As hurricane season approaches, insurers are canceling thousands of Florida customers

As another hurricane season bears down on the state, more than 50,000 Florida home insurance customers will soon receive notices that their policies have been canceled or won’t be renewed. State insurance regulators recently authorized “extraordinary” terminations of thousands of policies of Florida-based insurers Universal Insurance of North America, Gulfstream Property & Casualty, and Southern Fidelity. And the bloodletting will likely continue over the coming months with other insurers seeking to shed risky or unprofitable policies while refusing to insure older homes with roofs, electrical systems and plumbing that have not been upgraded to comply with current building codes. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida races toward mobile sports betting, but where are data privacy safeguards?

As the Florida Legislature convened this week for a special session to legalize mobile sports betting in Florida, one issue essential to the growth of the industry has been left out of drafts of the 18 bills filed in the House and Senate: How the gambling industry harvests and handles consumers’ data. It’s not a new issue. Legislators spent much of the regular session on a proposal that would have imposed new disclosure requirements on companies that collect information from anyone who downloads an app or uses a website. The bill was vigorously opposed by some of the state’s largest industries, and it died on the last day of session. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Surge of New Yorkers relocating to Florida, new numbers show

According to new data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 33,565 New York residents got Florida driver's licenses between September of last year and March of this year. That's a 32% increase from the same period the year before. Florida officials said many parents chose to relocate their families to the Sunshine State so their children could take part in full-time, in-person learning.  More from WPTV.

Orlando International Airport holds job fair with 50 companies

Orlando International Airport passenger numbers are rebounding from depressed levels during the pandemic and more than 50 companies at the sprawling travel hub in south Orange County hope to find new employees Tuesday during a job fair. Airport officials began to note a shortage of workers in recent months as restaurants, stores and theme-park outlets began to reopen. The airport has more than 16,000 workers employed by private companies. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Boutique hotel coming to downtown Fort Lauderdale, at east end of Las Olas

Las Olas Boulevard may be getting a fancy new tenant: A nine-story five-star hotel with 138 rooms that would open by fall 2023, just in time for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Developers Charlie Ladd and Steve Hudson say they’ve been working on their $100 million vision for more than two years now, hoping to bring a boutique hotel with a timeless design to Fort Lauderdale’s most fashionable street. “It’s our belief that Las Olas can be Beverly Hills,” Ladd said. “Las Olas has all this charm. We want to make it Broward County’s Worth Avenue.” More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Uncharted territory: Vaccines and the workplace

As delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine moves beyond healthcare workers and senior citizens to the general public, some employers wonder if employees can be required — or decline — to receive the vaccine. This is uncharted territory. However, based on guidance from the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, in certain circumstances employers can mandate employees receive the vaccine in order to provide for a safe workplace. [Sponsored report]