As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater begins a two-day forum in Tampa on the needs of small businesses, among the first complaint he’s hearing from business owners is that unemployment benefits in the Sunshine State are too enticing for some people to enter the work force.

Another is that for all the talk about directing students toward science, technology, engineering and math degrees, there is a need to also maintain the basic shop courses.

Andy Malcolm, owner of Advanced Technologies Protection in Tampa, which manufactures surge protectors, said during a panel discussion Thursday during the Small-Business Leadership Forum at the Westin Harbour Island Hotel that finding qualified workers is one of his industry's biggest hurdles.

“Many have never seen a soldering iron before,” Malcolm said. “For training, it becomes a real drain.”

Atwater is using the forum that has gathered about 130 invited small-business owners to provide information on access to capital, matters of human resources and potentially linking them with mentors and investors. At the same time, he will be mining for issues the state could use to improve the state’s business climate and possibly help push for the repeal of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, better known as Dodd-Frank after sponsors Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.

Harold Boyett, a former UPS employee who now owns Blue Streak Couriers in Jacksonville, said unemployment remains too generous for some to enter the work force.
Too often when hiring there is a large number of applicants, but many are only doing so to retain their unemployment benefits, Boyett said.

In Florida, the weekly unemployment benefit amount is calculated by dividing earnings for the highest paid quarter of the base period by 26, up to a maximum of $275 per week.


Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.