When Julie Meier and her husband Mike left their home in Florida after selling their 7-year-old custom boat canvas and flooring business in 2020, they never imagined they would be caught between two unemployment systems for the next two years.
The state Department of Economic Opportunity reported Monday that Florida’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.8 percent in January, down 0.3 percentage points from a revised December rate. AdFlorida initially reported its December unemployment rate at 6.1 percent, but that number was subsequently revised to 5.1 percent. “But towards the end of the year and continuing in January, we’ve seen people coming back into the labor force. The Jacksonville metropolitan area was at 4.4 percent, and the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area was at 4.6 percent. The statewide 4.8 percent unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted, while the local rates are not.
The Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force has launched a one-stop connection to the Federal Trade Commission, Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor to provide victims with quick access to resources needed to file an unemployment fraud report in all 50 states.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Cyber thieves are using 3D masks in their latest attempt to access billions in state and federal unemployment benefits. Blake Hall, CEO of ID.me, an identity verification company, told News 6 the masks are being used in roughly 2% of the new jobless applications across the country. “In our system, you actually have to have a phone that ties you to your identity in your records,” Hall said. “On that control alone we are stopping 20% of fraud.”Hall said the thieves are using innovative techniques to crack state unemployment systems because the financial return is so lucrative. Ron DeSantis acknowledged the cyber-attacks targeting the state’s unemployment system calling them relentless, adding the current Connect system needs to be fixed.
Weekly jobless claims decline, but unemployment remains high The Labor Department reports 730,000 Americans filed new unemployment claims for the week ending February 20. That's down 111,000 from the previous week's numbers. David Bahnsen, chief investment officer at the Bahnsen Group, joins CBSN to discuss what the latest numbers mean for the state of the economy.
cbsnews.comNews 6 confirmed every person from that list of 22 people who applied for unemployment benefits with the Department of Economic Opportunity never worked for the company. Ad“I know that there are people out there hurting and they need unemployment (benefits)” she said. News 6 alerted the DEO’s fraud division and provided all 22 names and social security numbers listed on the claims. The Secret Service is convinced additional companies across the state are being targeted. The forms will reflect taxable unemployment benefits paid to someone using your name and social security number.
When the Department of Economic Opportunity asked Cherryl Faye to return the $3,300 unemployment benefits she received last year she said she started to panic. AdIn a second letter written in August the DEO presented a different monetary summary that showed Faye earned no wages in 2019. Despite the conclusion, Faye was told she would still have to appeal the decision to avoid going to court or collections. A few days later, Faye was contacted by a DEO employee who helped her apply for PEUC benefits. News 6 and the DEO found she is eligible for 18 weeks of state unemployment benefits she never collected.
The Labor Department said Thursday, Dec. 10, that the number of applications increased from 716,000 the previous week. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s unemployment rate dipped slightly in December, but is still far above the unemployment rate from a year ago, according to figures released by the state on Friday. Last month's unemployment rate was 6.1%, up 3.2 percentage points from December 2019. St. Johns and Wakulla counties had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.6% followed by Monroe County at 3.8%. Osceola County had the highest unemployment rate at 8.7%, followed by Miami-Dade County at 7.3% and Orange and Putnam Counties at 7.2%.
BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Denisse Higgins-Tuffley says her business as a courtroom analyst for insurance defense cases went from flourishing to flat when COVID-19 forced courts to shut down last year. When her business came to a halt, she told News 6 she applied for unemployment benefits, complete with 1099 tax forms. “I have a spreadsheet and it looks like they owe me $14,000,” the frustrated courtroom analyst said. She told News 6 the DEO needs a separate website to accommodate self-employed workers who find themselves out of work and in need of weekly benefits. The DEO is usually able to update accounts presented by News 6 in five business days.
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Bonnie Nasset, 70, of Winter Park, had been waiting for jobless benefits since July despite being told her Department of Economic Opportunity unemployment account was active and eligible. “They’re ignoring me!”The semi-retired gig worker was taking temporary jobs in Orange County for Kelly Services in 2019 and the start of 2020. | Fifth-largest lotto jackpot up for grabs]However, in the middle of March 2020, the job opportunities stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everything (on the DEO account) says ‘hold, hold, hold.’”Nasset said she refused to give up and turned to News 6 as her last hope. This would never have happened w/o your effort.”If you have an unemployment issue email: makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or mholfeld@wkmg.com
Congress passed the long-sought $900 billion COVID-19 relief package this week, teeing it up for action by Trump. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor on Wednesday estimated that another 24,000 first-time jobless claims were filed in Florida last week, close to the state average for more than a month. DeSantis said it could take weeks for the state to fully grasp all of the Florida-related benefits in the package. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Labor estimated that 24,092 claims were made in Florida the week ending Dec. 19. However, the federal agency initially put the state’s new claims for the week of Dec. 12 at 21,780.
