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Bill Would Allow For Unemployment Cops To Pursue Benefit Violators
December 28, 2015
Two Central Florida lawmakers havey filed bills that seek to crack down on fraud in the unemployment system, including by allowing the state Department of Economic Opportunity to employ law-enforcement officers.
The bills (HB 1017 and SB 1216), filed by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud, and Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, are filed for the legislative session that starts January 12.
In part, they would allow the Department of Economic Opportunities’ Division of Workforce Services to employ certified law-enforcement officers whose primary duties would be to investigate and enforce laws related to the unemployment system. The bills also would toughen penalties for people who fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits.
They would be disqualified from receiving benefits for five years after a first fraud-related incident, 10 years after a second incident and would receive a lifetime ban after a third incident, according to the bills.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
15 Responses to “Bill Would Allow For Unemployment Cops To Pursue Benefit Violators”
The reason FL needs officers is because it is the epicenter of Unemployment fraud in the USA. They aren’t concerned with some guy who fails to report the earnings on his first paycheck and gets an extra week. They are hunting down the organized crime syndicates that steal thousands of identities, set up fictitious employer accounts and bilk the system of millions of dollars that go to support crime and criminals. Your average state worker that investigates fraud is not equipped to deal with organized crime. Remember the poor guy who got shot in the front yard while trying to investigate unemployment fraud? They are asking for officers for a reason. These are ruthless and dangerous criminals, not your average Joe and Jill public. Stealing from the government has become the business of gangs from both inside and outside our borders. It needs to be stopped to save the trust fund that pays for the benefits of the people who really need it.
They need to make unemployment a pain in the neck to draw from, and that will discourage people from abusing it, the younger and physically capable you are make harder to earn, if your 50+ years of age make it less demanding and gruelling,
And now I want to comment about you entitlement folks, the free ride will soon end. And only those who are wise with their money and diligent with what the Lord has given them will prosper in a time of hunger and famine ,but the foolish that has not kept is house in order will be brought to hunger!
LSmith,
Wow, if they are approved, they get a (max) of $275 per week. Thats having a full time job for a year or more making $25k per year or higher. I doubt your former employees fit that bill in the 22nd most expensive state to live in.
Comparably, North Carolina, the 26th most expensive state to live, pays a max of $350, also commensurate with an applicants income.
I can think of MANY more wasteful expenditures by government.
Ie; $500 million on 16 jets for the Afghanistan Air Force literally scrapped for .06 per lb (a whopping $32k). So our govt essentially threw $499,968,000 in the garbage. If I kept going, there wouldn’t be enough space on the northescambia page. So not certain of your gripe. Do you need a shoulder to cry on ? If not, find something substantial to complain about and call your congressman.
Are you kidding me! I am a manager for a corporate restaurant and have approximately 55 employees. They come and go. I’m sorry to say the majority of them Need to Go! They do not deserve unemployment benefits as they did not earn employment! But they get it consistently because our unemployment dept is a joke!
I have been in and out of the workforce 37 years and Never filed for unemployment EVER! I didn’t have a job ,I went out and found another one! I have seen employees quit their job to persue another one , their new job didn’t work out and file on their previous employer and get it! Are you kidding me! I have to pay for your piss poor choice! Let me restate You and I ultimately pay! We don’t need a police force to look for fraudulent claims. We need to revamp criteria on how it’s earned!
Employers who lie to steal deserved benefits from an employee they don’t like and fire for no reason are a fraud also. I watched as a employer lied about firing an employee it was because she didn’t think she was fancy enough, so she fired her and lied in the hearing, lied about the entire incident. That person lost their job, their unemployment benefits and became homeless. That is the elaboration I am speaking of and believe me it happens a lot. How the hell anyone could get unemployment benefits without having worked, or having done something wrong is absolute bull. You people are so nasty, you are disgusting.
Obviously those claiming their tax dollars are being stolen and/or protected are clueless. Its sometimes is simply unbelievable how the lemmings keep following Florida’s so-called leaders over the cliff. ONLY in FloriDUH where feckless leaders decide to police a system which is literally inaccessible to individuals who rightfully are seeking to claim their unemployment benefits. READ: 22Sep2015 Sun Sentinel article titled: Florida’s unemployment benefits ‘virtually inaccessible,’ study finds.
Louise– that’s a popular idea, but NEVER going to happen. Our leaders know fraud is happening but they look the other way so that the integrity of their agenda remains intact. They want people to be dependent upon the government. They actually want more people to become dependent upon more and more services. Isn’t that the only explanation for why nothing is done ? I heard of a guy who works and has a wife who works and two children. Although making $50-60k together, they both get food stamps by saying their homeless and jobless. Sick right ?
The only explanation is that our leaders do this so people know which side their bread is buttered when REX 84 is implemented.
Look it up. Also look at Army Techniques Publication 3-39.33 (Civil Disturbances) or FM 3-39.40 (Internment and Resettlement Operations). Took me a while to even consider it yet with the way things are, there is definitely a hidden agenda. Got tired of being spoon fed by media. It doesn’t mean the freeloaders aren’t lazy do nothings piggybacking on you and I. Just pointing out the obvious “hidden in plain sight”.
That’s great! I hope they pass and are actually enforced. What about doing the same thing for welfare fraud, medicare fraud, etc? I am so fed up with my hard earned taxes going to benefit the scum-sucking nare-do-wells that would die a thousand times over before ever thinking about getting a – JOB!! I am 100% behind those previously mentioned benefits going to people who honestly – and I repeat honestly- deserve them (such as the elderly, the infirmed, disabled, etc.). THey are the ones these programs were intended for NOT some lazy do-nothing that just wants to suck off of society.
Only the truly desperate are willing to jump thru the hoops required for those unemployment pennies. If you think THAT’S expensive, wait till you start financing yet another police department to “discourage” would-be filers.
Do not worry, the Democrats will not let these bills go anywhere.
They do not want to lose any of their voters.
Kate, your comment makes no sense. Would you please elaborate on your premise?
This is a story about people stealing from me and you, but you go off talking about republicans and big business. Do you work? Do you pay taxes? IF you do, then you should applaud this effort.
If you do work, is your boss a poor man? Is he on entitlements? Probably not.
I’m curious, are unemployment benefits paid by taxpayer dollars?
I have a job but also own a small business and pay for unemployment insurance. So if it’s paid from taxpayer dollars why do I pay for the insurance ?
Yeah, because the businesses totally aren’t stealing money from the taxpayers and lining CEO’s pockets.
Really Kate ? You don’t have a problem with people stealing from taxpayers? The tone in your post seems only businesses are to blame . But then again I understand where you are coming from being a taker and not a giver .
Notice Republicans do nothing about employers who defraud employees of benefits by lies and manipulation. Who are they for BIG BUSINESS, but you keep electing them!!