Congressional reps call for federal investigation of Florida’s unemployment system
April 27, 2020 - At least two Florida congressional representatives will ask the Government Accountability Office to investigate the Florida unemployment system. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Miami, said she would ask the GAO to get involved and Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, said he would support that request. They were on a video news conference Monday morning with a group of Democratic lawmakers who called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to use his executive powers to provide assistance to jobless Florida residents and specifically to expand state unemployment insurance benefits. Florida's jobless benefits — a maximum of $275 a week for 12 weeks — are among the "stingiest" in the nation, said state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, said DeSantis has the authority to increase both the amount of the benefit paid and the number of weeks it is offered, but the governor's office has said taking those steps would exceed his authority.