'Beyond a crisis': many jobless wait in vain for state aid

Floridian Nick Pena is facing a problem just like millions of other unemployed Americans: he can't get through to get his jobless benefits with state computers and phone lines unable to cope with the deluge.

Conway G.

Gittens has more.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED NICK PENA, SAYING: "So, my experience applying for unemployment has been awful.

It's a system that's fractured, that's failed, and it's just... it's shameful really." Millions of Americans like 44-year-old Nick Pena are out of work.

The Florida-based travel advisor lost his job with the collapse of the state's main industry - travel and tourism.

Now, He spends his days and nights sitting at his computer trying to get unemployment benefits.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED NICK PENA, SAYING: "It's been a nightmare from sleepless nights, setting up timers, telling Alexa to wake me up at 2:00, 3:00 in the morning because the rumor has it that that's the right time to go in, that you're going to get into the system, and night after night after night, 2:00 in the morning, 3:00 in the morning, 7:00 a.m.

And you just can't get into the system.

After trying relentlessly for days at all different times.

I thought, you know, maybe if I call in, maybe if I e-mail, I sent them an e-mail.

Two, three weeks later, nobody responded to my email.

You call, the system hangs up on you." While many state computer and phone lines are struggling to keep up - Florida is a standout.

It has managed to answer only 2 percent of incoming phone calls, according to state documents obtained by local media.

And it lags neighboring states like Georgia when it comes to how many unemployment claims it has processed so far.

Facing widespread outrage, Republican Gov.

Ron DeSantis has taken steps to bolster the system, but he has not said when the problems will be fixed.

In the meantime, Florida has turned to paper applications - but critics warn that comes with its own set of problems. Besides slowing down the process of getting money out to those who need it, long lines to get the paper form can increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

For Pena, he finally got to file his claim … but weeks later, he's got nothing.

No check and no answers.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED NICK PENA, SAYING: "Bills are coming due, mortgages, rent payments, car payments, insurance payments, all of those don't stop.

You know, life continues.

And what I thought, OK, this this I'll be all right, because I'm gonna be getting this assistance.

And the reality is that this assistance is nowhere in my immediate future in any way.

And at this point, I wonder if we're ever, really ever gonna get it in Florida.

So, it's very scary." Pena says he's had enough of insensitive politicians.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED NICK PENA, SAYING: "And what I think would really be helpful for the people of Florida is an apology, is some empathy from our leaders to say, 'Hey, we know that this is not right.

We know and we feel your pain.

We know that you guys are out there, and you're suffering and you're counting on this money, and we're gonna make it right.

But we don't hear that from them.

We just hear empty promises.

I put my trust into a party, and into an administration that I now realize is slapping me in the face, doesn't have my best interest in mind.

So, we'll be voting differently in the future.

Absolutely."