Unemployment Florida Application: How to File for Benefits

In the event you’ve misplaced your job in Florida, chances are you’ll be eligible for unemployment advantages. The Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) supplies short-term monetary help to eligible staff who’ve misplaced their jobs by no fault of their very own. This text will information you thru the method of submitting for unemployment advantages in Florida, together with the eligibility necessities, utility course of, and easy methods to attraction a denied declare.

Submitting for unemployment advantages generally is a complicated and time-consuming course of, however we’re right here to assist. We’ll clarify every part it’s worthwhile to learn about submitting for unemployment advantages in Florida, from eligibility necessities to the appeals course of.

Able to study extra? Maintain studying for our complete information to submitting for unemployment advantages in Florida.

unemployment florida utility

Vital issues it’s worthwhile to know:

Eligible if misplaced job by no fault
Apply on-line or by telephone
You’ll need: SSN, DL, earnings data
Weekly profit quantity varies
Advantages paid for as much as 26 weeks
Attraction course of if declare denied
File inside 21 days of job loss
PUA for self-employed staff
PEUC extends advantages as much as 53 weeks
FPUC supplies further $300 per week

For extra detailed info, please go to the Florida Division of Financial Alternative web site or name the unemployment help telephone quantity offered.

Eligible if misplaced job by no fault

To be eligible for unemployment advantages in Florida, you could have misplaced your job by no fault of your individual. Which means you weren’t fired for misconduct, akin to violating firm coverage or breaking the regulation. You additionally should not have give up your job voluntarily with out good trigger. Good trigger contains:

Being pressured to resign resulting from sexual harassment or discrimination
Leaving a job to guard your well being or the well being of your loved ones
Leaving a job since you have been relocating to your partner’s job
Leaving a job since you have been unable to search out childcare

In case you are not sure whether or not you qualify as having misplaced your job by no fault of your individual, you possibly can contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) for steerage. The DEO will evaluation your circumstances and decide in case you are eligible for advantages.

Along with shedding your job by no fault of your individual, you could additionally meet sure different eligibility necessities to qualify for unemployment advantages in Florida. These necessities embody:

You have to have labored in Florida for no less than six of the final 12 months.
You have to have earned no less than $3,400 in wages throughout the base interval (the primary 4 of the final 5 accomplished calendar quarters).
You should be ready and obtainable to work.
You should be actively in search of work.

In the event you meet the entire eligibility necessities, you possibly can apply for unemployment advantages on-line or by telephone. The DEO will evaluation your utility and decide in case you are accepted for advantages.

In case you are accepted for advantages, you’ll obtain a dedication letter from the DEO. This letter will clarify how a lot you’ll obtain in advantages every week and the way lengthy you’ll obtain advantages. Additionally, you will obtain a debit card that you should utilize to entry your advantages.

Apply on-line or by telephone

You possibly can apply for unemployment advantages in Florida on-line or by telephone. The net utility is out there on the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) web site. The telephone quantity for the DEO is 1-800-385-3920.

Apply on-line:

To use on-line, you will have to create an account on the DEO web site. After you have created an account, you can begin the appliance course of. You’ll need to supply details about your work historical past, your earnings, and your motive for job loss. Additionally, you will must add copies of your identification paperwork and your Social Safety card.
Apply by telephone:

To use by telephone, you will have to name the DEO at 1-800-385-3920. A customer support consultant will make it easier to with the appliance course of. You’ll need to supply the identical info that you’d present in the event you have been making use of on-line.
Suggestions for making use of:

Whether or not you might be making use of on-line or by telephone, there are some things you are able to do to make the method simpler:
- Collect your entire paperwork earlier than you begin the appliance.
- Ensure you have a secure web connection in case you are making use of on-line.
- Be ready to reply questions on your work historical past and your motive for job loss.
- Be affected person. The appliance course of can take a while.
What occurs after you apply:

After you have submitted your utility, the DEO will evaluation it and decide in case you are eligible for advantages. You’ll obtain a dedication letter within the mail inside 10 days of submitting your utility. The dedication letter will clarify how a lot you’ll obtain in advantages every week and the way lengthy you’ll obtain advantages. Additionally, you will obtain a debit card that you should utilize to entry your advantages.

