A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that federal unemployment monies are coming to Floridians.
“The federal money, you’ll start seeing today,” DeSantis said.
The Governor stressed that the benefits from Washington, a $600-a-week allotment, would be delivered via a “hard check.”
The “state portion,” said DeSantis, was “obviously smaller,” capped at $275 weekly.
That money could come via a check or a debit card, DeSantis said.
And federal relief is coming for gig workers, the Governor said.
Though he didn’t know if they qualified for state relief, 1099s and the otherwise self-employed would be eligible for federal money via the $2.2 trillion CARES Act.
“Gig workers do qualify for the $600,” DeSantis said, before adding an interesting divergence from Washington. “Why they did it through the state unemployment system I’ll never understand.”
The federal requirements are “more liberal than what the state [requirement] is,” he added, but “most people in Florida are going to get both.”
Tuesday’s remarks continued a daily dialogue between the Governor and reporters about the unemployment system.
DeSantis said Monday that some payouts were “in the hopper right now” and “people are working hard … a lot of hands on deck at this point, and that will really help us a lot.”
Speaking Friday in Jacksonville, DeSantis likewise described his administration’s “all hands on deck” approach, including describing website improvements and paper applications as he did in Tallahassee the day before to the state press corps.
About 2,000 state workers who had previously specialized in areas of government far removed from the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity will be tasked with data entry for applications coming in from across the state.
The Governor has yet to answer questions about extending the term of unemployment past 12 weeks, nor has he discussed increasing the state’s maximum payout despite calls from Democrats to do so.
On Wednesday, Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said DEO officials confirmed with her that the federal checks had started going out by mail.
Finally spoke to @FLDEO — For those who have been processed already as being eligible in Florida for benefits you will now get $600 check in the mail for this week that is federally funded. The check was apparently faster than anything else. 1/
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) April 15, 2020
However, Eskamani said DEO did not confirm whether backpay was on the way for the weeks of unemployment since the federal coronavirus relief package was passed. Questions still remain for gig workers and the self-employed as well.
The state has hemorrhaged jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, leading hundreds of thousands of Floridians to attempt to file for unemployment. For many, the application process has been fruitless.
The state website to process claims has been overloaded with users, and phone lines have been backed up. Many jobless Floridians have called the DEO unemployment hotline dozens of times a day to no avail.
Data released last week showed a record-breaking 169,885 new unemployment claims were filed between March 29 and April 4. In the past three weeks, almost 500,000 Floridians have filed first-time claims. The number of unemployed is likely far higher.
In the wake of the website’s collapse, the state has authorized the use of paper applications.
Many state lawmakers and some local governments, including Hillsborough County, have stepped up to help distribute the paper forms and help claimants fill them out — a necessity since the state jobless system lagged behind in implementing federal provisions allowing gig workers and the self-employed to qualify for the $600-a-week benefit.
Separately from the unemployment checks, the U.S. Treasury Department and IRS have started $1,200 coronavirus stimulus payments to Americans. Taxpayers for whom the IRS has direct deposit information have started receiving payments electronically. Some will be mailed a check.
The Treasury Department and the IRS rolled out a new tool on the IRS Economic Impact Payment webpage for Americans to confirm if they’re eligible for a check and how they may receive it. Called “Get My Payment,” the web-based app has the following functions:
— If you have not received your stimulus payment yet, it allows you to check the status of yours, so you’ll know when it will reach your bank account or be in the mail.
— If you filed tax returns in 2018 and/or 2019 and did not provide your direct deposit information — meaning that you either chose to receive your tax refund as a check or didn’t get a refund at all — you’ll be able to share this information with the IRS if you choose to do so.
— If your payment hasn’t been issued yet, you can confirm whether you want to receive it by direct deposit or check. (Direct deposit payments are considerably faster.)
If you didn’t have to file a 2018 or 2019 tax return and are concerned about your stimulus payment, the IRS launched a non-filers portal for people who typically don’t need to file a tax return to submit bank information so they can receive a stimulus payment.
Social Security beneficiaries typically don’t need to do anything to receive a stimulus payment. Although there are a few exceptions — SS beneficiaries with children or new beneficiaries in 2020 — Social Security recipients will automatically receive a stimulus payment in the same manner in which Social Security benefits are paid.
