Florida ranks near last at making timely unemployment payments, Labor Dept. says

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida ranks near last in its ability to quickly pay unemployment claims, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Millions of people who were thrust into Florida’s unemployment system at the height of the pandemic are still there.

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Unemployed worker Ariel Austin is one of them. “I have been waiting since August,” Austin says.

For three months, Austin has watched bills pile up, with no money coming in, and no answers from the state.

“What I have been told is the account has been placed on hold...It’s just been nothing since then.”

Unemployed Floridian Brenaudra Wilson says she’s also trying to figure out what’s holding up her account.

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“I have done everything on my end only to have been told it’s a waiting game, we don’t know,” Wilson says.

Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani notes that while the number of people on unemployment has fallen, the core problems with paying accounts on time- or even answering questions about why they’re frozen- remain.

“It is still really, really challenging right now,” Eskamani says.

In fact, according to the Labor Department, Florida is next to last in its ability to pay claims within three weeks. Only Hawaii does a worse job.

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“The claims we’re getting are people in very desperate situations...they’re waiting for back payment. Without that money, they’re going to lose their car, lose their home,” Eskamani says.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has requested millions of dollars to address some of the problems, but it could take months or longer for significant changes to be implemented.

Cox Media Group