put in a ton of applications,” Jenny Escobar said. “Server, then saying it was only hostess. Then asked if I was vaccinated.... once I said not right now, but plan on it, I got turned down.”

“It just happened to me again,” Mindy Weiss posted. “I just left an interview where they had a sign on the door to be patient during their staff shortage. I came in for a server position, and was then told they are not hiring servers. They need a hostess. When I applied online my application clearly said server.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has directly rejected efforts to expand unemployment benefits, said Wednesday that it’s time for people to go back to work.

“I think you’re seeing that across the board, it’s an issue and we want to make sure incentives are aligned properly and that Reemployment Assistance is just that, with an eye toward reemploying you which is very, very important,” DeSantis said Wednesday. “No doubt if I had to choose a problem, too many job openings or nobody able to get a job, we’re in a better situation now because the state has been open. We’ve been able to have businesses open. People have been able to work and live their lives.”

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows more than 4.3 million Americans left the workforce since the start of the pandemic. Reasons for leaving the workforce are myriad: they may have retired, or are unable to work while caring for a sick family member or for children. 

People who have left the workforce typically can't collect unemployment benefits.