Work Search Waiver Expiration
The most immediate impact on eligibility for unemployment benefits is the expiration of the stateâs Work Search Waiver and, for many, the requirement to register for job search assistance.
For years, law required individuals to actively pursue new work opportunities to remain eligible to receive benefits.
Gov. Ron DeSantis continued to extend the expiration of this waiver in an effort to ease the burden of returning to the workforce during the pandemic.
On May 12, Dane Eagle, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, announced the state would allow the waiver to lapse as business owners voiced frustration with hiring new employees.
Many business owners say theyâre struggling to hire new workers because people are “receiving more on unemployment than they would on the job,” although economists say it’s not that simple.
Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said the changing dynamics of the nationâs workforce is not to blame entirely on extended unemployment benefits, but rather a number of factors, including people moving to new cities, people “upskilling” into new and more stable career fields, and competition among industries that are offering higher wages, better benefits, and hiring incentives.
GALLERY: The biggest impact to Florida unemployment benefits is coming May 30.That’s when Floridians will have to start PROVING they’re searching for work to qualify for benefits.
â Greg Angel May 19, 2021
Can Furloughed Workers Receive Unemployment Benefits
Yes. Furloughed workers those put on mandatory unpaid leave â are encouraged to apply for Florida unemployment benefits. If your hours were reduced or you were put on a zero-hour schedule, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Even if your employer says you wonât qualify, you should apply anyways. Eligibility is based on your earnings in a prior week, not the number of hours you worked. Once you apply for benefits, the Reemployment Assistance team will review your information and determine your eligibility.
Eligibility Criteria To Claim Unemployment Compensation In Florida
- The reason for separation from the last job should be involuntary which implies, you must have not lost the job through a fault of yours such as misconduct, underperformance etc.
- The claimant should be able and available to work. He/she should be actively seeking jobs. and should be willing to accept a suitable job offer.
- Unemployment must be total or partial.
- The wages earned during the base period should meet the minimum criteria. The base period is the first four completed quarters beginning 18 months prior to the claim.
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Start The Unemployment Process
Finding yourself suddenly unemployed and not knowing where youre next paycheck is coming from or how you are going to put food on the table can be overwhelming and stressful.
Unemployment benefits were designed to help you get back on your feet and give you some peace of mind.
So, utilize them. Contact your states Unemployment Office to get the process started today.
If youve been wrongfully terminated, contact . Weve got the expertise to fight for your rights and seek the damages you deserve.
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Documents And Information Needed During Filing
You must supply true and accurate information on your RA application. Missing or incorrect information could result in denial or delayed processing time.
Before applying, be sure to have all of the following information gathered and at hand.
- Names and contact information for all employers from the previous 18 months.
- Dates worked and total earnings for each employer for the past 18 months.
- Gross wages earned for the current week beginning 21:01 AM on Sunday. This is extremely important, as this is the first week that you will be claiming for RA benefits .
- Drivers license or state ID. If you do not have that available, a voter registration number, military ID, and other forms may be used to verify your identity.
- Social Security number.
- Name and phone number of your union .
- Non-U.S. citizens must produce Alien Registration Numbers and workers permit expiration dates.
- A DD-214 form if you were enrolled in the military during the last two years.
- Federal employees must produce W-2s or other proof of earning, such as paystubs, and forms SF-50 or SF-8.
- Bank or checking account information if you will opt for direct deposit of your benefits.
When determining your gross income for the 18 months prior to applying, remember that you must report ALL income. This includes gratuities and tips, and any cash received for performing a service or duty outside of your usual occupation.
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Determine If You Are Eligible
In order to open an unemployment claim to obtain benefits, you must first decide if you are entitled. To collect benefits in Florida, you must have worked lately.
You must have been worked all through 4 of the 5 immediate preceding quarters to your claim. Quarters begins in the following months: January, April, July and October. You must have been compensated during 2 of those 5 quarters.
You need to have earned $3400 during those 4 quarters.
Apart from being entitled from a monetary perspective, you also have to be eligible based on disconnection from your last job. You just have:
- Been separated at no fault of your own
- You must not have give up on your own
- You must be obtainable and willing to work. You must be keenly searching for new employment opportunities
Before filing your claim on-line, collect the following information to help you in completing the application:
When Do My Benefits End
Your benefits may end for multiple reasons. Keep in mind that these are rules that typically apply states may change benefit maximums and restrictions during times of economic crisis.
