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2012 Brings Minimum Wage Increase, Unemployment And Worker’s Comp Changes
January 1, 2012
The new year brought changes in Florida for both unemployment compensation and the worker’s comp rate paid by employers.
Florida’s 26-week maximum unemployment benefit period changed Sunday to a sliding scale that ranges from 12 weeks to 23-weeks, depending on the unemployment rate. The duration will be calculated based on the average unemployment rate in Florida for July, August and September 2011. The Department of Economic Opportunity says the change is projected to save the state’s Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund an estimated $103 million annually.
The new year also means businesses are now facing an 8.9 percent increase in workers compensation insurance rates that was approved by state regulators earlier this year.
And, the Florida minimum wage went up to $7.67 per hour, effective January 1. Florida law requires the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to calculate a minimum wage rate each year based on the percentage increase in the federal Consumer Price Index. That’s 36 cents higher than the current rate of $7.31 and above the national minimum wage of $7.25.
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5 Responses to “2012 Brings Minimum Wage Increase, Unemployment And Worker’s Comp Changes”
Of course helping is humane and hurting other people is inhumane. Part of the duty of society is to balance the two.
For example, if someone has a five thousand dollar a month house payment, it would be humane to pay it for him if he can’t pay it himself. On the other hand, taking the money from poorer people who didn’t buy mansions and don’t have money to throw around would be inhumane.
It’s the same way with all the other ways of helping. There comes a point at which you are hurting too many people to cover the unwise choices of the one you are trying to help. Further, there’s a good chance the one needing help will factor in the fact that he can demand help from society and never limit his expenses to those he can pay on his own.
Thus, it is possible to make someone a permanent dependent of the state if you aren’t careful. (I’m talking theoretically, but I’ve seen MANY examples.)
To me, the best balance would be to provide food, clothing and shelter of the most minimal type to any who wanted it and let all earn for themselves any above that bare minimum. That way you wouldn’t have unemployed people saying, “I’d like to take that job but the benefits I’d lose are worth way more than it pays.”
And you wouldn’t have poor people saying:
“Why are my taxes going to buy him steak?”
“Why are my taxes going to pay for his air conditioning when I don’t have it myself?”
“Why can he fool around all night while I have to work for a living?”
David for a humanity
humane and fair to all
David, helping all people is the humane thing to do.
REGARDING:
“How do you save money while forcing people to not be able to keep their houses, feed their kids or pay their electric bills? How do you do that and call yourself a human being?”
We’re forcing people to lose their houses?
We’re taking away their children’s food?
We’re running up their electric bills above what they can pay?
That’s inhuman of us — if we’re doing it.
If, on the other hand, we decide to pay all their bills for them by taxing other people who have homes to maintain, children to feed and bills to pay, are we really being better to them?
Wouldn’t that be inhuman too?
David for humanity
Kathy the best thing you or anyone can do is to vote for candidates that share a common belief in helping people with social programs an safety nets. And we know which party leans toward that type of concern. Go Obama in 2012!!
How do you save money while forcing people to not be able to keep their houses, feed their kids or pay their electric bills? How do you do that and call yourself a human being?