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With A Dysfunctional Website In Shambles, Florida Releases Paper Unemployment Applications
April 5, 2020
Floridians frustrated with trying to file for unemployment on the state’s broken website now have the option of downloading and filing a paper form.
There is the catch that “paper applications could potentially take longer to process than completing an online application,” the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) says on the state’s unemployment site. But a large number of NorthEscambia.com readers have told us they have spent day after day trying to file the online application only to receive error messages. Local residents have also reported that they have spend hours on hold after calling the state’s call center.
The DEO quietly posted the forms late Friday, but did not send out a press release to notify the media.
The website is in shambles after being overwhelmed by applicants suddenly out of a job due to the coronavirus. There were 152,687 new initial unemployment benefit applications just last week, far exceeding the previous record of a little over 40,000 in 2009. It’s not known how many people tried and failed last week.
The state made the move to an online system until October 2013. There are members of the state legislature calling for investigations into the failures of the $77 million website.
“77 million? Someone should go to jail over that,” tweeted Sen Joe Gruters.
The applications can be downloaded in English, Spanish or Creole by clicking here. The complete forms are mailed to:
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
P.O. Box 5350
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350
Gov. Ron DeSantis is sending workers from other state agencies to the DEO to help process unemployment applications. He has also waive a 2011 law that requires applications to be filed online.
“I think this requires all hands on deck,” DeSantis said. “We have a lot of state government functions that are generally important but just not as important right now given what we’re dealing with.”
Comments
14 Responses to “With A Dysfunctional Website In Shambles, Florida Releases Paper Unemployment Applications”
I have filed since March 29 and have not received no benefits my account says active and been for weeks been calling and nothing, at this point I’m lost and don’t know what to do struggling need financial help !!!
After weeks of failed attempts with the on line application, I mailed in a paper application the first day they became available. How can the status of a paper,mailed in application be checked?
I am an existing claimant from last year. My funds have been exhausted but I am still in the base period for that claim. I was laid off due to the COVID-19. I can sometimes sign on to my account, but there is not place to file. I cannot file a new claim because it clearly says if you have never filed in the State of Florida click here. I have filed in the State of Forida but cannot seem to claim on my page. It says July will be the next time to file but this is N EMERGENCY
It took me over 20 hours to get both my husband and I’s applications to be submitted. This was over 3 weeks ago now. They both are in pending status as many others are. I found it was better to try to submit later in the evening like after midnight and it is suggested that you use Internet Explorer. I too am curious if and when the applications submitted will be approved or if a paper application is needed now. I hope that the governor gets this worked out fast and people can start receiving the assistance we all need right now. On top of losing jobs and earnings, this now affects not having medical insurance, as now unemployed, my benefits have stopped. How much longer do we need to suffer and stress when so much is happening all around? Stay strong and know you’re not alone.
Have filed online n it says it is pending n being processed. I have already claimed my first two weeks so how much longer or do I need to fill out a few paper application.
Once I was laid off due to the pandemic, I immediately tried to apply for assistance. The website failed to process my application. I managed to begin the application and recieved my login and created my password but the site would not allow me to add the rest of my information. It stopped there. So, I will not receive any help until this issue is resolved. I realize this influx of unemployed probably crashed the site or something. I don’t believe anyone should go to jail for this but it needs to be fixed immediately. There are people who need to buy groceries and pay their utilities. This pandemic is the first of its kind in a hundred years. So no one was expecting this or prepared for it. Now is the time to respond and fix the issue. I think a paper application is redundant unless they’re not expecting the website to be back up anytime soon.
My question is. If you’ve already filed online and it says it’s processing do you still need to get the paper and reapply with the paper application?
The site was designed poorly to keep people from claiming unemployment, thus keeping unemployment rates and benefits down. Thank your republican leadership for that.
I put in my application on Monday. My status shows pending. So is my application actually in process or do I need to resubmit the application?
The government is so inept that they have to revert back to pre internet days of pencil and paper bc their 77 million dollar website doesn’t work. And some people are IN FAVOR of government run healthcare. Sheesh.
Typical gov”t agency. Wait until it causes mass confusion and inconveniences millions before trying to fix a problem that they know needs attention. And yet they are never held accountable or punished…:(
When you understand that Rick Scott’s “upgrade” of Florida’s online unemployment registration system was designed to make it harder to apply for benefits in order to keep down the number of people applying for unemployment benefits (which are reported to the media) thereby lowering the tax liability for his political donors. you’ll understand that the system is working as intended. If you are unaware, Florida already has among the lowest unemployment benefits in the nation, maxing out at $275.00 a week. That’s equivalent to $14,300 a year. Only Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi provide less.
It took me and a friend of mine 3, 8 hours days to finally get the unemployment form done. We couldn’t call phone kept getting hung up on us, when we got thru and we never did talk to anyone. This system has been messed up since 2014 and now the government wants to try and fix it.????????????????
Don’t have PC , phone , or printer , have email – using non-upgradeable web browser to access , hopefully can find sample of an uploaded application ? Luckily was able to find address to mail information to .