Florida Unemployment News Roundup (2021)
We have aggregated highlights of Florida Unemployment News – bringing you updates to essential reports and analysis on a single page, so you can stay informed on what’s happening regarding Florida Unemployment Benefits. We cover Unemployment benefit changes, pandemic benefit extensions, updates on waivers, Florida Unemployment eligibility changes, lawsuits, DEO website issues, Way2Go debit card problems, and more.
You will find below highlights taken from each story, the date of the story, and a link below to the complete story if you want to read more.
If you want to suggest a story for us to include in this feed, let us know in the comments section below.
Florida Judge Backs Gov. DeSantis On Federal Unemployment Money
Highlights
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A Leon County circuit judge has upheld a decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to cut off federal unemployment money for tens of thousands of Floridians in June, rejecting arguments that the move violated state law.
…..
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 10 people who lost jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged that the federal payments should have been allowed to continue until September 6, when Congress has scheduled the FPUC program to end.
Also, the lawsuit sought retroactive payments for unemployed people to June 26, when the federal program stopped in Florida.
…..
Smith also wrote that issuing a temporary injunction would have little effect at this point, with the federal program ending on Labor Day, and that it was unclear whether retroactive payments would be possible.
September 1, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Florida judge considers plea to restore federal unemployment benefits
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (SPECTRUM NEWS) – A Leon County judge is expected to decide by Friday whether he has the authority to order the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to restore extended federal unemployment benefits.
Florida is one of 26 states that cut off the $300 weekly extended federal unemployment payments as part of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC). Two other federal programs remain in effect until Sept. 4.
A half dozen individuals represented in the lawsuit filed against the state testified Wednesday.
Only two of the individuals who testified have found a new job since the lawsuit was filed, after all told the court they were laid off in 2020 due to the pandemic.
August 25, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
In Florida, DeSantis cut jobless aid just as virus began terrifying new wave
DAVENPORT, Fla (Washington Post) – By June, Meli Feliciano’s family appeared to have finally found a measure of stability after being jolted by the economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
Her husband had secured a good job in construction, and she was receiving hundreds of dollars in weekly federal and state unemployment aid, giving her some breathing room while she submitted job applications each week.
She kept records of it all in a pink binder that her daughter had once used in kindergarten.
That’s when calamity struck.
Her husband fell ill, temporarily wiping out his income. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) slashed her jobless aid by more than half to $197 per week, arguing that the federal boost to unemployment insurance was keeping people like Feliciano from getting back to work.
The bill for her daughter’s college tuition and textbooks is due soon, nearly $1,000 that the family doesn’t have. And just as her husband was cleared to go back to work in August, her stepson Julian tested positive for the coronavirus, requiring the household to isolate for two weeks.
August 22, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Security breach impacts Florida’s unemployment site, causing headaches for users
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla (Local10.com) – A security breach has impacted Florida’s unemployment site, leading officials to lock accounts and ask users to reset their pins.
Thousands of Floridians have had trouble accessing their accounts, which has meant in many cases, they did not receive their unemployment checks.
That is the case for Javier Pereles. He said he has been unable to get any unemployment benefits for the last month, because he has been locked out of his account.
“I’ve lost hope in the system actually, it seems disappointing I don’t know what else to think. I’ve been blowing through my savings and paying bills with credit cards,” said Pereles.
August 13, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity PIN reset fixes one problem but new issue arises
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Clickorlando.com) – The now infamous Florida Department of Economic Opportunity PIN reset debacle was successfully addressed and updated this week; however, the software remedy saw thousands of people still unable to apply for weekly benefits because their state unemployment accounts were locked and, in some cases, their identifications needed to be verified again.
More than 6,000 and emails to News 6 complained of the DEO system’s roadblock to weekly Connect accounts — even after their Personal Identification Number (PIN) were reset and the accounts opened.
The DEO estimates that roughly 150,000 claimants were caught in the force reset strategy aimed to counter cyberthieves.
A spokesperson with the DEO said that 70% of the applications for state unemployment benefits filed last month were actually filed by imposters.
The DEO was able to intercept and stop the applications but the attempts never stop.
August 13, 2021 – Click here to read the full story.
Florida Unemployment News Summary
We hope this post on Florida Unemployment News was helpful.
Still Have Questions?
To go to the main Florida Unemployment Benefits page, click here: Florida Unemployment.
For a detailed guide to Florida Unemployment, click here: Florida Unemployment Benefits.
To see the detailed Florida Unemployment FAQ Page, click here: Florida Unemployment FAQ.
To login to your CONNECT account and view your benefits, click here: Florida Unemployment CONNECT Website login.
If you need to contact Florida Unemployment Customer Service, click here: Florida Unemployment Customer Service Live Person.
If you have further questions about Florida Unemployment, Unemployment Benefits, or Unemployment Debit Cards, you can fill out the comment form below and we will answer your question ASAP.
Be sure to check out our other articles on Unemployment Benefits, including:
Whether Unemployment Benefits are Taxable
List of States Extending Unemployment Benefits
Massachusetts DUA Unemployment Debit Card
How to file for Unemployment (in all 50 States)
Unemployment office Phone Number (All 50 States)