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.
“It’s as if I don’t exist anymore,” a frustrated Nasset said. “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.
She said she had worked various jobs from scoring tests for area schools and crowd control during events at the Orange County Convention Center.
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However, in the middle of March 2020, the job opportunities stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said her only paycheck came during training to work at an early voting poll from Oct. 17, 2020 to Nov. 1, 2020 and that created a glitch in the DEO Connect system.
“They keep saying they think I’m employed full time,” Nasset said. “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.
News 6 contacted the DEO last week to present her situation to the state agency’s reemployment team.
Wednesday night, a DEO representative called her and assured her the money, $4,000, was on the way.
In an email to News 6 Nasset wrote: “Yay! You succeeded again!! Just got a call from a lady named Karen at DEO. My claim is cleared for payment, probably this Friday or Saturday.”
She continued, “CONGRATULATIONS on another success!! THANK YOU so very much. This would never have happened w/o your effort.”
If you have an unemployment issue email: makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or mholfeld@wkmg.com