The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide a first installment of $61.2 million for the Florida Back to Work Initiative, Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday.
The $200 million government stimulus program aims to create jobs in Florida by paying for up to 95 percent of the salaries of employees who meet federal low-income guidelines and have a dependent child at home.
The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation is offering the program in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families, Workforce Florida and regional workforce boards.
The funding will allow the workforce boards to finalize agreements with businesses to hire and train employees, according to a news release. Distribution of the remaining funds will follow.
Crist has been hosting ceremonial bill-signing ceremonies today in Tampa, Tallahassee, Orlando, Fort Myers and Miami to promote House Bill 7033. The Florida Legislature passed the bill on the first day of the legislative session, with the governor signing it into law the same day.
The bill changes the taxable wage base, which is used to calculate unemployment taxes, to $7,000 from $8,500 for two years.
The collected funds pay for 26-week state unemployment benefits.
The wage base is slated to increase to $8,500 in 2012 and revert to $7,000 in 2015.
The bill also allows employers to pay 2010 and 2011 unemployment compensation taxes in quarterly installments without interest or penalties, as long as the employers adhere to a schedule.
