A Port St. Lucie woman faces homelessness after waiting five months for Florida’s Department of Commerce to determine her eligibility for unemployment benefits, highlighting ongoing systemic issues with the state’s re-employment assistance program.
Lena Hoti was laid off from her hotel housekeeping job about five months ago and applied for Florida’s re-employment benefits in June. Despite weekly visits to her local CareerSource center in Fort Pierce, where staff connect her directly to the Florida Department of Commerce, she still hasn’t received a decision on her claim.
St. Lucie Co. woman faces eviction amid 5-month unemployment benefit delay
“I’ve been waiting five months for them to decide whether I’m going to get these benefits or not,” Hoti said. “Nobody can really give me a straight answer. And it’s kind of frustrating.”
Florida’s re-employment benefit is capped at $275 per week. For Hoti, who rents a bedroom from a family in a Port St. Lucie apartment, that money represents a crucial lifeline…