When you’ve got any questions concerning the utility course of, you possibly can contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

You’ll need: SSN, DL, earnings data

While you apply for unemployment advantages in Florida, you will have to supply the next info:

Social Safety quantity (SSN): Your SSN is used to confirm your id and to trace your earnings historical past.
Driver’s license (DL): Your DL is used to confirm your id and your residency in Florida.
Revenue info: You’ll need to supply details about your earnings from all sources, together with wages, self-employment earnings, and another earnings you obtain.

You could find your SSN and DL in your Social Safety card and driver’s license, respectively. You could find your earnings info in your pay stubs, tax returns, and different monetary paperwork.

It is very important present correct and full info in your unemployment utility. If you don’t present the entire required info, your utility could also be delayed or denied.

Listed below are some further ideas for offering your SSN, DL, and earnings info:

Ensure you have your Social Safety card and driver’s license with you if you apply for unemployment advantages.
Collect your entire pay stubs, tax returns, and different monetary paperwork earlier than you begin the appliance.
In case you are self-employed, you will have to supply proof of your earnings, akin to invoices, contracts, and financial institution statements.
When you’ve got any questions on what earnings info to supply, you possibly can contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) at 1-800-385-3920.

The DEO will use the data you present to find out in case you are eligible for unemployment advantages and the way a lot you’ll obtain in advantages every week.

When you’ve got any questions on offering your SSN, DL, or earnings info, you possibly can contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

Weekly profit quantity varies

The weekly profit quantity you obtain in Florida will differ relying in your earnings historical past. The utmost weekly profit quantity is $275. Nonetheless, most individuals will obtain lower than this quantity.

To calculate your weekly profit quantity, the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) will take a look at your wages throughout the base interval. The bottom interval is the primary 4 of the final 5 accomplished calendar quarters.

The DEO will then calculate your common weekly wage throughout the base interval. Your weekly profit quantity shall be 60% of your common weekly wage, as much as the utmost profit quantity of $275.

For instance, in case your common weekly wage throughout the base interval was $400, your weekly profit quantity can be $240 (60% of $400).

There are some things that may have an effect on your weekly profit quantity:

Your earnings historical past: The upper your earnings historical past, the upper your weekly profit quantity shall be.
The state of the economic system: In instances of excessive unemployment, the utmost weekly profit quantity could also be elevated.
Federal applications: There are a selection of federal applications that may present further unemployment advantages, such because the Pandemic Unemployment Help (PUA) program.

In case you are not sure how a lot your weekly profit quantity shall be, you should utilize the DEO’s on-line calculator to estimate your advantages.

It’s also possible to contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920 to talk with a customer support consultant. They will help you calculate your weekly profit quantity and reply another questions you have got about unemployment advantages.

Advantages paid for as much as 26 weeks

In Florida, unemployment advantages are paid for as much as 26 weeks. Nonetheless, there are a number of exceptions to this rule.

Prolonged advantages: In instances of excessive unemployment, the federal authorities could present further unemployment advantages, often called prolonged advantages. Prolonged advantages can present as much as 13 further weeks of advantages.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC): The PEUC program supplies as much as 13 further weeks of advantages to people who’ve exhausted their common unemployment advantages and who’re nonetheless unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal-State Prolonged Advantages (FSEB): The FSEB program supplies as much as 20 further weeks of advantages to people who’ve exhausted their common unemployment advantages and who’re nonetheless unemployed resulting from a pure catastrophe.
Commerce Readjustment Allowance (TRA): The TRA program supplies as much as 52 weeks of advantages to people who’ve misplaced their jobs resulting from international commerce.

In case you are not sure whether or not you might be eligible for prolonged advantages, you possibly can contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) at 1-800-385-3920.

Attraction course of if declare denied

In case your unemployment declare is denied, you have got the best to attraction the choice. The attraction course of is as follows:

File an attraction inside 21 days of receiving the denial letter. You possibly can file an attraction on-line, by mail, or by telephone. The contact info for the appeals workplace is included in your denial letter.
Collect proof to help your attraction. This will likely embody pay stubs, tax returns, and another paperwork that present you might be eligible for unemployment advantages.
Attend your attraction listening to. You should have the chance to current your case to an appeals referee. The referee will evaluation the proof and decide in your attraction.
Obtain a call in your attraction. The referee will ship you a written choice inside 10 days of the listening to. If the referee upholds the denial of your declare, you possibly can attraction the choice to the Florida Unemployment Appeals Fee.

