WASHINGTON—U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., today released the results of a week-long survey she conducted in which she asked Central Floridians to describe their experience applying for benefits through the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) system. The survey results paint a stark picture of Florida’s UI system, with nearly 93% of the over 8,200 survey respondents saying that they had a “very negative” experience applying for benefits.



Murphy sent detailed letters describing the survey results to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida state legislators, President Trump and other administration officials, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal and other key Members of Congress.



“These survey results are deeply disturbing and reinforce the conclusion that Florida’s UI system is failing precisely when it is needed the most, causing incalculable economic damage and emotional distress. As Congress and the President prepare to negotiate additional COVID-19 relief packages, we must hold states like Florida accountable and do everything possible to ensure that federal support reaches the people who need it, as national leaders intended, and that it is not squandered or delayed due to incompetence or indifference,” wrote Murphy.



Highlights of the survey include:

Nearly 93 percent of respondents said they had a “very negative” experience with the UI application process, while only 0.5 percent rated their experience as “very positive” or “somewhat positive.”

Only 1 percent said they encountered no problems during the application process, while nearly 93 percent reported that the website crashed, froze, or otherwise failed to load.

Nearly 40 percent said they were unable to complete their application due to problems with the website or another aspect of the application process.

Less than 3 percent said they successfully submitted their application and have received their benefits.



To view the full report, click here. To view the letters Murphy sent to federal and state officials, click here, here, and here.



Earlier this month, Murphy called for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Inspector General to conduct an independent federal investigation into Florida’s unemployment system.

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