The insurance giant says the cuts are permanent. They land in a metro area where unemployment already runs above the state average.
By Joseph Jackson | TAMPA (Nov. 8, 2026)
The short version
Geico will lay off 114 employees tied to its Lakeland office, in stages from Dec. 31 through about April 30.
The workers are remote employees in its Staff Counsel, Florida PIP group, according to a state notice.
Lakeland-Winter Haven's unemployment rate was 5.2% in September, higher than Tampa Bay's 4.3% and the state's 4.4%.
What Geico filed
Geico sent a WARN notice to the Florida Department of Commerce on Nov. 2 saying it will lay off 114 employees, The Ledger reported. The notice says the cuts affect "remote employees who report into the Lakeland office in its Staff Counsel, Florida PIP organization." PIP is personal injury protection, the no-fault auto coverage every Florida driver must carry.
Layoffs begin on or about Dec. 31 and continue in stages through about April 30. Geico said the job losses are expected to be permanent. The workers are not in a union, and they have no "bumping rights" to move into other jobs. The office is at 3535 W. Pipkin Road, the Lakeland Gazette reported.
The notice did not list job titles or say how many of the affected remote workers live in Florida.
The bigger picture
Florida's unemployment rate was 4.4% in September, down from 4.5% in August, with about 489,000 people out of work, the News Service of Florida reported via WLRN. The Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area was at 4.3%. The Lakeland area was at 5.2%.
Financial jobs, the category that includes insurance, were down 15,800 statewide over the past year. Health care led job growth.
If you are affected
A WARN notice means you should get at least 60 days' notice before your last day.
CareerSource Polk offers job search help and training. Ask about Rapid Response services for laid-off workers.
You can apply for Reemployment Assistance through FloridaCommerce after your job ends.
Losing job-based health insurance lets you sign up for a marketplace plan outside open enrollment. See our 2027 health insurance guide.
Sources
The Ledger (via Pembroke Pines News), Geico layoffs — https://www.pembrokepinesflnews.com/news/article317931326.html
Lakeland Gazette, Geico WARN notice details — https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2026/11/04/geico-layoffs-114-jobs-impacted-at-lakeland-facility-starting-dec-31/
News Service of Florida via WLRN, September jobless rate — https://www.wlrn.org/light/business/2026-10-16/florida-jobless-rate-dips-in-september