Posts by Elyssa Morataya

A joint federal and state program, unemployment insurance provides short-term benefits to the jobless while they search for new employment. Your company and other businesses fund unemployment programs through FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act) and SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act) tax payments. In Florida, the maximum pre-tax unemployment benefit is $275 weekly. Claimants must show…

As the demand for home improvement projects increases in Florida, homeowners must be cautious when hiring a contractor. The state requires contractors to be licensed and insured, but not all contractors adhere to these regulations. Hiring an unlicensed contractor can put homeowners at risk for subpar work, financial loss, and legal trouble. As part of…

A month into the new year, the fact that the Sanibel Causeway has been repaired and is again open to the public is a positive sign of Southwest Florida’s continuing recovery from Hurricane Ian’s devastation and the effects of the pandemic before that. But the fact that visitors are still discouraged as the community rebuilds…

Just drive through Lee County and it’s evident by the bustling construction, new buildings opening and increased traffic that the area is booming, and statistics overwhelmingly support that conclusion. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lee County’s population has grown by 3.3% annually and is currently estimated at 802,178.…