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Department of Economic of Opportunity has received 50 million phone calls since March 15

DEO received a million phone calls on May 18 alone

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The phone number for unemployment benefits for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has received 50 million phone calls since March 15, according to Sec. John Satter.

Satter told News4Jax sister station WKMG in Orlando 1 million phone calls were placed to the hotline on Monday alone.

He said the best time for someone to call about unemployment benefits is in the late afternoon.

“Be prepared to sit on the phone for an hour and a half, he said.

Satter said the state has 6,000 employees answering phones, the state started with 40 people.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said more than 975,000 claims have been paid.

Anyone with questions can call 1-800-204-2418.

Anyone who needs to file for unemployment assistance in Florida can click on this link.

“We have hundreds of people in different stages of training, so we can get those wait times down,” Satter said.


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