Coronavirus Job Update: These Companies Are Now Hiring In Florida

As unemployment hits an all-time high in the country, some local and national companies are looking to hire workers in the state. Here’s where to apply. 

Under a new executive order signed March 24 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, those who seek unemployment benefits will no longer have to show they have applied to five jobs a week. Still, the state’s unemployment benefits are among the most meager in the country and the country has just hit an all-time high with 3.3. million people jobless.

Florida workers who lose their jobs are eligible for up to 12 weeks of unemployment at a maximum of $275 a week. According to the non-partisan Center on Budget Policy and Priorities (CBPP), this places Florida, along with North Carolina, among the lowest-paying states in the country. In contrast, most states provide up to 26 weeks of benefits, with Massachusetts providing up to 30 weeks.

Also not required at this time is filling out an application for Employ Florida, where they had to keep track of their efforts to find employment. This order retroactively applies to March 15 and is effective until May 2, 2020.

Those who qualify include:

• People who are laid off or sent home without pay by their employer due to COVID-19
• Those who are caring for an immediate family member diagnosed with the novel coronavirus
• People who were ordered to quarantine by a medical professional or a government agency 

The Good News: You Can Find a Job in Florida. Here’s Where to Apply

Although some workers have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus as businesses close or lay off their personnel, some companies in the state are hiring in big numbers.

• Domino’s Pizza announced it will be hiring 10,000 or more workers https://jobs.dominos.com/dominos-careers/
• CVS Pharmacies will be hiring 50,000 people https://jobs.cvshealth.com/
• 7-Eleven Stores is hiring 20,000 workers
  https://careers.7-eleven.com/careers/home
• Walmart, Inc. has announced it wants to hire 9,400 new workers in Florida https://careers.walmart.com/
• Amazon is looking for workers in the state https://www.amazon.jobs/en/
• Publix Supermarkets, Inc., the state’s leading supermarket chain, is planning to hire thousands of people by the end of March to work on its 1,243 stores and nine distribution centers in seven southeastern states, including Florida  https://corporate.publix.com/
• Southeastern Grocers LLC, the company that owns Winn-Dixie, BY-LO and Harvey’s Supermarket chains, announced it is hiring, but declined to release numbers https://www.segrocers.com/
• The state’s Department of Economic Opportunity plans to hire 100 additional workers to answer calls and guide callers through the application process. It would also pay overtime to its existing workers.
• KW Property Management & Consulting is looking for laid-off hospitality workers to service the buildings it maintains for condo and homeowner associations statewide. Those interested can call (305) 476-9188.