54 comments
Drock
April 14, 2020 at 5:32 pm
The other 49states getting paper checks?
Jay
April 14, 2020 at 8:04 pm
No I’ve seen people’s screen shots of their direct deposits.
Valerie Sprieser
April 15, 2020 at 10:28 pm
According to Florida info website on unemployment. Those people who are 1099 still have to wait for the state to create a separate website to claim tgeir $600 from the Care act. It said that the state started working on it April 9th. There are many other states that have already registered people and are as of this moment receiving their $600! The 1099 people will be the last in the country to get their $thanks to incompetent Desantas and his administration! 😠
Gary
April 26, 2020 at 2:19 pm
Florida Unemployment Benefits (State & Federal CARES Act) Are Both A BIG Joke, For The Self Employed!!! News Articles Say Self Employed “CAN” Apply Via The Regular Connect Site. Yet, They Still Have No Way Established To Pay Self Employed People Whom Are ONLY Eligible For The Federal CARES Act $600.00 Weekly Benefits! Why???? Doesn’t Our Families Have To eat Too??? Why Are Our Applications Simply Being Set Aside??? I Myself, Am A 37 Years Straight, Self Employed Building Contractor In Florida. I Have ALWAYS Paid My Federal And Self Employment Taxes. It Took Me Seven Days Straight To Finally Complete The Online Unemployment Application. Due To the Totally Inadequate Website. I Also And Just As Back Up; Completed A Paper Application As Well. I Mailed The Paper Application To Tallahassee. Together With Clear, Color Copies Of My ID, SS Card, 2019 Federal Tax Returns, 2019 Bank Statements. After A Month Of Waiting. I Received A Letter Telling Me I Was “Denied”. Due To Me Not Working In Florida During 2019???? I Am A Single Father, Raising A Teenage Son Alone Since Birth. So Like Everyone Else; We Of Course Desperately Need This Income Right Now! Since We Can Not Work. (It’s Actually Even Against The Law!) What Are We Supposed To Do???? You Can Not Get Through On Their Website Or Telephone Line. I Started Calling Them At 07:30 A.M. I Have “352” Phone Calls Back To Back Redials In One Day Alone. Always The Same; The Computer Answers. And, Tells You To Please Call Back Later. And Hangs Up on You! What A Joke! Isn’t This Exactly What The Federal CARES Act Was Established For In The Unemployment Section? The Letter I Received From Florida Stating That I Was “Denied” Did Not Mention ANY Federal CARES Act $600 Weekly Benefits At All! Anybody Have Any Insight? Thanks And Stay Safe! Good Luck Everybody!
Gabriel O Vasallo
April 20, 2020 at 10:52 pm
Just got a check for $275, not sure why cuz i had put direct deposit when i was able to fill out application online early on. We’ll see what’s next!!
Lance
April 14, 2020 at 6:13 pm
I was told by a DEO Agent I was ineligible for Regular UI but would be under CARES ACT. The representative said they didn’t have a website set up to file for that benefit and she hasn’t been told anything on it. All she recommended was for me to keep going online to see if the DEO post instructions. What a mess!!
Valerie Sprieser
April 15, 2020 at 10:31 pm
They have posted on Fl.information that they just started working on the site April 9th!
Ben Bucknell
April 14, 2020 at 6:48 pm
After trying 6 plus hours over a day over 2 weeks I finally got my application entered, only for the website to tell me my identity could not be verified. I emailed my ss card and drivers license to the address indicated, and almost a month later, I still am not verified and have not recieved a penny. My family is running out of food and money. Desantis is a disgrace and the Connect website and phone system is a terribly bad joke.
Erica R Knight
April 14, 2020 at 10:39 pm
I truly agree. Who is this Desantis guy?
Ralph
April 16, 2020 at 10:32 am
The problem is you cannot get on the website so how will the feds know to send you the money the system is non functional I am due to claim weeks this week and cannot get on if it goes past the 23rd and you don’t claim you lose them????????
jewels
April 16, 2020 at 10:55 am
I’m having the same problem. I have until the 23rd to claim those weeks as well and my application is still processing even though it been almost a month.
