TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Labor leaders called Thursday for Gov. Ron DeSantis to reconsider his administration's decision to end a $300-per-week federal supplement to Florida's unemployment benefits, calling the cash a lifeline for approximately 120,000 jobless Floridians struggling to find suitable work.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced last week it would terminate the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments effective June 26, more than two months before the congressionally-mandated expiration date.

""Why on earth would any governor do this?" Florida AFL-CIO lobbyist Rich Templin asked during a press conference, noting the payments the administration is halting amount to more than $800 million in federal dollars and thus would have no impact on state finances.

Business leaders have hailed the premature termination, saying the federal stipend has served as a disincentive for the jobless to reenter the labor market.

"The argument that we should incentivize people for not working and allow them to make more staying home than they would be to work, that's not the American way," Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson said in an interview.

But Jim Ricer, who ran a culinary business for 19 years before the pandemic decimated it, begs to differ with that narrative. During Thursday's press conference, he described what he said has been his long, unsuccessful search for a good-paying job in his career field.

"I just don't understand why it's so one-sided and making us a political issue, not realizing we are humans. We are not just numbers," he said.