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Crist Announces Unemployment Benefit Increase

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The Associated Press

Published: March 24, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Unemployment checks are going up $25 a week for jobless Floridians.

Gov. Charlie Crist said today that the increase is retroactive for those eligible for unemployment benefits as of Feb. 22. He said the increase is being paid for with money from President Barack Obama's federal stimulus plan.

The Agency for Workforce Innovation has begun mailing payments and electronically depositing funds for qualified unemployment compensation recipients.

State unemployment compensation claims currently carry a maximum of 26 payable weeks, but federal extended benefits provide an additional 33 weeks for a total of 59 weeks for qualified Floridians.

Roughly 800,000 Floridians were out of work in the state's January unemployment report.

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