“But now I’m in some kind of technical error loop.”Jernigan was furloughed from her transport coordinator position with Lux2 Transfer in Merritt Island in March but was unable to receive unemployment benefits until June. “We have sent Ms. Jernigan’s information to our Reemployment Assistance team so that they can take a look into her account,” Landrum said. Landrum said each new quarter provides the “opportunity to reapply for benefits” on a quarterly basis, following federal guidance. [MAKE ENDS MEET: News 6 debuts initiative to provide budget guidance for viewers]According to Landrum, the DEO must determine if individuals who are currently receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) are ineligible for state Reemployment Assistance benefits. If you have an unemployment benefits issue, email News 6 investigator Mike Holfeld at makeendsmeet@wkmg.com.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County has the third-highest unemployment rate in Florida behind Osceola and Miami-Dade, according to CareerSource of Central Florida. In Orange County, the unemployment rate was at 8% in October, according to an Orlando Economic Partnership study. To qualify you must be an Orange County resident over 18 years old with proof you lost your job or hours due to the pandemic. Meaning those free resources available right now to help land you a job are only available for three more weeks. At the Orange County Convention Center 88 students were enrolled so far in programs like Commercial Truck Driving, IT Networking and Clinical Medical Assisting.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Stephan Golub never imagined a job application with the Census Bureau would leave him ineligible for unemployment assistance from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for 11 weeks. He applied for the position to earn extra money but because of COVID-19 the hiring process was frozen until August. “I was on their [Census Bureau] files to work for them but never did,” Golub said. Golub presented Census Bureau records that confirm he was deemed ineligible for the job because his residency had changed from Orange to Seminole County. The agency had Golub listed as “returned to work” leaving his current unemployment benefits claim of 11 weeks or $1,500 in payments on hold.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Casey Thorner operated a prosperous home cleaning service in Marion County until COVID-19 created a wave of cancellations and forced her to file for unemployment benefits with the Department of Economic Opportunity. “It was like my whole world shut down,” Thorner told News 6 from her Ocala home. “I filled out my (unemployment) application, obviously I put this is how much I made,” she said. News 6 presented the records to the DEO’s Tallahassee office last week in an attempt to move the account review along. "There are great people at the DEO just as frustrated as we are, Thorner told News 6.
Florida employees of New World Travel Inc. reported a 12-week interruption of state unemployment benefits issued through the state’s short-time compensation program. “As you can imagine, it’s still dead,” New World’s HR manager, Janine Geisel, told News 6. Geisel told News 6 she was born in Black Forrest, in the mountain region of southwestern Germany. Additional information on the Short-Time Compensation program can be found by clicking or tapping here. If you have an unemployment benefits issue email News 6: makeendsmeet@wkmg.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – New Florida unemployment claims rose to more than 40,000 for the week that ended Oct. 3, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday. The state’s latest claims increased by more than 7,800, compared with more than 32,000 initial filings the previous week. The numbers had been declining amid continuing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Nationally, the figure for initial claims was 840,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 849,000, the Labor Department reported. In Florida, there were recent layoffs in the airline industry and businesses that support it because of the depressed tourism market in the state.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Walt Disney Parks and Resorts notified the Florida unemployment department Tuesday of impeding layoffs across the theme park’s properties that includes nearly 10% of its employees across the state. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the branch that oversees the state’s unemployment system, was notified late Tuesday of thousands of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts layoffs. As a result, 6,390 employees of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. will be laid off beginning December 4, 2020. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products chairman Josh D’Amaro said in a statement the layoffs are due to the prolonged financial impact of COVID-19. That leaves more than 15,100 unannounced layoffs to come across Disney parks and resorts in Florida and California.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The IRS launched a national campaign this week that includes notifying more than 567,000 residents in Florida who did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 but may still be eligible for a coronavirus stimulus check. There are 9 million “non-filers” who are on the IRS contact list gathered through W2′s, 1099′s and third-party data. A total of 567,425 Florida residents will receive a letter explaining the protocol for eligibility for either $1,200 or $2,400 stimulus checks as well as $500 for children under 17. Anyone who does not receive a stimulus check by Dec. 31 will still be eligible for a tax credit in 2021. If you did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 you can check your stimulus check status: at IRS.gov and go to the non-filer tool.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Jack Stroming could be the face of a state unemployment benefits tale that has been repeated dozens of times since job layoffs began back in early March. “I’ve done this for 31 years,” the frustrated live events manager said from his South Florida home. After eight weeks of checks paid through the federal paycheck protection program, Stroming was forced to tap every resource he had to make ends meet. On June 6 the PPP benefits ran out but his application for unemployment benefits was caught in a DEO delay. If an employer is participating in the Paycheck Protection Program, this may affect claimants' eligibility for state or federal Reemployment Assistance programs.”If you have an unemployment benefits issue email us at makeendsmeet@wkmg.com.
