ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando subcontractor has asked a federal judge to intervene and help him get 11 weeks worth of unpaid federal unemployment benefits.
Adam Sagers said he has been out of work since March 17, and he was approved for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
PUA allows an unemployed contractor or a person who is self-employed $600 per week in unemployment benefits.
Nine weeks after filing, he said he has yet to see any of the money.
"I don’t know how many people out there that has not been paid one red cent like myself. Not a penny," he said.
Sagers filed a federal action in Orlando on Monday asking a judge to intervene and help him get 11 weeks of unpaid assistance totaling $6,600.
He's not asking for any damages to be paid.
"It’s not that much money, but God bless it, it would sure help right now," he said.
According to the DEO unemployment portal, the agency has approved 199,830 Florida residents to receive PUA benefits, totaling $115.4 million, but it appears Sagers may not be the only person not being paid.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, sent out a tweet on Wednesday, asking for people who have not received their $600 federal payment.
She said within nine hours, she received 8,500 responses.
"At this point, the only thing I can do is hope that they pay me," Sagers said. "I’m waiting for word from the federal court."
News 6 contacted the DEO and supplied them with Sagers' information, so they could investigate what was happening to his payments.
They were still investigating on Wednesday.
In the meantime, Sagers is waiting to see what a federal judge will decide.