- You may get a new job. If you find work, your Reemployment Assistance benefits will end starting on the week you began your new position.
- You reach your maximum number of benefit weeks for the year. If you dont get a new job within 12 weeks, your benefits will end. Its also important to note that this is your maximum for the entire year. For example, you could split it up and get six weeks of unemployment now and six weeks of unemployment later in the year if you lose your job again. But if you claim 12 weeks of Reemployment Assistance now, you wont be eligible for the rest of the year. The state of Florida doesnt have any provisions for extending your unemployment benefits beyond 12 weeks if youre still out of work. Instead, its website directs you to dial 211 to get ahold of United Way for more help.
- You reach your maximum benefit amount. The state limit for the maximum amount of unemployment insurance you can receive in a year is $3,300.
- You fail to meet requirements for continuing eligibility.
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Before You Apply: Gather Your Documents And Information
For regular unemployment insurance benefits, you will need:
- Your name, Social Security number, birthdate and contact information.
- Your complete work history for the past 18 months including:
- start and end dates of employment for each employer
File Your Unemployment Application And Initial Claim Process
CONNECT is accessible to everyone through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunitys website, floridajobs.org, by clicking the login link for claimants on the homepage. Or you can go directly to the CONNECT system login by entering the following URL into your web browser: https://connect.myflorida.com/Claimant/Core/Login.ASPX.
Upon entering the site, you will view a warning page about privacy. You must agree with the statement on this page before you continue on to the actual CONNECT login. After clicking the next button, you can now choose to start a new claim or login to an existing claim.
After clicking the File New Claim link, you will be taken to an information page that gets you started. Here you can choose various links to read further information before you continue to the application. When ready, click the Start the Reemployment Assistance Application button. Read through the fraud details and information, agree to abide by the terms, and then click next. From here, the application process is easy. Make sure to read each page carefully before continuing on to the next. Double check to be sure that you have all of the information and necessary documents at hand to fully complete the application.
Unemployed? We want to help.
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How To Claim Weekly Benefits
After you have completed the process of submitting your application for RA, you will gain access to the CONNECT system to claim your bi-weekly benefits and to manage your account. Through the CONNECT system, you can update information, track payments, submit claims, check progress, and much more.
Once approved for unemployment insurance benefits, you will file claims to collect your benefits biweekly through the CONNECT system. Each time you enter the system to claim your benefits, you will be asked a series of pre-qualifying claim questions you will answer either yes or no to these questions.
During the process, you will also have to enter all of your job contacts that you made to meet the work search requirements for both weeks you are claiming.
How To File Weekly Claims
After applying for benefits, the applicants must log in to the CONNECT portal on a bi-weekly basis to request benefit payment. Those who have been granted an exemption from the online application may dial 1-833-352-7759 to find out more about the weekly claiming procedure.
Fax: 1-850-617-6504
Q. What is CONNECT?
CONNECT is Floridas Reemployment Assistance claims system. CONNECT offers access to file, manage, and review your claim details 24/7.
Q. Help, I received a technical error. What do I do?
- Clearing your cache or browser history. You can do this in your web browser settings.
- CONNECT is not compatible with mobile devices. So try logging in through a desktop.
- CONNECT works best with Internet Explorer, but also works in other internet browsers.
Q. Will I be eligible for unemployment insurance while working part-time and how will it affect my claim/benefits?
If your part-time earnings are more than $58, it will be deducted from your weekly benefit amount. If your gross earnings in a week are more than your weekly benefit amount, no benefits will be paid to you for that week. You do not lose the benefits – the benefits are just not paid for that week. The benefits remain as available credits. You must also continue seeking full-time employment unless all of your work during the base period of your claim was part-time work.
Q. What am I expected to do once I complete the application process? Q. Can my claim be backdated to when I became unemployed?
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Earnings Requirement For Unemployment Eligibility In Florida
In Florida, you must meet all three of the following requirements to qualify for reemployment assistance:
- You must have earned at least $3,400 in the entire base period.
- You must have earned wages in at least two of quarters in the base period.
- Your total base period earnings must be at least 1.5 times your earnings in the highest paid calendar quarter of the period.
Floridians Unable To Work Due To Covid
Emilee Speck, Digital journalist
Many people are unable to work due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. While there are state and federal measures coming to help those impacted financially, in the more immediate future people can file for unemployment benefits.
The U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday more than 74,000 Floridians applied for unemployment benefits last week, a tenfold increase from the previous week, as the spread of the novel coronavirus shut down the states theme parks and visitors stayed away from its hotels and airports.
