Unemployment Benefits when the company closes for a week at a time?

by Ron Robishaw
(Orlando,Fl.)

Can you collect benefits in florida when the company plans to voluntarily shut down for one week each quarter?


Hi Ron,

I'll tell you what I think will happen.
Yes you could certainly open a claim, but because Florida requires everyone to serve a one week unpaid waiting period (no benefits, no pay) the first time they close you won't get anything, but the next quarter you would. because you would have an established claim and have served the one week already.

Florida also has something called short-time compensation which looks like it is a voluntary plan so an employer can avoid total layoffs.

I do not know much about it, but it might be something you could inquire about with your company.

Short-time or work share plans usually base the benefit amount on the reduction of hours vs. the amount of money you earn when hours are reversed.

I can also see that only employers who are truly concerned about keeping people on the payroll for a time when things pick up, might be the only employers this type of plan would be of interest to .. vs. just laying people off to reduce their workforce costs.