Manatee groups join effort to match workers and jobs as COVID-19 slams local economy
Just ahead of of this week’s surge in unemployment insurance claims, business organizations in Manatee and Sarasota counties reported they have joined forces to connect displaced workers with employers.
Employers can post jobs while workers displaced by the coronavirus pandemic can search for them at jobfocus.com, a service hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that 227,000 Florida workers had filed unemployment claims for the week ending March 28, compared to 74,313 a week earlier.
Nationally, there were 6.6 million claims, double the number the previous week, according to Labor Department figures.
“Nineteen new positions were added to the site today,” Jacki Dezelski, president and CEO of the Manatee Chamber, said on Wednesday. “It’s an additional tool to help those in the Manatee-Sarasota area.”
Other partners in jobfocus.com are Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp., CareerEdge, CareerSource Suncoast, Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County and Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.
“When you have a crisis situation, it draws people together,” said Sharon Hillstrom, president and CEO of the Bradenton Area EDC. “If you combine energy and resources, you can have a much greater impact.”
Some companies are hiring, including medical supply companies, and Air Products, located near Port Manatee, she said.
Other companies that are hiring include grocers, distribution and logistics, and some types of manufacturing. Many employers are willing to train new employees.
The hospitality sector has been especially hard-hit by layoffs caused by the pandemic.
An executive order by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis directed that resorts, which account for about 85 percent of short-term rentals in Manatee County, not take any more rentals for two weeks starting March 28.
Hotels and motels, which account for only about 15 percent of short-term rentals, are estimated to be at about three to eight percent occupancy, said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The latest figures for resort tax collections, reported by the Manatee County Tax Collector, show that most municipalities had more collections in March than the previous year. But the figures for April are expected to show a different picture, reflecting the worsening pandemic.
As a partner, Career Source Suncoast is also helping to promote jobfocus.com.
“We are posting jobs, too, on our website, CareerSource Suncoast, as well as encouraging employers to post on employflorida.com. I believe the more places jobs are posted right now the better,” Jen Zak, communications director for CareerSource Suncoast, said in a text.
Also supporting the initiative are Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce, Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce, North Port Area Chamber of Commerce and Venice Area Chamber of Commerce.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 1:40 PM.