John McCormick
April 17, 2020 at 10:02 pm
I have been trying to get thru on the phone since 3/19. I locked up my sign in and only way to fix is call them. I finally got thru today and I was told the system was down and they couldn’t help Met. Sigh. I finally printed out an application and sent it out 10 days ago. No way to check my status and I really need this money. I have a feeling that Florida is dragging their feet and doesn’t want to pay the unemployed . 30 days and no improvements with the system and we won’t likely get paid for all these days either. It’s a shame
Pati
April 17, 2020 at 7:33 pm
I’m in the same boat… this system is horrible
Victor Robinson
April 16, 2020 at 4:42 pm
Same here I even sent the governor an email, but just like his unemployment system NO ANSWER
David
April 24, 2020 at 3:40 pm
We ALL need to remember this when his election cycle comes around.
OUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD!!!
Rob Crawford
April 27, 2020 at 2:28 pm
Fuck DeSantis he is a bitch if I seen him in the street I would his ass because of him my family can’t eat of chi wouldn’t really kick his ass I would ask him if he wants his ass kicked fl style
Catherine
April 14, 2020 at 6:51 pm
Well, today was the first I have heard about the $600 coming as a hardcopy check in the mail.
I do not know where the Governor is where the call wait times for unemployment are quicker, because I try everyday dozens of times, as does my boyfriend who was laid off a day before me, and there is not even an option to choose to be on hold for hours on end, if one wanted too. Also the “call back” option has been unavailable since day one.
I have been unemployed since March 20th, finally got on the Reemployment site to apply for unemployment on the 23rd, and my claim is still pending for monetary status.
There is no information anywhere, trying to call is a joke, and when I try to email, I get an error message when I hit send.
Is there a place to look to see when or if we will be receiving the federal part of the money?
Am I still at the mercy of DEO to process my application before am eligible for the $600 or will that money simply be a “given” for those of us impacted by Covid-19.
To say Americans are frustrated is an understatement in the least.
Florida unemployment has been a total disaster for years, and shame on those who did not fix it then, and are scrambling unsuccessfully to fix it now.
Jim Loschiavo
April 14, 2020 at 7:14 pm
I have been trying since March 4th and mine says Still Pending. We need our money to get by until we can go back to work.
Terese C Avery
April 20, 2020 at 8:52 am
I have been out of work since March 24th and every time I get on the site, it says wage pending! I mean it’s been almost a month, how long does it take!??
drock
April 14, 2020 at 7:15 pm
Something seems off with what Governor is saying
The act in DC that allowed 600 a week was tied to your states unemployment system.
If you are not approved in your state how would fed gov know to send you paper check.
Kendra Gale
April 21, 2020 at 1:43 am
The governor is WRONG! It’s tied to unemployment because the state is receiving the money from federal for the 600. The regular unemployed needs to be added to this weekly and paid to all unemployed workers, whether hourly or 1099 SELF EMPLOYED etc. I can’t figure out how to tell him! I’ve been proclaimed ineligible. I am not! I’m 1099 and we get BOTH!!! No reason to set up another site.
Frankie M.
April 14, 2020 at 7:20 pm
Checks in the mail. No more questions.
Manny
April 15, 2020 at 1:53 am
You believe this?
Lupe
April 17, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Nope
Jay
April 14, 2020 at 8:03 pm
In the year 2020 you mean to tell us they are going to mail out 500k checks on a bi weekly basis ? That sound like your setting yourself up for failure and making it harder for us to get relief. Also Sounds a bit primitive, costly, timely, and sets up for Fraud in many levels.
I know other states get direct deposit of the 600.
Remember to vote !!!!
Deborah vandersande
April 14, 2020 at 9:00 pm
What is going on with unemployment? Nothing yet
Lynn
April 14, 2020 at 9:03 pm
Ken Lawson who is the executive director should either resign or be fired immediately. The site is worse now
than it was a month ago. As far as Ron DeSantis… I don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth!! He has no idea of what we are going through as I’m sure he hasn’t logged into that horrendous outdated site, he still has a job & collects a paycheck & his kids are not going hungry!!!
Crystal
April 14, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Under the Disaster Unemployment Insurance, all self employed people should be allowed unemployment benefits due to The Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster in Florida on 3/24/20. Why is this not being addressed in Florida?
“ Program
Description
The Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program provides unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed as a direct result of a Presidentially declared major disaster.
