STATEWIDE — A Citrus County man who has been out of work for weeks is now part of lawsuit alleging the state of Florida shredded the safety net for unemployed Floridians.

It’ been a month and half since Norton’s Riverside Bar and Grill in Crystal River was forced to shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Restaurant worker Mike Latner logged onto the state's unemployment website immediately. But after weeks of fruitless attempts to apply for benefits, he still hasn’t seen a dime.

Latner has a serious heart condition.

"I don't want to have to cut medication out of my life because I can't pay for that medication to pay for the electric bill, or I need food on the table for my daughter and I,” he explained.

Desperate for help, he's part of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Floridians against the state of Florida.

The suit alleges that former Gov. Rick Scott created a flawed process. It also accuses Gov. Ron DeSantis of failing to act to stop the unemployment system from melting down.

Latner is seeking $30,000 from the state, but what he really wants is to get back to work, earning a paycheck and not being forced to rely on failed system.