Florida Representative Kathleen Passidomo Introduces New Unemployment Legislation

As Florida's unemployment rate reaches 12 percent, new state legislation has been proposed to overhaul the state's unemployment system.

Along with decreasing the number of weeks they can receive financial aid, the bill would require the jobless to volunteer in exchange for their weekly unemployment check, reports WCTV.

Proposed by Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, the bill states that the unemployed would need to report a minimum of four hours per week. She told ABC Action News that volunteering would help them connect to employers and create relationships.

"You never know. It could help you get a job. You're not going to get contacts staying home."

Others are not convinced. George Wentworth of the National Employment Law Project told Fox News that it may not be in line with existing law.

"If you earned wages sufficient enough to qualify for a weekly benefit after losing your job through no fault of your own, the system is set up so you don't have to go through additional requirements that are unrelated to the fact of your unemployment."

The bill would also give more requirements for those filing for unemployment, including a skills assessment test, along with decreasing the number of weeks allotted for maximum financial aid from 26 to 20. Florida's unemployment checks are capped at $275 per week, making it one of the least generous states in the nation.

Some of Florida's unemployed residents are close to needing the services they would be required to volunteer. The Sun-Sentinel reported on Mark Wampole, a laid-off welder, who says he's on the brink of homelessness.

"Without it, I'd starve. I'd have to live under a bridge and hope I could find somebody to feed me. It's that serious... I'm working as hard as I can. It's just that nobody's hiring.""

Quick Poll

What do you think of this strategy?

Sign me up! It helps the community and shows off good work ethic.

Terrible idea. Searching for a job is already a full-time project.

I don't know what to make of it.

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Comments

[firefly echo]

08:57 AM on 03/22/2011

I have mixed feelings. I don't think that you should be punished for being unemployed.

However, I don't think that volunteering really is a punishment. Everyone else seems to cast it as here as this fate worse than death. It's not. It helps the community and it is really good for your physical and mental health. Especially at an hour, four days a week. I can see how a lot of conditions in the community could really pay off. Kids could get tutoring, property values could improve, public safety could increase, various health and human services could have a few extra hands... I don't see how this is very different from public works in the 40s?

Why is volunteering looked upon as such a terrible thing?

[William Miles Floyd]

09:21 AM on 02/23/2011

They did this in Michigan for people on Welfare. I find this is the worst thing to do.

[PamperedHousecat]

05:05 PM on 02/18/2011

How about this Florida?
Tell the poor that they are really making about $68.00 an hour! For four hours that's about $272. Then they'll think they are in the same boat as middle management.
Tell them all those other hours are vacation time.

[Cindy Bloom]

12:10 PM on 02/18/2011

"Forced volunteerism" isn't volunteering -- it's slavery.

[zest]

09:42 AM on 02/18/2011

Ah, now Florida is being run from elitist Naples. As an interesting sidelight Naples has no public transportation.

[fortressfountain]

10:12 AM on 02/17/2011

If you are forced to do this it will not be called volunteer but slavery.

[deb0214]

09:08 PM on 02/16/2011

This is what Florida representatives are spending taxpayer dollars working on ?

Rep. Kathleen Passidomo's district (Naples, FL) has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation.

Certainly she could focus her energy and taxpayer dollars on helping these families ?

[jkkFL]

11:04 AM on 02/17/2011

It is also the weathiest in FL!

[traceymarie]

08:47 PM on 02/16/2011

mandatory work camps are next, let this pass and debtors prison will be next

[Ralph Boyd]

03:52 PM on 02/16/2011

The only thing Florida needs is to add Republican legislators to the unemployment line. I live in Florida, I'm unemployed, and I say it's time for a recall of our crooked governor and our indolent right wing State House.

[deb0214]

02:21 PM on 02/16/2011

I could understand the arguments about the unemployed being a group of lazy, entitled couch potatoes if the jobs were available...but facts are facts. One job available for every 5 or 6 unemployed in the state of Florida...ONE job for every 5 or 6 unemployed, the 3rd highest unemployment in the nation.
Now come on folks...this is very simple math. Trying to ignore the numbers, the basic facts, doesn't make them any better.

[Auldskul]

02:39 PM on 02/16/2011

Whether there are jobs or not, tarring an entire group of your fellow citizens with this kind of brush because there are obviously going to be some abusers is totally reprehensible.

[deb0214]

02:56 PM on 02/16/2011

I agree with you....I am one of them in Florida....over 50, worked my entire life, paid taxes my entire life...unemployed for the first time in my life as a result of company closing.
Send hundreds of resumes, applications without so much as a response, never mind an actual interview. 25 years of experience in my field and never, ever had a problem getting a job...the biggest issue I ever faced was trying to decide which offer to take !
It just amazes me that people actually believe the vast majority of unemployed in Florida
are lazy just trying to take advantage. Yup, living the high life on $275 a week !

[deb0214]

03:28 PM on 02/16/2011

You completely missed the point....

[deb0214]

01:34 PM on 02/16/2011

Send an email to Florida Representatives...I did...see below:

02/16/11 12:16 PM

To the Honorable Kathleen C. Passidomo;

Over one million unemployed Florida citizens....the jobs no longer exist.

Instead of working to help the people of this state by working on job creation,
you choose to focus your work, energy, and taxpayer dollars by trying to make
the unemployed and struggling "look busy".

That's really the best you can offer the people of this state ?

Shame on you.

[deb0214]

12:47 PM on 02/16/2011

With all the serious issues facing the citizens of Florida, this is really the best our elected representatives can do ?
The time, energy, the taxpayer dollars that are being wasted on trying to force the
struggling unemployed the feel guilty and "pay" for being jobless?
Florida's maximum unemployment rate is $275 a week, taxable income. That is
$6.88 an hour. The rate is one of the lowest in the nation, ranking about 48th out of 50.
It hasn't been adjusted for cost of living/inflation in more than 10 years.
And this is the best our elected representatives can offer us at one of the worst times
the citizens of this state have ever seen ?
Well, I guess the only solution for unemployment our Florida representatives could
come up with is to watch while the unemployed starve to death.
Unemployment issue solved !

[Julepandme]

02:25 PM on 02/16/2011

Since they would have to hire people to keep track of such a program as she's proposing - and spend government money to fund it - maybe she should suggest just hiring people to do things that are needed, like fix infrastructure, for instance. Give people real jobs at a living wage rather than force the unemployed to volunteer at make-work nonsense while hiring others to bloat bureaocracy just to manage such a program.

[deb0214]

12:35 PM on 02/16/2011

Maybe the unemployed could provide maid service to our elected "public servants" ?

[Susan Osterhout Troiano]

11:32 AM on 02/16/2011

What is wrong with this picture:

"Along with decreasing the number of weeks they can receive financial aid, the bill would require the jobless to volunteer in exchange for their weekly unemployment check."

By giving up their pay how is the person suppose to pay bills? Is she going to pay them? It is so easy for people who have jobs to sit on the side line and make suggestions like this. Until they are unemployed your suggestions just do not fly with out really putting thought into this.

[Dietcokefreak]

11:31 AM on 02/16/2011

And Rick Scott just turned down the money for high speed rail. Thanks for stopping jobs Mr. Governor. I guess that's part of your plan for free labor.

[MiddleMolly]

11:33 AM on 02/16/2011

This guy is a disaster for Florida. I know a family that moved to Florida for jobs during the mid 2000's. They have been struggling for the past three years, of course, and are now considering moving back up to snow country. I don't blame them.