Program
Requirements
In order to qualify for this benefit your employment or self-employment must have been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States. You must have been determined not otherwise eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits (under any state or Federal law).
Payment will be made to an unemployed worker, who as a direct result of a Presidentially declared major disaster:
No longer has a job.
Is unable to reach their place of work.
Cannot work due to damage to the place of work.
Becomes the head of the household and is seeking work because former head of household died as a result of the disaster.
Cannot work because of a disaster-incurred injury.”
The DUA states you have to apply on your state’s individual unemployment site, yet all self-employed individuals are being denied benefits even though there’s been a Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster. Why?
Kendra Gale
April 21, 2020 at 1:47 am
Exactly!!! Something is wrong here in Florida and it needs corrected. I have screenshots of the actual CARES act section stating 1099 etc get BOTH. Very easy…add 600 to the regular weekly and direct deposit. I’m willing to help them do this…or understand it. I can only imagine how they plan to fix this once they realize they are wrong.
J Anderson
April 14, 2020 at 11:02 pm
The Fed Gov knew that dumping the task of stimulus distribution onto State unemployment agencies would result in long delays in paying out benefits, and it’s almost certain that many benefits will never be paid out. This allowed the Fed Gov to create the perception that they did something bold and beneficial for U.S. citizens, relieving themselves of the responsibility and dumping it on State agencies. The fact is, what the Fed Gov did will likely prove to be of little benefit, as by the time the benefits get paid out, it will be too late for most small businesses and households that hung on as long as they could, but the money didn’t come in time.
Millions of lives will suffer grave consequences and many will never recover. What many don’t understand or consider is the domino effect. Recovering or rebuilding from financial ruin requires far more than the sum of what was lost. Your credit rating will fall dramatically, which may disqualify you for housing, loans, etc., and if you are able to finance anything, you will pay more due to a bad credit rating. The last thing you need at that moment is an even higher cost than what you were paying before the crisis, and it may prevent you from being able to finance anything.
Every utility will be more difficult and expensive to turn back on. You may lose your phone number and need to contact everyone to let them know the new number when you eventually can afford phone service again. You may still be on the hook for any payments not made to entities (mortgage, phone, utilities, etc.), which may lead to lawsuits and garnished wages if/when/as soon as you’re earning again. You’ll likely acquire penalties and fees for non-payment to credit cards.
A particularly sinister hit is overdraft fees on your checking accounts. When you do get some money to deposit, those fees will be deducted right off the top. Again, the last thing you need in that moment. Banks are looking forward to that additional revenue that cost them nearly nothing to earn.
Those are just a few of many examples of what you will likely suffer in addition to the obvious individual financial hardships. Don’t blindly believe the message of optimism coming from the Fed and State reps. Getting your life back to financial zero or balance will require far more than the sum of what was lost, and some will never be able to recover even after years of focused effort and doing the right thing. For many, American life as they knew it will change for the worse and their quality of life will never return to what it was.
In 2020, considering the technology that’s available, there is absolutely no excuse for the inability of Fed and State Gov agencies to distribute funds. We put a rover on Mars, people. The problem is not the virus nor the volume to be distributed. The problem is that these agencies did not spend the money to keep their systems up to date and robust so that they could handle fluctuations or special conditions. After 30 years in IT, I assure you the capable technology is readily available. You, the citizens of your state, just aren’t important enough to be a high enough priority to spend the money on apparatus that serves you. It’s that simple. The level of incompetence of those elected into positions of power is stunning, especially against the backdrop of all the flag-waving and chest-beating about “American exceptionalism”. There is nothing exceptional about how the Fed and State Govs are handling the stimulus package – a critical determiner of whether businesses, families and individuals will or will not plunge into financial ruin.
It’s possible, or even likely, that much of the money sent from the Fed Gov to State employment agencies will never be paid out or distributed at all. What do you think will happen with all of that money? Will the Fed Gov ask for it to be paid back? Doubt it. The status of that leftover money will become ambiguous and fall into a grey area – the perfect status for theft to occur. It will stay with the State and almost certainly, ultimately, be allocated to other projects or end up in the pockets of politics, politicians, and/or further laundered through unknown individuals close to those who are in control of the money.
