POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is on pace to pay back benefits for every remaining unemployment week by early 2022, according to new data released by the DEO to WKMG-TV.
According to DEO Communications Director Emilie Oglesby, the number of issues “holding payment“ stood at 197,578 on Nov. 23, down from the 250,000 issues reported to state legislators on Oct. 18 in Tallahassee.
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Adrienne Johnston, the Deputy Secretary for Workforce Services told News 6 there were still roughly 3.5 million overall claim issues still unresolved but that only involved specific information missing for current benefits claims.
Despite the state’s impressive progress, there are thousands of people across the state still waiting to receive their back benefits.
Daniella Logoa of Pompano Beach, Florida has been waiting for back unemployment benefits for five months.
Logoa contacted News 6 and the Make Ends Meet Team for assistance after a DEO adjudication decision in her favor never resulted in full benefits.
Logoa worked as a professional chef, but with a 3-year-old of her own and two young grandchildren, finding work in a location that offers daycare has been difficult.
“It’s been extremely tough,” she said. “Thank God I have food stamps, or we would have been starving, I need what is mine, I worked for it.”
News 6 sent her case to the DEO on Monday and received a quick response from spokesperson Andrew Nixon that assured us the reemployment team would review her account.
“I know God heard my prayers,” Logoa said, “When you called me I was extremely happy, I’m so hopeful and I know we’re going to get this done.”
If you have an unemployment issue, email makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or send a text to 407-676-7428.