Support Offered by CareerSource Capital Region as Reemployment Compensation Waivers End
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2021
Contact
Charlotte Brown
Desk: 850-617-4504
Support Offered by CareerSource Capital Region as
Reemployment Compensation Waivers End
Fee-free assistance available for individuals who are
receiving RA benefits or are looking for work.
TALLAHASSEE, FL– Work search waivers for Reemployment Assistance (RA) benefits ended May 29. Also, as part of state’s Return to Work initiative, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced it will end its participation in the $300-per-week Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program effective June 26.
However, individuals in the capital area should know, CareerSource Capital Region is ready to help with free solutions and support services to assist individuals submit RA claims, work search documentation and secure employment.
Jim McShane, CEO at CareerSource Capital Region, urges individuals who have been receiving RA benefits to stay calm and seek assistance from their local CareerSource Capital Region career center.
“CareerSource Capital Region is committed to not only helping individuals submit RA claims using computers in our centers, but more importantly, we are here to help individuals find work,” said McShane. “Reemployment benefits cannot last forever and now is the perfect time to look for work because it’s really a job seeker market. Nearly every business in the capital area has more than one position available, and some businesses are closing or cutting service hours due to lack of staff.”
Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunities’ Reemployment Assistance (RA) program provides temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own.
Work registration and job search requirements, along with a mandatory waiting week, had been waived for those filing RA applications from March 15, 2020, through May 29, 2021. Claimants for Florida’s RA compensation will now be required to return to DEO’s CONNECT system every two weeks to request their benefits or “claim their weeks.”
From March 7, 2020, through May 15, 2021, there were 43,040 initial claimant counts for the three-county region. Statewide during that same period there were 3.2 million initial claims. For the week ending May 15, there were 201 initial claims. In contrast, during the same week one year ago, there were 2,497 initial claims.
“There are a lot of job vacancies right now,” said McShane. “Now is a great time to seek employment, and we have the right solutions to help individuals with their job search strategies and ultimately find employment.”
Currently, there are nearly 700 unique jobs posted (which does not include duplicates of identical jobs) by employers in Employ Florida as well as approximately 16,500 jobs that have been “spidered” into Employ Florida from other online job sites (which includes jobs that have not been de-duplicated). Therefore, CareerSource Capital Region estimates there are likely 7,000 to 10,000 jobs currently available in the capital area. Employ Florida is the state’s online job board used by the CareerSource Florida network.
CareerSource Capital Region’s Career Centers are open by appointment only for fee-free staff assistance as well as use of computers to file RA claims, submit work search documentation, conduct job searches and get assistance in applying for employment.
The Career Centers continue to follow health safety precautions including use of face masks by staff and guests.
Virtual services also continue to be offered via phone, email, Zoom and other online job search assistance platforms.
McShane stressed the opportunities CareerSource Capital Region has to offer career seekers including:
- Career Connections Hiring Fair on June 2 featuring 17 employers ready to hire for multiple positions;
- Summer Youth Program for individuals ages 16 to 24 with more than 100 part and full-time positions paying between $8.65 and $13.00 per hour;
- Upcoming recruitment events where local employers conduct interviews for immediate job openings;
- Job search assistance and referrals to other open positions throughout the capital area;
- Employability workshops ranging from Managing Your Finances While Unemployed to working in the Gig Economy;
- Executive Center workshops for professional level career seekers including Maximizing Your Job Search on Social Media and Creating a Professional Profile on LinkedIn; and
- SkillUp Capital Region offers free access to Metrix Learning, a dynamic online training platform with more than 6,000 courses that can be accessed 24/7.
Participating in many of these opportunities at CareerSource Capital Region count towards meeting the work search requirements to continue RA benefits.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, contact the career center near you:
Gadsden Career Center
(850) 875-4040
Leon Career Center
(850) 922-0023
Wakulla Career Center
(850) 926-0980
Learn more about all of the solutions offered at CareerSource Capital Region at www.careersourcecapitalregion.com. Follow CareerSource Capital Region on social media to learn about upcoming hiring events and career solutions available for career seekers:
Facebook: CareerSource Capital Region
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/careersourcecapitalregion
Twitter: @CareerSourceCR
Instagram: @careersourcecr
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About CareerSource Capital Region
CareerSource Capital Region connects employers with qualified, skilled talent and Floridians with employment and career development opportunities to achieve economic prosperity in Gadsden, Leon and Wakulla counties. Solutions for career seekers include one-on-one career advising, interviewing and resume-writing assistance, employment workshops, and labor market information. Solutions for employers include recruitment assistance, skills assessments for applicants, customized training, and information on tax incentives. Employers and career seekers are matched through the Employ Florida system. Most solutions are provided at no cost. This initiative was supported by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture as part of awards totaling $6,612,197 with 0% financed from non-governmental sources. Programs funded through CareerSource Capital Region are equal opportunity programs with auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Persons using TTY/TTD equipment use Florida Relay Service 711. A proud partner of the American Job Center network.