Keep in mind that there’s little incentive for the DEO to pay out all of the money, but a big incentive to retain as much as possible, claiming that you, for one bogus reason or another, didn’t qualify.
Keep that in mind every time your effort to complete the application, or progress through the myriad of incoherent, inconsistent pages to request a payout, is blunted for one reason or another, including kicking you out of the system after all the time spent to get that far into the process.
Keep that in mind when considering the lack of, conflicting, and inconsistent guidance and instruction among those pages. Some have attempted to get through the process by trying every possible combination of selections, just to test to see if it’s even possible. While some have reported success, most report that the process is packed with confusing, conflicting, ambiguous, inconsistent questions that require choosing answers that don’t apply to the applicant. This starts a domino affect and builds-in reasons to deny the applicant in later pages of the process, making it actually, factually, impossible to satisfy the process and receive any benefits.
Although completely justified, it’s doubtful that complaining on social media will be enough to change that outcome. Those in State Govs are counting on you to eventually tire, give up, and turn your attention to other things so they can quietly repurpose the money that is due to you, for their own self-interests. When Fed Gov officials are made aware of what’s going on, they simply deny it and boast about what a great job they’re doing, so don’t expect any help from them. They’ve washed their hands of it and just refer you back to the same entity that’s the source of the problem.
They’re all asking you/us to be patriots and stand strong, do the right thing, tough it out, and show what we’re made of. Maybe the same should be applied to how we respond to the unpatriotic, disgusting, shameful denial of benefits that were promised and due, but intentionally or recklessly or irresponsibly or unlawfully made impossible to collect.
If most of our protest is going to be through social media, at the very least, we need to quadruple the volume and focus it on those with their hands on the levers. Make it clear that we’re not letting up and not going away until every last dime that is due is paid out.
Let’s hope several law firms file a NOTICE OF CLAIM and pursue other legal remedies if all that is due is not paid out by the end of May.
———————————————-
Tort Actions Against State Officials.
In Tindal v. Wesley, the Court adopted the rule of United States v. Lee, a tort suit against federal officials, to permit a tort action against state officials to recover real property held by them and claimed by the state and to obtain damages for the period of withholding. The immunity of a state from suit has long been held not to extend to actions against state officials for damages arising out of willful and negligent disregard of state laws. The reach of the rule is evident in Scheuer v. Rhodes, in which the Court held that plaintiffs were not barred by the Eleventh Amendment or other immunity doctrines from suing the governor and other officials of a state alleging that they deprived plaintiffs of federal rights under color of state law and seeking damages, when it was clear that plaintiffs were seeking to impose individual and personal liability on the officials. There was no “executive immunity” from suit, the Court held; rather, the immunity of state officials is qualified and varies according to the scope of discretion and responsibilities of the particular office and the circumstances existing at the time the challenged action was taken.
Cassandra Caldwell
April 16, 2020 at 8:14 am
THIS!!!! Thank you for crafting such a profound response. I loved reading every word and I hope it goes viral. You are 200% correct on ALL of your points. YES! YES! YES!
vosche
April 18, 2020 at 10:23 pm
yes yes yes well said and absolutely correct on all discussion points. DeSatan sits up there on his chair saying “Fed relief funds MAY be retroactive as far back as March 29, 2020” when the Fed Gov statement says clearly “funds WILL BE retroactive to March 29, 2020.” i find that misquote to be very troubling when we know DeSatan has been actively kissing Trumpa Lumpa’s orange ass for a position only Trumpa Lumpa can decide on who fills it. sounds like theres a freudian slip here made because DeSatan is already in cahoots with Trumpa Lumpa to launder these delayed funds back to the evil orange man.
Lois Turco
April 14, 2020 at 11:19 pm
I WANT MONEY. MONEY I PAID INTO THE SYSTEM. SHUT UP ALREADY AND MAIL THOSE CHECKS. I VOTED FOR DESANTIS. NOW HE ACTS LIKE WE DONT MATTER. HE BE CRYING LATER.
arale norimaki
April 15, 2020 at 1:18 am
meanwhile in florida
despite the state temporarily waiving the
requirement to prove that an applicant is searching for a new job, the
website doesn’t allow you to skip that section without entering
information. Questions about being impacted by COVID-19 come at the end
of the online application, when they should come at the beginning,
Monte
April 15, 2020 at 8:57 am
Bring in the National Guard to help get through the backlog!
