All the gripes about Obamacare website. FL's flawed unemployment website ignored. 20 mil involved.

[madfloridian]

Last edited Sat Jan 11, 2014, 06:31 AM - Edit history (1)

It's time to call attention to Rick Scott's very defective website for the unemployed to use. It has not worked effectively since October, but all we hear is about Obamacare problems.

It's the non-existent doggoned left wing media doing it.

From the New York Times:

Florida’s Site Said to Delay Millions in Aid to Jobless

MIAMI — The botched rollout of Florida’s online system for unemployment claims may have kept jobless Floridians from receiving $20 million in benefits in October and November, according to an informal analysis by a workers’ rights group.

State officials question whether the drop in benefits would have been that drastic. But three months after the introduction of a system that required applicants to sign up online for unemployment benefits, Florida officials are still scrambling to get it working effectively amid political jousting over what went wrong.

Florida rolled out its website on Oct. 15, a date that coincided with sharp declines in state unemployment claims, according to a two-page analysis by the workers’ rights group, the National Employment Law Project.

I would guess it would be hard to get benefits when the site is not working. A little sarcasm there.

Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida, has renewed his call for an investigation into the system’s problems. In a letter on Tuesday to Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, Mr. Nelson questioned whether Florida is violating the Social Security Act and requirements that states make timely unemployment payments. He requested a reply from Mr. Perez by next Tuesday.

Rick Scott said Nelson was politicizing the issue. Good, I hope he is.

The state has hired a new contractor and hired about 300 workers to expedite the process. Rick Scott has no problem using federal funds to do that.

Seems they are going to figure out the problems before giving people the unemployment insurance they clearly are due.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Recommended. (nt)

[madfloridian]

2. Appreciated.

Today if it's not about Christie it drops. FL's website is a mess, and I think they are just now adding phone numbers to call. Someone said there was no office around them, had to be done online. I hope that is changing.

[madfloridian]

3. Wow. Website cost 63 million.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/lawmakers-want-answers-on-what-went-wrong-with-floridas-63-million/2160574

I was right, the applications had to be done by computer. And the website didn't work.

TALLAHASSEE — Frustrated by problems plaguing Florida's $63 million unemployment website, state lawmakers this week said they are set to take action to rescue a system that many claimants can no longer depend on for money to pay rent, food and bills.

Possible legislative remedies include overturning a controversial 2011 law that requires unemployed people to apply online for benefits. The law was flagged last year by the U.S. Department of Labor for making it more difficult for those without computer access. October's troubled launch of CONNECT has made the law even more problematic.

"We made the rules that you have to do it online," said Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, who chairs an appropriations committee that oversees CONNECT. "Now that's not working right and people don't have a viable Plan B. We have to come up with a solution. And that might be giving people a chance to file some other way, even if it includes paper".

Two-faced media.

[jsr]

4. Recommend

[madfloridian]

5. Thanks.

[madfloridian]

6. Rick Scott refuses to answer questions about website. Won't even respond.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/message-driven-gov-rick-scott-dodges-many-questions/2160566

In Orlando, Scott recently sidestepped questions about why it's taking so long to fix a new state website that handles unemployment claims.

"For the fourth time, he did not answer our questions," WFTV's Lori Brown told viewers.

When she asked about the botched website, Scott said his priority was to help people get jobs, so Brown waited for Scott to walk to his car and asked if it was his job to fix the system. But all she got was an "excuse me" as Scott walked past.

..."The governor is on a mission," Hollingsworth said. "It's to create jobs, grow the economy, improve the education system and attract new business. ... His answers to questions are reflective of that."

Quite an interesting article about how Scott dodges questions. He's an arrogant man.

[Demo_Chris]

7. Difference: no one is fining you if you don't sign up there. nt