Things To Do In SW Florida

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule from the Biden administration that would have expanded access to overtime pay to millions more salaried workers across the U.S.

In a Friday ruling, U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan sided with the state of Texas and a group of business organizations that argued the Labor Department exceeded its authority when it finalized a rule earlier this year to significantly expand federal overtime eligibility for salaried workers.

Under the federal law, nearly all hourly workers in the U.S. are entitled to overtime pay after 40 hours a week. But many salaried workers are exempt from that requirement — unless they earn below a certain level.

The Labor Department’s now-scuttled rule would have marked the biggest increase to that cap in decades. Employers were required pay overtime to salaried workers who make less than $43,888 a year in certain executive, administrative and professional roles as of July 1 — and that was set to rise to $58,656 next year. read more

By LISA RATHKE

Ben & Jerry’s has sued its parent company Unilever accusing it of silencing the ice cream maker from making statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.

The complaint, filed Wednesday in federal court in New York, says the multinational conglomerate has failed to adhere to its contractual obligations with Ben & Jerry’s by threatening to dismantle the company’s independent board, sue board members, intimidate personnel and censor the company “from publicly voicing support for peace and refugee rights,” the lawsuit states.

London-based Unilever said in a statement that it rejects the claims made by Ben & Jerry’s social mission board. “We will defend our case very strongly,” it said.

Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s, a longtime supporter of progressive social causes, in 2000 but distanced itself from the ice cream maker’s decision in 2021 to halt sales in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem.

When Ben & Jerry’s was sold, the companies agreed that the ice cream maker’s independent board would be free to pursue its social mission, including longstanding support for liberal causes on such things as racial justice, climate action, LGBTQ rights and campaign finance reform. But Unilever would have the final word on financial and operational decisions. read more

TALLAHASSEE — Florida had a drop in private-sector employment in October in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, but the state’s unemployment rate remained at 3.3 percent for a seventh consecutive month.

The state Department of Commerce on Friday estimated 369,000 Floridians qualified as out-of-work in October, up 1,000 from September, while private-sector employment fell by 38,200 jobs last month.

The labor force of 11.03 million people decreased by 9,000. Department of Commerce officials attributed the continued shrinking of the labor force — down 31,000 over the past year — to retirements among Baby Boomers and Gen Xers.

The 3.3 percent unemployment rate was up from 3.1 percent in October 2023 but lower than last month’s national rate of 4.1 percent.

Across Florida, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had the lowest unemployment rate in October at 2.9 percent.

The Panama City and the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin areas were at 3.2 percent. Among other regions, the Jacksonville and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford areas were at 3.5 percent. Pensacola was at 3.6 percent. and the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area was at 3.8 percent. read more

The moment political ads disappeared, retailers overtook the airwaves with their pitch to the masses: Holiday shopping season is here.

And it’s a frenzy for retailers. Santas made their debut at malls this week. Target shelves are full of “Wicked”-themed merchandise in anticipation of the movie opening this week. And discounts that started in October are in full swing.

Because Thanksgiving is the latest it can be on the calendar this year, the all-important final stretch of the holiday shopping season is six days shorter. The next two weeks — culminating with Black Friday and Cyber Monday — are even more important than in some other years for retailers from Best Buy and Macy’s to smaller local stores.

“Those big-box retailers pave the way for the season,” said Lindsay Koch, director of brand experience and stores for Minnesota apparel brand Waggle. “This year we started our holiday sale earlier than we ever have.”

While retailers and economists expect shoppers to make only modest increases in their holiday budgets, it still could be a record-setting year for holiday sales. The National Retail Federation predicts up to $989 billion, the best haul since 2019. read more

By Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet

Investing in a few home maintenance projects now could help reduce your costs when the cold weather hits. Not only can you trim your heating expenses, but you can also avoid unexpected emergency repairs later.

“There are a lot of things you can do for free,” says Ethan O’Donnell, deputy editor of FamilyHandyman.com, a website about home improvement projects.

That includes relatively simple steps like clearing the gutters and cleaning air filters in the HVAC system.

There are also bigger investments that can pay off in the long run, like insulating the attic or buying a more energy-efficient water heater. In 2023, U.S. households spent an average of $2,458 on home maintenance, according to Angi, a website that helps homeowners find service providers.

Here are the most cost-effective steps experts suggest you take before the temperature drops:

1. Check for heat loss

Start by walking around your home close to windows and doors with a candle, suggests Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angi. read more