The deadline for eligibility for $600 in federal unemployment benefits — barring an unforeseen legislative miracle from Congress — hits Florida this weekend.
That means nearly 900,000 Sunshine State workers who stood to receive those funds — about of third of them in South Florida — may need to come up with another source of income fast.
It won’t be easy to find new work — hiring, according to LinkedIn, declined more than 8% in May for the Miami area — and what work there is won’t necessarily be well-paying.
But firms are still looking for local labor.
Tuesday, Domino’s announced corporate-owned pizza locations are looking to hire about 250 new team members across 53 stores in the Greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale area. The positions include traditional delivery drivers, e-bike delivery drivers, and assistant managers. Applications can be found at jobs.dominos.com.
“We’re... dedicated to delivering opportunity to our team members who show initiative and a desire to advance,” the company said in a statement. “Whether you’re looking for a part-time job or a career, this is the place to be.”
Delivery jobs are among the most in-demand as residents stay quarantined at home in response to the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic. According to jobs site Indeed.com, the No. 1 in-demand job in South Florida is a truck driver; the delivery driver is No. 10.
UPS, for instance, has job openings for warehouse workers, drivers, and cargo handlers. Indeed returns more than 1,400 job listings for “driver” in the Miami area.
The auto sector is also surging. AutoZone is hiring for as many as 280 positions in South Florida, from retail associate to manager. Advanced Auto Parts has another 196 openings for similar positions.
Food and restaurant jobs in general are also showing strength. Out-of-work chefs may find as many as 770 job openings for “cook” on Indeed. Another 250 results appear for “waiter.”
According to Indeed, Taco Bell is hiring for hundreds of local positions. Other major chains looking for labor included IHOP and Chili’s.
The list of Indeed’s top-hiring companies is rounded out by:
▪ FirstService Residential, a property management firm
▪ Bank of America
▪ Bank of America
▪ Lowe’s (and though it is not specifically referenced by Indeed, Home Depot)
Higher-skill in-demand jobs locally on Indeed.com are in the medical field, with registered nurse, nursing assistant and licensed practical nurse all among the top-10. There are also career fairs sponsored by CareerSource South Florida every Tuesday and Wednesday.
There are signs of an ongoing disconnect between job openings and individuals looking for work. It’s exemplified by Miami residents like Alfonso Fung, a 52-year-old back-of-the-house restaurant worker who says he’s been unable to find work for four months. Tuesday, Fung was at the Hispanic Branch Library in Little Havana updating his unemployment information on the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s website.
“I can’t find anything,” he said. “So I have to fill this out, food stamps, anything that can help.”