Friday's Daily Pulse | 3/12/2021 New Florida jobless assistance claims hit a pandemic low — but not for contract workers New applications for jobless assistance in Florida stayed at a pandemic low, even as week-to-week figures continued to be revised. The Labor Department reported Thursday that new Florida claims for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the program for workers such as contract employees not eligible for regular jobless benefits, continued to trend unevenly. For the week ending March 6, new PUA claims climbed from 2,262 to 2,925 — but as recently as the week ending Feb. 20, new PUA claims were as high as 11,473. More from the Miami Herald and the News Service of Florida.