JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Even as the state touts significant improvements to Florida's unemployment claims system, a majority of claimants have yet to receive a dollar in benefits.
Last week, Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to take over COVID-19 duties from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO) Secretary Ken Lawson after DeSantis signaled some apparent lack of communication from FDEO.
Since that announcement, along with the addition of new servers to boost system capacity and a significantly long period of system maintenance over the weekend, some have been reporting improvements. But not all.
For weeks, Floridians trying to file for and receive their benefits, which on the state level are referred to as "Reemployment Assistance," have been writing to First Coast News to describe their experiences.
Through hundreds of emails, a common thread has stood out: many who applied between March 15 and March 31 are stuck in limbo.
"Both my son and I filed our claims on March 26. Both of ours are still pending," one viewer wrote. "We are desperate for answers. I have a friend who applied March 4 and just got a deposit this morning."
"People who applied in March can’t seem to get past 'pending' (not all but the majority)," another viewer wrote. "Meanwhile, people who applied in April are getting approved."
On Monday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity rolled out a dashboard being updated daily with the latest numbers.
As of Tuesday, FDEO said the department has received more than 1.7 million claims since March 15. Some of those claims may be duplicates, but so far around 679,000 have been confirmed as unique claims.
Around 108,200 claims had been paid as of the last update, meaning just under six percent of the 1.7 million claims and a bit under 16 percent of the unique claims. It is an ongoing process for FDEO to verify each individual claim as unique.
Meanwhile, state legislators have been working behind the scenes to advance the cause for their own constituents and other Floridians who have reached out to their offices.
"I have a few constituents that are receiving messages like 'Adjudication' or 'Pending,'" said State Representative Tracie Davis, a Democrat representing District 13 which is comprised of parts of Duval County. "We don't know how folks are processing applications. We have a long way to go to get the system to a point where we're getting people their unemployment benefits."
Davis is just one lawmaker calling for a special session to address issues with the unemployment system.
"It's complete frustration, complete annoyance. Folks just not being able to get through," Davis said. "I am very supportive of a special session, but that will be the priority is to investigate this system."
Another Jacksonville-area representative said his office has also been flooded with contacts from people who have been struggling with the system.
"The emails are coming in daily, phone calls are coming in daily," State Rep. Clay Yarborough said. "What [the state] quickly realized was the volume of people applying. The system crashed, it wasn't designed to handle that volume."
Yarborough has been advocating to FDEO on behalf of constituents who have been waiting for answers for an extended period of time. He said the state has sent his office a spreadsheet to input claimant information so FDEO can follow up with them.
"I think it's getting better but it's been painful trying to get through that process," Yarborough said. "As a representative on behalf of the people, I feel bad and very sorry that they're having to deal with this right now, and it needs to be fixed."
Yarborough said he would be supportive of a special session of the legislature if multiple issues related to Coronavirus would be addressed, including unemployment benefits.
Both Davis and Yarborough said they have seen some level of progress with the system in recent days, but that getting those who have been waiting the longest paid first should be the main priority.
Secretary Satter was not present at the Governor's news conference held Wednesday afternoon. At the news conference, DeSantis did not address Floridians' unemployment concerns.
Below are several common issues with the system, along with what First Coast News has been able to gather from FDEO thus far:
- Applications stuck on "Pending": This means FDEO is working to verify your claim by checking your identification and contacting your employer. Make sure all the information in your claim is current. If it has been a long period of time, reach out to your employer and ask if they have been contacted by FDEO. Keep trying to get through to an agent from FDEO.
- Independent Contractors and Gig Workers: More information on how FDEO will disburse your benefits is expected at the end of the week. According to the department, you are eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which would provide $275/week of federal money. You are also eligible for the $600/week of CARES Act money others are receiving.
- Retroactive Benefits: FDEO has seemed to confirm that benefits will be paid retroactively for those who have missed deadlines due to system issues, however has yet to make a formal announcement. The department is still working on how to maximize state and federal benefits for Floridians.
- Long Call Times: Call center staffing has been bolstered in recent days, however many are still reporting difficulty in reaching an agent. First Coast News has requested call volume numbers and the number of calls answered from FDEO. We are waiting for a response.
The latest updates provided by FDEO can be viewed here.
First Coast News has requested from FDEO more specific information related to those who have been waiting since March for benefits, as well as an interview with Secretary Satter.
You can begin the process of applying for unemployment here.
If you would like to share your unemployment story, email me at DJones@firstcoastnews.com. I'm doing my best to respond to everyone individually.