Report details troubles of Florida’s unemployment system

Photo: Josh Appel
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida agency that oversees unemployment benefits was besieged with bomb threats, shooting threats and coronavirus outbreaks in its offices at it tried to handle claims.
That’s what an inspector general’s report detailed on Thursday. It said the system wasn’t built to meet demand caused by the pandemic.
The report detailed enormous cost overruns when the system was developed under then-Republican Gov. Rick Scott and problems that were exposed when unemployment skyrocketed during an increase in unemployment when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered business shutdowns a year ago.
The state’s Department of Economic Opportunity recently recommended adopting a more robust, modern system employing cloud-based technology.
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