Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is facing heightened criticism and pressure over the state’s stalled unemployment system.
Florida lawmakers have penned a letter to DeSantis pressing him to provide frustrated residents with a timeline on unemployment benefits.
“Bills have a timeline. Therefore people’s unemployment benefits need to have a timeline. People need to organize their finances. They have obligations; families to support,” Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fl.) said. “They need to know when this help is coming in.”
Echoing similar concerns, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fl.) also used her platform to urge DeSantis to expand unemployment amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“The governor should immediately use his power to increase Florida’s pathetic $275/week unemployment assistance and increase the amount of time that it’s available,” she tweeted.
The governor should immediately use his power to increase Florida’s pathetic $275/week unemployment assistance and increase the amount of time that it’s available.
— Former Congresswoman Val Demings (@RepValDemings) April 20, 2020
A Florida-based Democratic consultant also noted DeSantis’ limited knowledge and the state’s handling of unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak.
Last week, the governor admitted he still had not received unemployment figures from the state department.
More than half a million Floridians have filed for unemployment since 3/15 — and the Governor of Florida has no idea how many claims have been processed & paid.
— Kevin Cate (@KevinCate) April 15, 2020
"So we have processed… um… so, I don't have exactly that number… I ask for the numbers every morning, and um…" pic.twitter.com/khvq96EpKt
The latest criticism comes amid the launch of Florida’s new data tracking website which offers a breakdown of the state’s unemployment statistics. The state’s coronavirus shutdown — which began on March 17 — has resulted in unemployment for more than 1.5 million residents.
However, according to The Hill, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s new unemployment tracking website indicated that only a small fraction of the claims have been paid out— 40,193 to be exact.
According to the site, 652,191 unique applications were submitted for claims and 162,039 have been processed.
Of the 162,039 processed, a total of 41,573 applicants were deemed ineligible for unemployment benefits.
While Florida residents have reportedly received an estimated $60 million collectively, the Miami Herald noted that only $14.3 million of that amount is from federal funds.
The state is also being criticized for its slow action to dole out the federal government unemployment benefit which would give claimants an additional $600-per-week.
Washington Post White House economics reporter Jerry Stein has also expressed concern about the unemployment problems plaguing the United States while noting the severity of the situation in Florida.
The meltdown of state unemployment systems must be remembered as one of the greatest tragedies in this whole crisis. Florida is extreme, but over & over we hear about ppl nationwide desperately struggling to get through jammed phone-lines; broken websites; overwhelmed offices… https://t.co/tl8J1SL9D8
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) April 21, 2020
Amid unemployment confusion, DeSantis tapped Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter to oversee unemployment. Satter insists his number one goal is to make sure residents “get paid, quickly.”
“This will start with complete transparency, efficiently streamlining the reemployment assistance process, waiving all red tape and ensuring hurting Florida families have the aid they need to get through COVID-19,” he said.