SARASOTA – Jobless rates on the Suncoast are now higher than it were during the Great Recession.
The Herald-Tribune is reporting more than 60,000 workers in Southwest Florida have filed jobless claims during the economic shutdown caused the coronavirus pandemic.
According to The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity the Sarasota-Manatee unemployment rate for the month of April is 14.2%.
Owner of White Glove Transportation Premium Airport Service LLC, Mark Hatch says he’s waited to collect his unemployment benefits for nearly 70 days. Hatch says he had help from a friend submitting a paper application and mailing it out. That was in mid-March.
“I don’t have an account or a CID, so you would need that first, and then you would have to have a pin and I don’t have that. And people don’t realize the federal government is not doing me a favor,” said Hatch. They’re giving me my money.”
We here at SNN continue to receive messages and emails from viewers who are dealing with similar issues. So that is why we’re asking you to reach out to us on Facebook or send us an email to news@snntv.com
Later this week SNN’s Alejandro Romero will be working on compiling a list of residents who are struggling to get their payments and send it to the governors office. Alejandro can be reached at alex.romero@snntv.com
