Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update – November 6

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) today issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of November 5, DEO has paid 2,088,238 claimants $18.2 billion ($18,229,673,607). More than 4.3 million (4,326,143) unique claims have been processed, representing 99.1% of unique claims submitted.

UPDATES:
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity remains committed to providing eligible Floridians the benefits they are owed as quickly as possible.

• Extended Benefits Update: As previously mentioned, due to the drastic increase in the Florida unemployment rate in early 2020, Extended Benefits was triggered for the first time since 2009. Extended Benefits is a federal program implemented by the state. Extended Benefits authorizes up-to an additional six weeks of benefits to eligible individuals who have exhausted Reemployment Assistance benefits during periods of high unemployment.
• The Department has been notified by the U.S. Department of Labor that due to a 13 week average decrease in new individuals continuing to claim Reemployment Assistance benefits in Florida, Extended Benefits will end on November 7. This means that only individuals who have exhausted their Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits between June 7, 2020, and November 7, 2020, may be eligible for the six weeks of Extended Benefits when the application is available in the CONNECT system.
• Individuals who have exhausted their Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits after November 7, 2020, will not be eligible for Extended Benefits. They will however receive the opportunity to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Individuals should review the application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and may apply to determine if they are eligible.
• The Department is working diligently to stand up the Extended Benefits program as quickly as possible. The Department anticipates having the Extended Benefits application completed and ready for Floridians in December.
• In the meantime, Floridians who have exhausted their Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits and may be eligible for Extended Benefits will receive the opportunity to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Individuals should review the application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and may apply to determine if they are eligible.
• Once Extended Benefits is available in the CONNECT system, the Department will do continued outreach to those individuals to ensure they receive benefits from the appropriate program.
• Click here to review all of the Florida Reemployment Assistance benefit programs.
• As individuals exhaust all of the available Reemployment Assistance benefit programs, the Department is working to point them to other local, state and federal resources available.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance: The Department is reminding residents and businesses in counties impacted by Hurricane Sally that the application deadline for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is today, November 6.
• Florida residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Sally can apply for DUA. DUA is available for weeks of unemployment beginning September 20, 2020, until March 27, 2021, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a direct result of Hurricane Sally.
• DEO is currently accepting applications for DUA from residents in Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties.
• Click here to find information on how to apply for DUA and Frequently Asked Questions. Learn more 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 claimants who 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 Reemployment Assistance claims 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.

• The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has been dedicated to paying eligible Floridians the reemployment assistance benefits they are owed as quickly as possible while improving the customer experience and promoting more efficient claims processing.
• Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Centers are available today, Friday, November 6, from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. for all account inquiries and questions and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, November 9. On Saturday, November 7 – Sunday, November 8, staff resources will be dedicated to processing claims and payments.
• CONNECT will be available from 8:00 a.m. – 7:59 p.m. on Friday, November 6 and 8:00 a.m. – 4:59 p.m. on Saturday, November 7. CONNECT will be unavailable on Sunday, November 8. CONNECT will be available at 8:00 a.m. Monday, November 9.
• This schedule does not affect individuals who 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 Ron DeSantis has directed DEO to continue waiving the work search and work registration requirements for claimants. These requirements will continue to be waived through December 5, 2020.
• Additionally, the waiting week requirement will continue to be waived through December 5, 2020.

• DEO has a mobile-friendly online application for individuals filing a new Reemployment Assistance claim, which is 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.