News 6, DEO unlock unemployment account ‘suspended’ for 17 weeksPublished: September 18, 2020, 7:27 pmFor 17 weeks, Eugene Rosenquest waited for some response from the Department of Economic Opportunity to issue much needed unemployment benefits.
ORLANDO, Fla. In June the first Disney cast members were called back to work; many of whom had been part of the 70,000 Disney World Resort workers furloughed in April. But there are still many others awaiting their phone call to come back and create more magic. "Thats what started with my father is like: What do we do? Lets put some fun videos together that people really enjoy, he recalled. Sage said the best part is sharing these moments with his dad--a former Disney performer who lives in Colorado. We showed up at their houses, socially distant, we threw them gowns and we made them walk a line-families were involved, Sage said.
ORLANDO, Fla. More than 500 people were ready with their resumes in hand and dressed to impress during the Governors job fair event in Orlando. My previous position thanks to COVID 19 I lost it after 20 years of being in the job, Michael Inhat, said. Both men were among the first ones in line at the Central Florida Fair Exposition Park hoping to test the waters and check out which company would the best fit for them. For those currently looking for a job, companies like Energy Air said these individuals have to be willing to impress from day one. Its going be a good day for everybody, Roderick saidThe next Governors job fair is on Oct. 7 at the Central Florida Fair Exposition Park.
When Candace Davis signed an employee/employer separation agreement with Optum Health in early May she said she still wanted to work and never agreed to waive her state unemployment benefits. “They’re saying I quit my job and I didn’t quit my job,” Davis said. Her unemployment claim with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is listed as active and eligible yet the unemployment benefits have never been released. On Friday, a DEO mediator ruled against her finding she was not eligible for federal Pandemic Unemployment benefits. News 6 contacted Optum for a comment but the company HR representative as well as Davis’s former supervisor did not respond.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of people seeking jobless aid last week dropped by 98,000 from 1.1 million the week before. Farooqi added that the risk of permanent damage to the labor market remains high which will slow the pace of recovery. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Aug. 8 offering a stripped-down version of the expanded unemployment benefits. Employers slashed more than 22 million jobs in March and April. Employers added nearly 9.3 million jobs in May, June and July -- but that hiring surge replaced just 42% of the jobs lost in March and April.
The DEO told her a question regarding possible fraud triggered a rejection for her first application for benefits in March. She said she was told to file again and was approved for state reemployment benefits but denied Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Her DEO unemployment claims sheet confirms she started receiving state and federal jobless benefits on June 6. DEO press secretary Paige Landrum said because Black was eligible for state jobless benefits, the PUA benefits were no longer available to her. According to the DEO reemployment assistance claims dashboard, an estimated 651,000 claims are still listed as ineligible but 95%of Florida’s jobless claims have been paid.
As Americans continue to cope in a new normal, lawmakers on Capitol Hill continue to discuss what could be the next stimulus package to help families during the pandemic. According to Sen. Lindsey Graham, half of Republicans will vote “no” on the new stimulus package, Forbes reported. The new $1 trillion stimulus package dubbed the HEALS Act (Health, Economic Assistance Liability Protection & Schools Act) follows the CARES Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus package Congress passed in March. Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, told Fox News that, “half of the Republicans are going to vote ‘no’ on any more aid. CNBC reported the Senate will be releasing the full details on the second stimulus bill this week.
Unemployment remains painfully high in the U.S. even as economic activity is slowly picking up. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)WASHINGTON Unemployment remains painfully high in the U.S. even as economic activity slowly picks up. A new report suggests that the additional aid enabled unemployed workers to actually increase their spending above pre-pandemic levels, helping fuel the economy's rebound. Airlines are barred from layoffs until then as a condition of federal aid they have received. Air traffic began to slowly rebound in mid-April, but like other parts of the economy, the improvement plateaued in July as the viral outbreak worsens.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A company hired by the state to handle phone calls from jobless Floridians seeking unemployment benefits answered less than half the calls it received over a two-month period, records obtained by News 6 show. Titan Technologies handled 41% of the 3.9 million phone calls DEO transferred to the company's agents between April 6 and June 8, state records show. On May 18 alone, DEO received about a million phone calls, according to Satter. About a quarter of those calls were routed to Titan Technologies on that date, state records show. Nearly 2,000 agents working for Titan Technologies answered almost 32,500 phone calls on May 18, records indicate, amounting to about 15% of the calls offered to the company that day.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Florida's unemployment rate jumped higher in May, hitting a record 14.5% as the state continued reeling from the economic shutdowns caused by the corona virus outbreak, statistics released Friday show. Floridas unemployment rate jumped slightly from the 13.8% figure in April. Before the coronavirus hit and devastated the state's tourism, retail and other industries, February's unemployment rate had been 2.8%. The national unemployment rate stood at 13.3% in May, a slight decrease from April, but up from 3.5% in February. Before the pandemic, the states post-World War II record for unemployment was 11.3%, set in early 2010.
