People still waiting for unemployment benefits as new applications grow

People still waiting for unemployment benefits as new applications grow

FOX 4 IS SEARCHING FOR ANSWERSAS WE HEAR FROM MORE AND MORE OFYOU TELLING US YOU’RE STRUGGLINGTO GET UNEMPLOYMENT PAY.DESPITE MANY BUSINESSESREOPENING, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLEFILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT HAS NOWGONE UP 2 WEEKS IN A ROW INFLORIDA.MEANWHILE, SOME PEOPLE WHO FILEDMONTHS AGO STILL HAVEN’T BEENPAID.

AS WE CONTINUE TO TRACKTHE REBOUND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, 4IN YOUR CORNER’S ROB MANCH METWITH ONE WOMAN IN CAPE CORTODAY WHO IS STILL WAITING, ANDECIDED TO WRITE A LETTERDIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNOR.NORMALLY, IF YOU HAD A QUESTIONABOUT YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS,YOU’D COME HERE TO TCAREERSOURCE OFFICE IN CAPECORAL.BUT IT’S CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19.AND DESPITE HER BEST EFFORTSONLINE, OVER THE PHONE, ANDTHROUGH THE MAIL, IT HAS NOFFICIALLY BEEN MORE THAN 2MONTHS, AND CAROL WOODY IS STILLWAITING FOR BENEFITS.I MET WOODY AT HER HOUSE, WHERESHE WAS GOING THROUGH A PILE OPRINTOUTS FROM THE FLORIDACONNECT WEBSIT"I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLECAN AFFORD TO GO FOR TWO MONTHSWITHOUT MONEY COMING IN THEIHOUSEHOLD.

I’VE BEEN LIVING OFFOF SAVINGS, AND I’VE HAD TO DIPINTO MY 401K."WOODY WAS LAID OFF FROM DIRECTTRAVEL BACK IN MARCH, A COMPANYTHAT OPERATES ALL OVER THECOUNTRY."I DID CONSULT WITH MY BOSSYESTERDAY, AND THEY SAID THATFLORIDA IS THE ONLY STATE THATTHEY’RE HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITHGETTING PEOPLE PAID."WOODY SHOWED ME COPIES OF HERAPPLICATION WHERE SHE WAREJECTED TWICE.THEN, SHE WAS WATCHING THE NEWSWHEN THE GOVERNOR CAME ON."PEOPLE ARE PAID IN THE ORDERTHAT THEY’RE THERE.

SO ITHERE’S SOMEBODY FROM MARCHWHO’S GONE THROUGH, SUBMITTED ITALL, DONE, THEY’RE GOING TO HAVEGOTTEN PAID BY NOW.

SO IF YOUHAVEN’T, THERE IS SOME ISSUETHAT IS HOLDING IT UP."(13S)"FOR HIM TO SAY THAT, IT WASJUST LIKE A GUT PUNCH, AND IAPPEALED TO HIM AS IF I WERE HISMOTHER."WOODY SAT DOWN AT HER LAPTOP ANDAPPEALED TO HIM THROUGH AN OPENLETTER.I HAD HER READ SOME OF WHAT SHEWROTE."GOVERNOR, IF I WAS YOURMOTHER, AND GOT THE RESPONSE YHAVE GIVEN TO THOSE OF US STILLUNPAID, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?

I’MBEGGING YOU MR. DESANTIS TO PAYME MY MR. DESANTIS TO I’BEGGING YOU WOULD YOU FEEL?

I’MBEGGING YOU MR. DESANTIS TO PAME MY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS."WOODY DID TELL ME THIS MORNING,SHE FINALLY RECEIVED WORD FROMTHE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICOPPORTUNITY THAT SHE HAS BEENAPPROVED FOR PAYMENT FROM APRI26TH UNTIL TODAY.BUT SHE SAYS THAT STILL LEAVESHER WITHOUT ANY PAYMENT FOR FIVEWHOLE WEEKS TH