Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update – August 26

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) today issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of August 25, DEO has paid 1,913,474 claimants a total of nearly $14.3 billion ($14,286,579,358). More than 3.5 million (3,533,477) unique claims have been processed, representing 97.9% of unique claims submitted.

UPDATES:

• Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Department will submit Florida’s application to participate in the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program.
• This program, authorized by a memorandum from President Trump, provides additional temporary benefits for individuals who are eligible for Reemployment Assistance for weeks of unemployment ending on or after Aug. 1, 2020.
• Pending federal approval, this will allow Florida to offer an additional $300 per week to eligible Reemployment Assistance claimants. To be eligible for this benefit, claimants must be currently receiving at least $100 in an approved Reemployment Assistance program weekly benefit amount and must certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Pending approval of Florida’s application, payments will be retroactive to August 1, 2020.
• The Department is currently preparing to implement the LWA program to ensure eligible Floridians receive the additional benefits as quickly as possible. More information can be found here.

• The Federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, offered through the federal CARES Act and administered by DEO, provides up to 13 weeks of benefits to a claimant who has exhausted their Reemployment Assistance benefits. Floridians will need to apply for PEUC benefits once the balance of their current claim is exhausted. Floridians who have already exhausted their benefits or have a Reemployment Assistance claim that expired after July 1, 2019, will also be able to apply.

• The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program provides unemployment benefits to those that may not otherwise be eligible under Florida’s state Reemployment Assistance program, including independent contractors and individuals who are self-employed. Individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19 and believe they may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, can visit www.FloridaJobs.org and select “File a Claim” to apply and be considered for PUA.

• DEO will be conducting nightly maintenance to the CONNECT system to process claims and payments. CONNECT will be available from 8 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. daily. This schedule does not affect individuals that wish to file a new claim. Individuals can file a new claim 24 hours a day, seven days per week at www.FloridaJobs.org and select “File a Claim.”
• Governor DeSantis has directed DEO to continue waiving the work search, work registration requirements and waiting week requirement for claimants through September 5, 2020.
• The Department has recently shared a video to help claimants understand claim messages and statuses in CONNECT. This video can be viewed here.
• The Department has updated benefit payment statuses to reflect the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments in CONNECT. To better understand a claimant’s Reemployment Assistance weekly benefit payment status, view the step by step guide here and the video here.

• DEO has a mobile-friendly online application for individuals filing a new Reemployment Assistance claim available here. For a step by step guide on how to apply read more here. For the Reemployment Assistance Resource Guide which includes frequently asked questions, please click here. For additional information about Reemployment Assistance benefits visit www.FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19.

About DEO
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.FloridaJobs.org.