Just 40,193 Floridians who have filed for unemployment since March 15 have received their benefits, according to a new website the state launched Monday.
That’s less than 3% of the more than 1.5 million claims filed since mid-March when the state saw a record surge in people thrown out of work because of the novel coronavirus.
The new site, which is expected to be updated daily, provides the first look at the scope of the state’s unemployment crisis and the workload faced by the Department of Economic Opportunity, the agency tasked with processing claims:
- Of the more than 1.5 million claims, just 162,039 have been processed by the state to determine if the person is eligible for unemployment.
- Of the 162,039 claims, 41,573 — about one in four — were found ineligible for assistance.
- Nearly $60 million has been paid to 40,193 Floridians, but the state has been slow to pay out the $600-per-week federal unemployment benefits. Of the $60 million, just $14.3 million is federal help.
Since Florida’s unemployment crisis began more than a month ago, state officials have been virtually silent about how many claims have been filed, processed and paid. Officials have failed to provide details or respond to questions from reporters and lawmakers. – READ MORE
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