Crist Opts to Extend Unemployment Benefits Until December for Floridians

Gov. Charlie Crist has signed an executive order allowed out-of-work Floridians to get extended federal unemployment checks through Dec. 4.

"Unemployed Floridians are struggling in this challenging economic climate, trying to figure out how to pay their bills and support their families. We simply cannot desert the 250,000 Floridians who qualify...," Crist said in a statement today.

Congress earlier this week authorized money for extended benefits, but the state Legislature earlier in the year ended state benefits extension deadlines June 5. Tens of thousands of Floridians were dropping out of the extended-benefit program each week.

There are more than 1 million people out of work in Florida, with 250,000 of them having burned through 26 weeks of standard unemployment compensation and other tiers of extended checks that allow for up to 79 weeks of benefits.