Nichole
April 15, 2020 at 10:23 am
This is outrageous. We are the only state doing paper checks and it’s going to take even longer. You’re screwing over your citizens. The people who voted and work and help run our state. I have 2 kids and I’m running out of everything! I’ve been waiting for UI for 4 weeks now and that extra money was to stay on top of bills. Now it’s going to take even longer!!! Florida was not prepared for this, but I’ll tell you what, our governor doesn’t seem like he’s putting the most efficient and beneficial plans in action. This is a ‘we’re getting to it when we can, shut up’ kind of thing …
Kyle
April 15, 2020 at 1:38 pm
remember to vote in the next election, get these people out if they cant do their jobs.
Jeannie
April 15, 2020 at 6:03 pm
my daughter in Florida has 2 children and she is seriously suicidal worrying about money. She applied for unemployment March 22 and has not received anything. Her unemployment claim still shows as pending. There is no place to call as you can’t get through. She has been on the phone trying to get through to UA on some days for over 8 hours! She is distraught as to how she will pay for her apt, food, utilities etc. I am seriously worried about her…..Please help her soon. If she just knew what the status of her claim was she would be calmer knowing it was in the works. Please help!!!
Pedro
April 15, 2020 at 8:36 pm
Just remember what administration is doing this to us. If you want improvement remember to vote Blue all the way. Its the only way we are going to get a government that cares about us the people.
Yoland
April 15, 2020 at 10:25 pm
I am still trying to get my account unlock. Called since march 30 every single day by the time it opens until it closes.the 800 204 2418 no one answers call.
Called authentication lines they ca’t help either and was told to call 1 8002042418. Sent emails to [email protected] copies of drivers license and social security number but no response. Whats next i dont know
Sonha Nguyen
April 16, 2020 at 9:36 am
After over 3 weeks of trying to call DEO to verify my identity for unemployment benefits at 800-204-2418 but not getting to talk with anyone still, I received an email from DEO that my 30-something emails to them at [email protected] finally worked. I submitted my social security card and driver’s license. I have been trying to call and have been emailing them since March 17th, the start of my unemployment. The DEO Connect website is down still and I still have not heard about when I will get my unemployment benefits. Now, I am to wait for how long ? And, how about the Federal unemployment checks ? how long are we suppose to wait for these ? Are we going to get these at all?
It is time for a change people … change.org … http://chng.it/tnXjn2yR
Matt B
April 16, 2020 at 5:16 pm
Why do they ask for direct deposit information if they are sending out checks?
I have been waiting for six weeks!
It’s pretty poor management.
Noel
April 16, 2020 at 6:02 pm
The federal government passed a law requiring extended benefits. All the cares act was focused on was getting money out fast. I’ll take a check. The media has to get more familiar with how much bull shit is going on and ask the right questions. This failure on our state government is colossal, I have never heard of a system that could not allow for admin rights. Slow is not the problem here folks, the problem is they are intentionally going slow.
Jeannie
April 16, 2020 at 8:25 pm
My daughter is suicidal worrying about paying her bills and taking care of her 2 boys. She has not received any money from unemployment in almost a month. She can’t even call someone to see if there is a problem. If anything happens to my daughter her blood is on your hands!
Ernest
April 17, 2020 at 8:56 am
What a total disaster! A DEO website that is totally useless, a DEO number to call, 1-800-204-2418, where for 2 weeks, calling a dozen + times a day, and never getting to talk to anyone. The state (DEO) should immediately arrange for the unemployed (in particular the self-employed,independent contractors, etc.), regardless of whether they qualify for State unemployment benefits to receive the $600 from the CARES Act under PUA; these are funds coming from the Federal Gov., not the State! The State should not decide if one gets the $600 or what amount of it an unemployed Floridian gets! I think DEO is intentionally deciding to find one “ineligible”, just to get rid of a person who needs help because the unprepared and inefficient system is being inundated with hundreds of thousands of applications.
sonha nguyen
April 17, 2020 at 11:07 am
http://chng.it/tnXjn2yR
please go to my change.org petition .. i have links to the governor and senators so everyone can email them. please sign my petition and post in your social medias. thank you. (also some useful info)
Jean
April 17, 2020 at 9:02 pm
the governor doesn’t even know how the unemployment payments are made! Duh they are not made via check they are direct deposit! Might want to read up a little of your unemployment system that is pretty much non-existent!