Across the U.S., nearly 3.3 million workers applied for jobless benefits more than quadruple the previous record set in 1982.
In Florida these benefits are called reemployment assistance and are designed to help people who are recently unemployed because they were laid of, fired or if they left their employer.
Persons who were furloughed or laid off due to COVID-19 should file for these benefits as soon as possible. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity released information about filing for reemployment benefits amid the pandemic.
Note: The website and hotlines in Florida are backlogged and many people are reporting hours-long wait times or they are unable to log in to file. The DOE is working to hire more staff and add more servers to handle the increased demand.
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What If I Am Denied Benefits How Can I Appeal A Denial Of My Claim
You could be denied benefits for a variety of reasons, including not completing paperwork in a timely manner, not having enough wages during your base period, or being disqualified because you were fired from your last position due to misconduct, among many others.
If you are denied unemployment benefits, Florida allows you to file an online appeal, by mail, or by fax. You will have 20 days to do so from the time you receive your determination notice. After receiving your appeal, the agency will schedule a telephone hearing and an appeals referee will rule on your case. A decision will then be mailed to you.
If you disagree with this decision, you can make an appeal to the Unemployment Appeals Commission, again within 20 days after you receive your notice. Commissioners will review your information and issue another written decision.
If you disagree with the Commissions findings, you can appeal that decision to the Florida District Court of Appeal.
How Much Will You Receive In Unemployment Benefits In Florida
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity determines your weekly benefit amount by taking your earnings during your highest paid quarter and dividing that amount by 26. The maximum benefit you can receive is based on the states unemployment rate. Currently, the maximum weekly benefit is $275.
In Florida, you can collect benefits for up to 12 weeks while you remain unemployed. This time limit is also based on the states unemployment rate. In times of very high unemployment, the state might make additional benefits available if you use up all of your regular benefits however, no extended benefits are available now.
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How Long Can I Collect Unemployment Benefits
You can claim Florida unemployment benefits until you hit the lower of these limits:
- Your total base period earnings divided by 4, or
However, the CARES Act extends that period by 13 weeks, allowing you to collect unemployment benefits for up to 25 weeks.
Remember, you must also stop claiming unemployment if you find new employment.
Many People In Florida Have Struggled To File A Claim
Jon Jankowski, Digital journalist
The DEO is encouraging anyone who has not filed an application should use this new mobile-friendly site.
A lot of people in Florida have struggled to file a claim.
The phone system and online system has had issues.
The following information is asked if you are submitting an application:
- Social Security number
- Drivers License or State ID number
- Employment information for the last 18 months for each employer
- Employer Name, address, phone number
- First and last day of work
- Gross earnings for the last 18 months
- Reason for separation
- If you are not a U.S. Citizen you will be asked for a registration number or other work authorization form
- A military employee should copy their DD-214 Member 4 or a copy of Member 2-7
- A federal employee should use SF-8 or SF-50
- A Union member should list a Union name, hall number, and phone number.
Copyright 2020 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
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How Much Will My Florida Unemployment Benefits Pay
The weekly payment amount you receive during unemployment will vary from person to person. The only way to be sure of your benefit amount is to submit a claim.
The state determines your weekly benefit payments based on your previous earnings during employment. In 2020, you can receive a maximum of $275 per week for 12 weeks. You are entitled to a maximum benefit amount of $3,300.
You will continue to receive Reemployment Assistance weekly for up to 12 weeks. When you secure a job, the payments will stop. However, working part-time or temporarily does not necessarily end the benefits.
End Of All Federal Unemployment Programs
While Florida will cut off extended benefits, funding and operations will continue for three remaining federal unemployment program. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation are scheduled to expire September 4, 2021.
Congress created the federal programs to supplement state benefits through the pandemic.
Florida has among the lowest state unemployment benefits in the nation, offering in regular years up to $275 per week for up to 12 weeks. Due to the 2020 unemployment rate, state law provisions temporarily offer up to 19 weekâs worth of benefits to new claimants.
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How To File An Initial Claim In The State Of Florida
Florida is one of the few states in the country to have low unemployment rates, hovering around the national average. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity administers the Reemployment Assistance Program which provides unemployment insurance benefits for up to 19 weeks for jobless workers who have been out of job due to no fault of their own. The approved monetary benefits should be claimed online on a weekly basis by the claimant.