Now I owe an overpayment for something I am eligible for, Cantrell told News 6. Cantrell said she is owed 8-weeks from the state unemployment system lost in her paper chase for benefits. She recently completed a fourth application for unemployment benefits and found her account was active but required documents she had already filed weeks ago. I cant get anywhere, I cant get answers and I cant get any help, the struggling single mom said. Im literally stuck.News 6 contacted her state representatives in Broward County to escalate her application for jobless benefits.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Millions of Floridians aren’t confident they can pay rent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the fifth week of its survey, which was conducted between May 28-June 2, revealed that more than a million Floridians reported they have “no confidence” in being able to make rent. Teams with the Census Bureau surveyed more than 5 million Floridians, with more than a quarter describing little to no confidence to be able to make payment and expressing housing insecurity. Nearly 3 million of the households who responded to the survey reported it had an income of less than $34,999. Though Florida is working to revive its economy while in phase two of its reopening process, about half of the respondents reported they are currently unemployed.
LAKE EOLA, Fla. – Over a dozen protesters gathered in Lake Eola Park Wednesday to bring attention to delays in jobless benefits from the state's unemployment system. The rally was part of the “Fix It DEO” day, which brought together unemployed workers in Orlando, Tampa and Tallahassee. Jennifer Kane drove from Melbourne to attend the protest and said she's been waiting for more than 12 weeks for jobless benefits. "People are struggling and they need the money and they need the money now," she said. State Sen. Linda Stewart of Orlando is meeting with the Governor’s staff Wednesday to talk about the people still waiting for benefits.
Asian markets are mostly lower after Wall Street rally takes a breather, as investors parse unemployment data. Investors were awaiting more updates on the U.S. jobless situation Friday after unemployment data released overnight gave the S&P 500 its first loss in five days. A report showed that the number of U.S. workers filing for unemployment benefits eased for a ninth straight week though the total number of people getting benefits rose slightly. In Asia, hopes for a swift recovery from the downturn brought on by the coronavirus crisis have spurred strong gains this week. A report showed that the number of U.S. workers filing for unemployment benefits eased for a ninth straight week, while the total number of people getting benefits rose slightly.
The pace of job cuts has been declining over the past two months after the coronavirus had struck hard in March, forced widespread business closures and sent the economy into a deep recession. The dwindling pace of jobless claims suggests that the devastation in the job market may have bottomed out. On Friday, the government is expected to report that the economy lost 8 million jobs in May, on top of 20 million lost in April. The job cuts reflect an economy that was seized by the worst downturn since the Great Depression. Most economists foresee unemployment remaining in double digits through the November elections and into 2021.
If I dont get something pretty soon, I dont know what Im going to do," Wolfe told News 6 Monday. The veteran highway construction superintendent said he was furloughed on April 8 and has been advised Orlando-area projects probably wont resume until late June early July. Were a very large construction company, one of the largest in Florida, and we have people sitting at home, he said. As for help with local DEO issues, Soto advised News 6 that viewers should contact their local state representatives. The address to return checks is:DEO- Reemployment Assistance Program, Benefit Payment ControlP.O.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Staggering new numbers show the impact of coronavirus across Central Florida as every local county experienced an unemployment rate in the double digits during the month of April. For some Central Florida counties, that April unemployment number was even higher. That’s more than the state of Florida has paid out in the last five years combined. Now, as some people are eligible to go back to work, DeSantis wants to make sure they have the financial incentive to do so. Between last week and the week before, there was little change in the number of unemployment claims in the state.
I dont understand.Eight weeks after being furloughed on March 23, the single mother of two -- girls ages 11 and 13 -- never received an unemployment check. News 6 found that while working at the nonprofit, administrators never paid the payroll deduction for unemployment. Regular taxes are taken out but not for unemployment, Dacosta said. I do my taxes every year.Dacosta sent News 6 a pay-stub and recent W-2 form to prove her case. If you would like to help Dacosta and her family, or if you have an unemployment issue email: MakeEndsMeet@wkmg.com
Judge rejects Florida unemployment claims lawsuitPublished: May 7, 2020, 9:46 amA judge granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Florida and its unemployment benefit system operators Wednesday. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys representing Floridians who are waiting for unemployment payments due to the coronavirus fallout.
U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April, an epic collapse with coronavirus outbreak closing the offices, factories, schools, construction sites and stores that propel the U.S. economy. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. The report showed that 22.7 million people are now receiving unemployment aid — a rough measure of job losses since the shutdowns began. The unemployment rate is forecast to reach 16%, the highest rate since the Great Depression, and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month. A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers.