The appeals course of can take a number of months. Nonetheless, it is very important attraction your declare in the event you imagine you might be eligible for unemployment advantages.

Listed below are some ideas for interesting a denied unemployment declare:

File your attraction on time. You have got solely 21 days to file an attraction after receiving the denial letter.
Collect as a lot proof as doable to help your attraction. This will likely embody pay stubs, tax returns, and another paperwork that present you might be eligible for unemployment advantages.
Be ready to current your case on the attraction listening to. It’s best to have the ability to clarify why you imagine you might be eligible for unemployment advantages and why the denial of your declare was incorrect.
Be affected person. The appeals course of can take a number of months. Nonetheless, it is very important be affected person and to see the method by.

When you’ve got any questions concerning the appeals course of, you possibly can contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) at 1-800-385-3920.

File inside 21 days of job loss

To be eligible for unemployment advantages in Florida, you could file your declare inside 21 days of shedding your job. It is a strict deadline, so it is very important file your declare as quickly as doable.

Why is there a 21-day deadline?

The 21-day deadline is in place to forestall fraud and to make sure that advantages are paid to those that are actually unemployed.
What occurs if I miss the deadline?

In the event you miss the 21-day deadline, you should still have the ability to file a declare, however you’ll possible lose advantages for the weeks that you simply have been eligible however didn’t file.
How do I file a declare?

You possibly can file a declare on-line, by mail, or by telephone. The contact info for the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) is out there on their web site.
What info do I must file a declare?

While you file a declare, you will have to supply details about your work historical past, your earnings, and your motive for job loss. Additionally, you will want to supply your Social Safety quantity and your driver’s license quantity.

When you’ve got any questions on submitting a declare, you possibly can contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

PUA for self-employed staff

The Pandemic Unemployment Help (PUA) program supplies unemployment advantages to self-employed staff, gig staff, and others who are usually not eligible for conventional unemployment advantages. To be eligible for PUA, you could meet the next standards:

You have to have been unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable to work resulting from COVID-19.
You have to not be eligible for normal unemployment advantages.
You should be ready and obtainable to work.
You should be actively in search of work.

In the event you meet the eligibility standards, you possibly can apply for PUA on-line or by telephone. The Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) will evaluation your utility and decide in case you are eligible for advantages.

The weekly profit quantity for PUA is identical because the weekly profit quantity for normal unemployment advantages. Nonetheless, the utmost variety of weeks you possibly can obtain PUA advantages is 39.

The PUA program is scheduled to finish on September 4, 2021. Nonetheless, Congress could lengthen this system if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a damaging affect on the economic system.

When you’ve got any questions concerning the PUA program, you possibly can contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

PEUC extends advantages as much as 53 weeks

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program supplies further unemployment advantages to people who’ve exhausted their common unemployment advantages. To be eligible for PEUC, you could meet the next standards:

You have to have exhausted your common unemployment advantages.
You have to nonetheless be unemployed or partially unemployed resulting from COVID-19.
You should be ready and obtainable to work.
You should be actively in search of work.

In the event you meet the eligibility standards, you possibly can apply for PEUC on-line or by telephone. The Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) will evaluation your utility and decide in case you are eligible for advantages.

The weekly profit quantity for PEUC is identical because the weekly profit quantity for normal unemployment advantages. Nonetheless, the utmost variety of weeks you possibly can obtain PEUC advantages is 13.

Along with the 13 weeks of PEUC advantages, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 supplies a further 11 weeks of PEUC advantages.
Which means people who’re eligible for PEUC can now obtain as much as 24 weeks of PEUC advantages.

The PEUC program is scheduled to finish on September 4, 2021. Nonetheless, Congress could lengthen this system if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a damaging affect on the economic system.

FPUC supplies further $300 per week

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program supplies a further $300 per week to people who’re receiving unemployment advantages. The FPUC program is a short lived program that was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This system is scheduled to finish on September 4, 2021. Nonetheless, Congress could lengthen this system if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a damaging affect on the economic system.

