Only 33,623 of the estimated 850,000 applications have been processed by Florida’s besieged state unemployment system since the coronavirus outbreak hit.
The Orlando Sentinel attributed the information to Management Services Director Jonathan Satter, who was put in charge of the unemployment system by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday.
The Florida online system has been overwhelmed by those applying for benefits since the virus outbreak hit. People have complained they were unable to apply because of problems with the state website.
The Sentinel noted that despite 100 new computer servers and 1,000 state workers shifted over to help move unemployment claims along, only 4% have been processed.
In an effort to speed up the system, DeSantis has waived the requirement that people who filed for unemployment must recertify every two weeks, according to the newspaper.
“I needed to do an executive order because the Labor Department has said, ‘this can be waived,’” DeSantis said. “The agency didn’t do it. So I had to force their hand to do it. And I think that that’ll make things move a little bit smoother.”
So far, the state has made 121,102 payments to Floridians in unemployment assistance totaling nearly $50 million, DeSantis said. The number includes the 33,623 individuals who applied for reemployment of benefits “after this economic upheaval in the middle of March.”
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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