Fight Back, Florida!

From my growing research into the problems with FL Unemployment Compensation and Claims, there are Floridians out there that believe AWI is intentionally denying initial claims, and making intentional repeated "errors" to delay processing earned benefits to Floridians in need because the AWI is running out of funds to pay people. The most recent "error" in my case is AWI stopped my benefits in Febrruary 2010, and they are now billing me for ' overpayment' of the monies I have previously received from them (approx. $2,000.) Apparently, the AWI is so desperate for money that they now are trying to convince applicants that they need to give their earned benefits back.

I have read numerous articles, posts, and threads on the ongoing problems with FL AWI. Like many of you, I am enraged that this agency has made and continues to make the decision to withhold our RIGHTS to timely received earned benefits. Fortunately, there are people out there trying to help those of us that are stuck in this seemingly impenetrable system. Jim Stratton of the Orlando Sentinel has been helpful with his articles designed to bring attention to these problems, and Diane Lincoln from PBS now wants to televise a segment on the problems with AWI. ANY effort to reach the media or someone above our level of expertise, is crucial in eventually getting a solution to the problem.

Let me ask you: Has anyone considered a class-action lawsuit?? According to www.britannica.com, the definition of a class action lawsuit is: " A "class action" lawsuit is one in which a group of people with the same or similar injuries caused by the same product or action sue the defendant as a group. "

From the website www.thefreedictionary.com: " Class action suits have led to social reform in the United States. They have helped to remedy discrimination based on race and gender; been used to address inequities in education, housing, and VOTING RIGHTS laws; and helped to ensure due process. "

And from the website www.classactionworld.com: " A consumer class action is a legal action brought by a class action lawyer on behalf of a large number of people with similar legal claims involving common questions of law and fact. They share a common interest and are joined together in a group (the class) to sue a wrongdoer, usually a company or an a organization. Their legal claims, which are advocated by the representative class action lawyer, usually involve a consumer product, a fraudulent or misleading business practice, or a deceptive financial practice. Many consumer class actions involve financial issues such as improper billing practices, overcharges, and failure to honor warranties. A product liability class action is a class action brought by a class action lawyer on behalf of a large number of people, ordinarily with claims of negligence pertaining to products, policies, or conditions."

In Jim Stratton's recent article, he reports that FL AWI is not meeting the FL Department of Labor standards. Can the current practices of FL AWI be considered ' fraudulent or misleading business practice, or deceptive financial practice?' Is there corruption in this agency that "allows" them to deny earned benefits repeatedly, and to continue to make numerous repeated (and costly) errors at the expense of Florida's unemployed residents?

How many potentially thousands of people in this state alone have been denied earned benefits by AWI, and then gone without because they: 1) don't know how to navigate the system; 2) don't have the patience to navigate the system; 3) have accepted AWI's 'determinations' because they are a government agency; or 4) countless other, yet valid, reasons? And then these people have lost their homes, are living on the street, and/ or are having to rely on local county agencies for food and payment of utility bills, etc., until the local agencies run out of monies, and the vicious cycle continues on a daily basis.

I do not know if a class-action lawsuit can be filed. I do not know who to contact about these problems outside of the numbers posted on this site (very helpful!), media reporters, local politicians, etc. But I do know this: strength and change can happen when people come together for a rightful cause. Do we sign petitions, contact our local goverment officials, contact all the news channels, contact 'primetime' shows like 20/20, Dateline, etc.? Do we contact lawyers, law firms, Dept. of Labor, advocacy groups, whomever and whatever person or organization we can think of until SOMEBODY ACTS to investigate what is really going on at FL AWI?

If AWI is 'monitoring' the web for all sites, blogs. posts, etc. concerning problems with the agency as I read recently in an article, this post may produce some response (and I expect it to be non-productive as well.) Is this their way of intimidating people so they won't complain or start looking deeper into what's going on? Let's just see. In the meantime, I am continuing to contact as many people as I can, and I hope there are others out there who want to join me. What have we got to lose? AWI already took it.

Patience is my right testicle and faith is my left testicle....I sometimes confuse the two.