DeSantis: Unemployment #1 priority

Governor DeSantis says getting Floridians the unemployment benefits they've applied for needs will become priority number one.

He’s signed a new executive order he says should speed up the process of getting you your money.

THEY’RE ASKING THE SECRETARY TOTAKE QUICK ACTION TO MAKE SURETHOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO THOSEWHO NEED IT MOST.ON THAT SAME NOTE-- THE GOVERNORIS PROMISING TO GET PEOPLE THEIRUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FASTER.JESSICA ALPERN IS LOOKING INTOWHAT HE HE IS NOW CALLINGPRIORITY NUMBER ONE.WE’LL GET TO THAT EXECUTIVEORDER.I CAN ALSO TELL YOU WE FINALLYGOT SOME ANSWERS ON THE NUMBERSWE’VE BEEN ASKING FOR...INCLUDING HOW MANY CLAIMS HAVEBEEN PAID TO DATE.LET’S START WITH THE EXECUTIVEORDER.STATE LAW REQUIRES FLORIDIANSAPPLYING FOR JOBLESS BENEFITS TORE-CERTIFY EVERY TWO WEEKS THATTHEY’RE STILL UNEMPLOYED.THIS HAS PUT THE STATE’S "PEGA"WEBSITE UNDER TOO MUCH STRESS.SO THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED ANORDER SUSPENDING THATREQUIREMENT."If we know the system is understress, why would we want peopleto have to re-certify that whenwe know what the economy isdoing right now"WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEUNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS NOT JUST INFLORIDA... WE KNOW FIVE MILLIONMORE AMERICANS FILED FORUNEMPLOYMENT LAST WEEK.THAT NUMBER OF COURSE DOES NOTINCLUDE FLORIDIANS WHO’VE STILLBEEN UNABLE TO FILE.THERE HAVE BEEN ’AROUND’22-MILLION CLAIMS SINCECORONAVIRUS HIT THE ECONOMY.DESANTIS ALSO PROVIDED SOMEINSIGHT INTO SOME OF THEQUESTIONS WE’VE BEEN ASKING...HE SAID SINCE MARCH, FLORIDA’SDEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICOPPORTUNITY HAS DELIVERED MORETHAN 121-THOUSAND PAYMENTS TOFLORIDIANS TOTALING ALMOST $50MILLION."This includes 33,623 individualFloridans who applied forbenefits after economic upheavelin March.

This week we mailed23,801 checks for $600 federalmoney under CARES Act, so paperchecks going out."BUTT TO"Floridians who receive their$600 will receive their stabenefits for unemployment bydirect deposit or prepaid debitcard based on preferences."THE GOVERNOR HOPES THE NEWEXECUTIVE ORDER WILL HELP THESTATE WORK THROUGH ITSUNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF CLAIMS.WE KNOW THE SECRETARY OFFLORIDA’S DEPARTMENT OFMANAGEMENT SERVICES HAS TAKENOVER THE UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMSSYSTEM.