TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In an effort to help with the state's surge of unemployment claims, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he was beefing up call centers and adding more computer servers.
DeSantis said there are 2,000 state employees from other agencies who are working with the Department of Economic Opportunity to help process unemployment applications that were flowing in during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the month of March, Florida saw unemployment rates skyrocket to 4.3-percent-- and that was before DeSantis ordered a statewide safer at home order. In February, the state's jobless rate was sitting at 2.8 percent.
As for processing the claims, Desantis said it was "all hands on deck" since these are such unprecedented times.
DeSantis said a partnership with Federal Express will offer free printing of applications. He said there have already been more than 20,000 paper applications sent in.
The state offers a maximum weekly benefit of $275 per week for up to 12 weeks.
The $2 trillion "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,'' or "CARES Act," provides an additional $600 each week.
Florida's assistance can come in either a debit card or direct deposit, while DeSantis said the extra $600 from the federal government will come in the mail as a physical check.
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