Partial payments and denied claims continue to plague Florida’s unemployment system

Almost two month after the layoffs began, and with parts of the state reopening, just under half of Florida’s unemployment claimants have been paid.

“We are sort of going backwards where claims are out-pacing payments,” says Sen Jason Pizzo (D – Miami).

Sen Pizzo is in Tallahassee. He left his office in Miami a few weeks ago to go to the state capitol in order to take concerns directly to the Governor and the Department of Economic Opportunity.

“We’re up here because like 159 other legislators we’re getting calls and emails and trying to get some movement for constituents, just thought it would be a lot more effective to be in people’s faces,” says Pizzo. “I would tell you objectively being here, being in their face is a lot more effective.”

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But as state lawmakers push for answers for constituents, the reality of the situation remains: as of May 11 only 48.2% of claims have been paid. Complicating matters, some workers who have been paid are discovering the wrong amounts or missing weeks

“They (DEO) made a payment today that covered three weeks,” wrote one out of work Sea World employee in an email to Nine Investigates. “My weekly is $113 and today they deposited $339 as one payment which means one payment of the $600.”

Because the federal unemployment is distributed through the state Florida’s failure to pay back weeks, or paying a single lump sum for previous weeks means the $600 in federal assistance doesn’t arrive as it should.

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“I asked the director about that,” says Pizzo who has fielded calls from people now wondering how to manage a claim that is paying out incorrect amounts.

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