Senators push for changes to state’s unemployment system

Two months after layoffs started, only about half of the people who have filed for unemployment have been paid.

Millions of dollars was used to hire call center employees after the previous system at the state was overrun with applications and phone calls that nobody was answering.

Callers said when they do get a person, they’re told nobody can help them.

Call takers said that they have no authority to do anything to get a person’s claim filed.

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Sen. Linda Stewart said her office gets 300 emails a day and a dozen calls an hour just about unemployment claims not paid out.

Outside vendors were used to hire people, and many of them were out of state.

Stewart said she plans to drive to Tallahassee to meet with officials on Wednesday.

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“As far as humans answering the phone, they just want their money," Stewart said. “They don’t want someone just answering the one.”

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