To be eligible for FPUC, you should be receiving unemployment advantages from a state or federal program. You do not want to use for FPUC individually. The extra $300 per week shall be routinely added to your unemployment advantages.

The FPUC program has been a lifeline for a lot of unemployed staff. The extra $300 per week has helped to exchange misplaced wages and preserve households afloat throughout the pandemic.

When you’ve got any questions concerning the FPUC program, you possibly can contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) at 1-800-385-3920.

FAQ

Listed below are some ceaselessly requested questions on unemployment advantages in Florida:

Query 1: Am I eligible for unemployment advantages in Florida?
Reply 1: To be eligible for unemployment advantages in Florida, you could have misplaced your job by no fault of your individual, have labored in Florida for no less than six of the final 12 months, have earned no less than $3,400 in wages throughout the base interval, and give you the option and obtainable to work.

Query 2: How do I apply for unemployment advantages in Florida?
Reply 2: You possibly can apply for unemployment advantages on-line or by telephone. The Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) web site has directions on easy methods to apply.

Query 3: How a lot will I obtain in unemployment advantages?
Reply 3: The weekly profit quantity you obtain will differ relying in your earnings historical past. The utmost weekly profit quantity is $275. Nonetheless, most individuals will obtain lower than this quantity.

Query 4: How lengthy will I obtain unemployment advantages?
Reply 4: You possibly can obtain unemployment advantages for as much as 26 weeks. Nonetheless, there are a number of exceptions to this rule. You could possibly obtain prolonged advantages when you’ve got exhausted your common unemployment advantages and you might be nonetheless unemployed.

Query 5: What’s the PUA program?
Reply 5: The PUA program supplies unemployment advantages to self-employed staff, gig staff, and others who are usually not eligible for conventional unemployment advantages.

Query 6: What’s the PEUC program?
Reply 6: The PEUC program supplies further unemployment advantages to people who’ve exhausted their common unemployment advantages.

Query 7: What’s the FPUC program?
Reply 7: The FPUC program supplies a further $300 per week to people who’re receiving unemployment advantages.

Closing Paragraph for FAQ: When you’ve got another questions on unemployment advantages in Florida, you possibly can contact the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

We hope this FAQ part has been useful. For extra info, please go to the Florida Division of Financial Alternative web site.

Suggestions

Listed below are a number of ideas for making use of for and receiving unemployment advantages in Florida:

Tip 1: Apply as quickly as doable. The earlier you apply for unemployment advantages, the earlier you’ll begin receiving them. You possibly can apply on-line or by telephone.

Tip 2: Collect your entire paperwork earlier than you apply. You’ll need to supply details about your work historical past, your earnings, and your motive for job loss. You could find an inventory of required paperwork on the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) web site.

Tip 3: Be ready to attend. It will probably take a number of weeks to course of an unemployment declare. Be affected person and proceed to file your weekly claims.

Tip 4: Attraction in case your declare is denied. In case your unemployment declare is denied, you have got the best to attraction the choice. The appeals course of may be complicated, so it is very important search authorized help in the event you want it.

Closing Paragraph for Suggestions: We hope the following pointers have been useful. For extra info, please go to the DEO web site or name the DEO at 1-800-385-3920.

Conclusion

On this article, we now have mentioned the details of submitting for unemployment advantages in Florida. We now have coated the eligibility necessities, the appliance course of, the appeals course of, and the varied kinds of unemployment advantages obtainable.

We perceive that shedding your job generally is a nerve-racking and tough expertise. We hope this text has offered you with the data it’s worthwhile to apply for and obtain unemployment advantages in Florida. When you’ve got any questions, please contact the Florida Division of Financial Alternative (DEO) at 1-800-385-3920.

We need to emphasize the significance of making use of for unemployment advantages as quickly as doable. The earlier you apply, the earlier you’ll begin receiving advantages. You possibly can apply on-line or by telephone. You’ll need to supply details about your work historical past, your earnings, and your motive for job loss.

We additionally need to remind you that you’ve got the best to attraction in case your declare is denied. The appeals course of may be complicated, so it is very important search authorized help in the event you want it.

We hope this text has been useful. We want you all the perfect in your job search.