MIAMI-DADE – While Florida’s unemployment website and call center continue to struggle due to the overwhelming number of applicants, Miami-Dade has begun printing thousands of physical applications and using about half of the county’s libraries as distribution and delivery centers.
Mayor of Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez says starting Wednesday at 8 AM, people who don’t have access to computers can go to one of 26 libraries in the county to fill out their unemployment claim and return it to that same location.
Completed forms in sealed envelopes can be submitted through a participating library’s book drop-off station.
County staff will then deliver it to the local state unemployment office. From there, the state office, CareerSource, will send the paperwork overnight to headquarters in Tallahassee for processing, according to a county news release.
People can also print out their own forms and drop them off at participating libraries in a sealed envelope, or at any CareerSource office.
The number to call to find one close to you is 305-375-2665.
On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the unemployment system was increased to handle 120,000 simultaneous connections, or around double the peak usage in recent weeks. But the system still has not worked for thousands of residents, causing many to miss out on increased unemployment aid provided by Congress.
In the meantime, residents in the county can visit any library for a printed application. The libraries will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
List of participating libraries below:
Allapattah Branch – 1799 NW 35th St., Miami, FL 33142
Arcola Lakes Branch – 8240 NW Seventh Ave., Miami, FL 33150
California Club Branch – 700 Ives Dairy Rd., Miami, FL 33179
Coconut Grove Branch – 2875 McFarlane Rd., Miami, FL 33133
Concord Branch – 3882 SW 112th Ave., Miami, FL 33165
Coral Reef Branch – 9211 SW 152nd St., Miami, FL 33157
Country Walk Branch – 15433 SW 137th Ave., Miami, FL 33177
Edison Center Branch – 531 NW 62nd St., Miami, FL 33150
Fairlawn Branch – 6376 SW Eighth St., West Miami, FL 33144
Golden Glades Branch – 100 NE 166th St., Miami, FL 33162
Hialeah Gardens Branch – 11300 NW 87th Ct., Hialeah Gardens, FL 33018
Hispanic Branch Library – 1398 SW First St., Miami, FL 33135
Homestead Branch – 700 N. Homestead Blvd., Homestead, FL 33030
International Mall Branch – 10315 NW 12thSt., Doral, FL 33172
Kendale Lakes Branch – 15205 SW 88th St., Miami, FL 33196
Miami Beach Regional Library – 227 22nd St., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Miami Lakes Branch – 6699 Windmill Gate Rd., Miami Lakes, FL 33014
Naranja Branch – 14850 SW 280th St., Miami, FL 33032
North Dade Regional Library – 2455 NW 183rd St., Miami Gardens, FL 33056
North Shore Branch – 7501 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33141
Northeast Dade – Aventura Branch – 2930 Aventura Blvd., Aventura, FL 33180
Palm Springs North Branch – 17601 NW 78th Ave., Hialeah, FL 33015
South Miami Branch – 6000 Sunset Dr., Miami, FL 33143
West Dade Regional Library – 9445 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33165
West Flagler Branch – 5050 West Flagler St., Miami, FL 33134
West Kendall Regional Library – 10201 Hammocks Blvd., Miami, FL 33196
The City of Hialeah has also made provisions for its residents that want to pick up printed applications.
Hialeah has opened an additional four participating locations to assist residents:
- Slade Park (2501 W. 74th St., Hialeah, FL 33016)
- Goodlet Park (4200 W. 8th Ave., Hialeah, FL 33012)
- John F. Kennedy Library (190 W. 49th St., Hialeah, FL 33012)
- Babcock Park (651 E. 4th Ave., Hialeah, FL 33010)
The four sites will be open starting Tuesday, April 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. until further notice.
