Frustrations over the state's unemployment system are boiling down to serious health concerns for many, including one woman who’s speaking only with Fox 4’s Jessica Alpern.
She says she'll soon have to choose between affording her medication and keeping a roof over her head.
ON WHERE EITHER OF THESE MISSINGPEOPLE ARE, PLEASE CALL THECOLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE.Michelle Lopez, Clermont, FL3:20At this point it’s alarmingbecause I need my medication.THIS MORNING, FRUSTRATIONS OVERTHE STATE’S UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEMARE BOILING DOWN TO SERIOUSHEALTH CONCERNS FOR MANY.THE WOMAN YOU JUST HEARD FROMSAYS SHE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO GETANY REAL ANSWERS FROM THEGOVERNOR’S OFFICE, THE D-E-O, ORHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES --UNTIL OUR JESSICA ALPERN GOTINVOLVED.SHE’S BEEN WORKING AROUND THECLOCK TO BE A VOICE FOR PEOPLIKE HER, AND HUNDREDS OFOTHERS, AS EMAILS CONTINUE TOPOUR IN.THIS STORY PUTS A FACE ON THEHUNDREDS OF EMAILS I CONTINUE TORECEIVE... OF PEOPLE STUCKWITHOUT ANSWERS.AND THE LIFE-THREATENING ISSUESTHAT CAN ULTIMATELY BOIL DOWNTO.PKG:Michelle Lopez, Clermont, FL5:40These are all humanitarianproblems, these are seriousissues that are happening frompeople not receiving theirmoney.
This isn’t so much aboutbills, this is people like me Ineed medical insurance I need mymedication.AND WITHOUT UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS... MICHELLE LOPEZ SAYSSHE’LL SOON HAVE TO CHOOSEBETWEEN THAT AND KEEPING A ROOFOVER HER HEAD.AND EVEN THEN THAT’S ONLY UNTILSHE COMPLETELY RUNS OUT OFMONEY.LOPEZ FIRST APPLIED FORUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS MID-MARCH.AS I’VE REPORTED OVER THE LASTCOUPLE WEEKS, THE GOVERNOR HASSAID ANYONE WAITING SINCE THATTIMEFRAME IS LIKELY INELIGIBLE.6:00It’s unfortunate that ourgovernor can walk away from apress conference and be like ohwell people aren’t filling outthe applications correctly orhow do you know they evenqualify?
Are you kidding me?That was a slap in the faceAND ANOTHER SLAP IN THE FACE --SEEING THAT *INELIGIBLE STATUSUPDATE MORE THAN A MONTH AFTERSHE APPLIED.7:02I even contacted the HR officeat my job and they gave me thewhole story that apparently thesystem marked our wages at zeroand we’d have to appeal becauit wasn’t out fault that’s whatthe system did.FOR YEARS -- LOPEZ HAS WORKED ASA SERVER AT A MAJOR HOTEL CHAININ ORLANDO.SHE SAYS MANY OF HER CO-WORKERSARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAMEGLITCH.SHE SUBMITTED AN APPEAL EARLYTHIS MONTH.BUT SHE’S BEEN STUCK *WAITINGMORE THAN TWO WEEKS... AND THEPROCESS COULD TAKE UP TO EIGHT.WHICH IS TIME SHE DOESN’T HAVE.2:30At this point with me it’s likeI have enough medication toprobably cover me another twoweeks(shakes prescription bottle).
And then after that I’m out ofluck.LOPEZ LIVES PAYCHECK TOPAYCHECK.AND WITHOUT ANY MONEY COMING INOR ANY HELP FROM THE STATE...SHE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD MEDICALINSURANCE OR HERINSULIN-RESISTANCE MEDICATION.IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THATWITHOUT THAT... SHE COULD GETVERY SICK.5:20The governor, anyone you couldpossibly imagine I could emailI’ve emailed like you arliterally my first response in 8weeks of anything of mecontacting absolutely everyone.YESTERDAY I CONTACTED THEGOVERNOR’S OFFICE, AND THED-E-O...WHO WITHIN MINUTES GOT BACK TOME ABOUT LOPEZ.D-E-O PRESS SECRETARY PAIGELANDRUM SAID LOPEZ HAS BEENADDED TO THE LIST AND THAT THED-E-O HAS A DEDICATED TEAMWORKING TO CHECK ON EACH OFTHESE CLAIMANTS.(FOR JAUN -- VIZ:Thank you for sending thisinformation.
We have added thisclaimant to the list and have adedicated team working to checkon each of these.Paige LandrumFlorida Department ofEconomic Opportunity PressSecretary)TAG:AND THAT INCLUDES A WORKINGSPREADSHEET OF HUNDREDS OF OTHERPEOPLE WHO’VE REACHED OUT TOME... WHICH I’VE ALSO PROVIDEDTO THE D-E-O.SO IF YOU’RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLEJUST KNOW THAT TO RESPECT YOURPRIVACY... THE D-E-O HAS
While U.S. government guidelines say jobless workers who qualify for assistance should get payments within three weeks of applying,..