TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Judge Layne Smith of the 2nd Judicial Circuit in Leon County is scheduling two days next week to hear arguments involving a lawsuit filed in response to Florida cutting off extended federal unemployment benefits.
What You Need To Know
- Nearly a dozen unemployed Broward County residents have sued to have federal unemployment benefits restored in Florida
- Florida is one of 26 states that has cut off the benefits, arguing they kept people from looking for jobs
- Related: Florida unemployment benefits: Changes explained
Smith scheduled a virtual hearing for Aug. 25 and 26.
Attorneys on behalf of nearly a dozen unemployed Broward County residents filed the lawsuit, arguing they're facing evictions, car repossession and other harm due to the shutdown of benefits.
The lawsuit is aiming to convince a judge to order the state to retroactively restore federal benefits to all Floridians impacted.
Florida is one of 26 states that cut off the federal benefits, arguing they were incentivizing people not to work.
There are lawsuits pending in nearly a dozen different states.
Judges in other states have ordered benefits be restored pending litigation. The original lawsuit was filed in Broward County and received a hearing last week in front of a South Florida judge. A Leon County judge is now considering the case after both sides agreed to move the case to Tallahassee.