Tim
April 18, 2020 at 12:58 am
I havnt worked since March 20. I am self employed. I was just deemed ineligible. They offered no reason. I just now on this sight found out that I wont get anything from FL. Florida has no system to get me federal funds. Will they back pay funds or start from the time you get to file? When they do it will be a paper check. That will be slower. I cant make it another month. I havent even gotten the federal stimulus money. I pay taxes every year so Im not in the system and may have to wait for a paper check from the IRS. That could be up to two months out. OH my mortgage company said I can defer 3 mortgage payments but they will be due in full at the end of the 3 month forbearance period along with that current months payment. Sounds like we may have a lot of foreclosures on the horizon. Banks will look to steal your homes again just like 08. They get bailed out we loose everything.
Bill Baley
April 20, 2020 at 4:36 am
Remember to vote in November if you don’t or haven’t in past don’t complain ,Republicans have run are state in to the ground. When will people learn or even care. ,,Please vote
Kendra Gale
April 20, 2020 at 3:32 pm
I’m 1099 and just got denied after waiting a month!!! Now what??
J Anderson
April 21, 2020 at 1:23 pm
“The safety and security of the American people is my #1 priority”.
For decades we’ve heard that proclamation directly from the mouths of Presidents, Governors, Mayors, and others voted into positions of power whose salaries are paid by the citizens. They are correct. That is their #1 priority. Some of those same politicians and those who now occupy those positions have replaced that proclamation with, “No one expected this”. “No one saw this coming”. “Who would have ever thought this would happen”? “This is unheard of”. They are desperately hoping that the citizenry will find those to be acceptable excuses for why few of them, very few, prepared in any significant way for the possibility of a pandemic.
When the excuses first started to fly, it seemed in poor taste to be cracking jokes considering the carnage that was unfolding. Of course, they weren’t joking, but 320,000,000 Americans are now able to clearly see that those in office are a joke. Tens of thousands of Americans are now dead and the country is on the verge of a complete economic collapse because of their incompetence. If the economy collapses, the carnage that follows will make the current situation and inconveniences seem like paradise.
To be clear, I don’t affiliate with any political party because … dignity.
And anyway, there’s decades of blame to be cast for both parties with regard to the current scourge that could very well be the country’s death knell as a result of failing to prepare. Those in power are hoping you will register their excuses as acceptable.
Do you? Before you decide, read their excuses again, then click this link (that took less than 5 seconds to find) and read the first sentence above the first photo.
https://www.livescience.com/worst-epidemics-and-pandemics-in-history.html
Now read their excuses again. How ’bout now?
Let’s refresh on the context. We’re talking about the people that citizens elect, pay, and grant power to in exchange for ensuring the safety and security of the American people as their #1 priority. The longer they’ve been in power and have done little or nothing to prepare, the more culpable. They have access to nearly everything anyone could possibly need with regard to identifying the risks or potential risks to “the safety and security of the American people”, including the possibility of a pandemic. Challenged with the question of whether pandemics are a current and serious threat to American life, a fifth grader with an internet connection and an hour of web browsing could answer the question with the obvious “yes”. It’s a matter of when, not if, so count your intelligence insulted along with the tens of thousands dead and potential full collapse of the economy.
To accept their excuses, you have to believe that, over the past many decades, no one on the teams of best-in-the-world specialists, scientists, historians, etc., had any (or enough) concern about the potential of a pandemic, despite the population densities of cities all over the world where the majority of eight billion people live.
I’m confident that nearly everyone reading this, regardless of demographic, would quickly identify “pandemic” among the most urgent significant threats to “the safety and security of the American people” were they charged with the task.
Still not sure about the validity of their excuses? Does this help?
“No one expected this”. “No one saw this coming”. “Who would have ever thought this would happen”? “This is unheard of”.
Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic: 1793
Flu pandemic: 1889-1890
American polio epidemic: 1916
Spanish Flu: 1918-1920
Asian Flu: 1957-1958
AIDS pandemic and epidemic: 1981
H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic: 2009-2010
West African Ebola epidemic: 2014-2016
Zika Virus epidemic: 2015-present day
When further pressed, they qualify the excuses with, “This one is more contagious than those ones”. Oh, ok. Now I think I get it not at all.
Little to nothing was done to prepare for ANY type of pandemic, therefore/so/but/and considering that COVID-19 pandemic is more contagious than the pandemic that little or nothing was done to prepare for, little or nothing COULD be done to prepare for COVID-19 pandemic or for the pandemic that little to nothing was done to prepare for because this is unheard of and who would have ever thought this would happen?
No help. Nonsensical qualifiers for nonsensical excuses still resolve to unacceptable excuses. To be fair, their excuses would be valid if dinosaurs suddenly appeared after 65 million years. This isn’t that.
Simplified and summarized, politicians did not do what they were charged to do. The direct result is tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths from the virus; thousands or tens of thousands of deaths over the next few years as a direct result of the economic damage; hundreds of thousands or millions bankrupted and will never fully recover for the rest of their lives; and the real potential of a complete economic collapse that would likely end the most successful empire in the history of the world, its people the most innovative and generous to ever walk the face of the earth.
Hyperbole? Don’t think it could happen? Nor did the citizenry of every empire in history until the moment it did. Ironically, as their world was falling all around them, unsure of what to do or where to go, they wandered about repeating to themselves and others, “No one expected this”. “No one saw this coming”. “Who would have ever thought this would happen”? “This is unheard of”.
As for those who fail to fulfill their charge, most of them wealthy, the worst-case scenario is the loss of their position of power. Let that sink in for a minute. Where is the accountability commensurate with the magnitude of potential damage that may occur as the result of incompetence? If this degree of failure would result in a lengthy prison sentence, all of the Fed and State warehouses would have been overflowing with ventilators and PPE when this pandemic arrived, regardless of where it originated or how it traveled. Call it a hunch.
Wake up America!
Jean Newby
April 24, 2020 at 5:15 pm
How are we supposed to get federal money when you can’t even get the state unemployment money? I filed 4 weeks ago and have not received any money. I have 2 boys and the end of the month is coming! I am desperate. PLEASE help us!!
Gary Chambers
April 26, 2020 at 11:18 am
I received 1 540.00 check on the 17th. Then this week-NOTHING! No way to check on what happened. These checks should have tracking on them through USPS for just this reason. Was the check never sent out, diverted, etc.? And from what I understand, those of us who qualified for Florida Unemployment – I am still active and have 4 weeks left – should be paid the 540.00 checks from March 29th (retroactively) So that would mean the State Of Florida actually owes me 3 more checks! Another seeming screwup (or is it deliberate?) All these unemployment delays for all of struggling Floridians – I feel for all of you out there- and now this. What an inexcusable mess!!!!. This is verging on criminal negligence!
Robert Mullen
April 27, 2020 at 3:32 pm
We’re in the same boat as you. My wife was collecting unemployment benefits since February (which was a pain in the ass before Covid 19). She has 2 1/2 payments left. She received a hard copy check in the mail for $540 on April 17th. Nothing since. I really do think the state of Florida is making this as difficult as possible much like it was nearly impossible to apply originally in February. She STILL has to apply for 10 jobs bi-weekly when clearly there are no jobs to be had. When she runs out of benefits she will not be able to reaply for benefits since she was originally on the 12 weeks and you’re done plan. So now there will be no unemployment, no jobs available, and no money coming in for her. Luckily I still have my job. Trying to get through to speak with someone is an absolute joke which everyone already knows. This fiasco goes and started on Rick Scott’s watch. Now DeSantis is continuing and piling on the taxpayers of Florida. I voted for both of them as did my wife. I can GUARANTEE YOU they WILL NOT be getting our vote this November!! I especially feel for those who have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with this post Covid 19. But believe me when I tell you, this system was broke for YEARS. I remember telling my wife in February that no wonder the unemployment rate is so low in Florida. They make it frickin damn near impossible to apply when the system “ALLEGEDLY” worked. God bless those dealing with this inept system and I truly hope that you are able to find a way until all of this is over. PS. SCREW YOU RICK SCOTT AND SCREW YOU RON DESANTIS!!
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