Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who is currently unemployed or partially unemployed can file a claim. Two determinations must be made on a claim to determine eligibility. The first determination will advise you whether you have had sufficient work and earnings in Florida to establish a monetarily eligible claim. However, a monetarily eligible claim does not necessarily mean that you are eligible to receive benefits.

The second determination relates to the reason you left your last or next- to-last employer. The agency must review the reason(s) for separation to determine if you are eligible to receive benefits. This second determination will not be issued until the claim is filed and you have actually certified for weeks of unemployment.

Eligibility for benefits is determined in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 443.

1. Monetary Eligibility

   To establish a monetarily eligible reemployment assistance claim, a person must have worked and earned wages during a specified period of time called the "base period."

   1. The Base Period:

      The base period is the first four quarters of the previous five completed quarters prior to filing a claim. The base period changes every three months at the beginning of each new quarter starting in January, April, July and October.

      For example, claims filed during April, May and June, the base period is January 1 through December 31.

      Base Period Chart
      Year Preceding Prior year		Prior Year				Current Year
      July Aug. Sept.	Oct. Nov. Dec.	Jan. Feb. March	April May June	July Aug. Sept.	Oct. Nov. Dec.	Jan. Feb. March	April May June	July Aug. Sept.	Oct. Nov. Dec.
      	Base Period (Oct. 1 – Sept. 30)				Lag quarter	Claim Filed
      		Base Period (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31)				Lag quarter	Claim Filed
      			Base Period (Apr. 1 – Mar. 31)				Lag quarter	Claim Filed
      				Base Period (July 1 – June 30)				Lag quarter	Claim Filed

   2. To qualify monetarily, a person must:

• Have been paid wages in two or more calendar quarters in the base period;
• Have total base period wages of at least 1-1/2 times the wages in the quarter having the highest earnings;
• Have at least $3,400 total wages in the base period.

This calculation is automatically done at the time you file your claim.

Calculation of the Weekly Benefit Amount:

To calculate the weekly benefit amount, use the quarter in the base period with the highest earnings and divide the earnings by 26. This number is your weekly benefit amount. The minimum weekly benefit amount is $32 and the maximum weekly benefit amount is $275.

1. Calculation of the Maximum Available Credits:

To calculate your maximum available credits, you divide your total base period wages as shown on your Wage Transcript and Determination by four. This number is the amount you have available to receive providing you meet all other eligibility requirements. The total amount of available credits can range from a minimum of $850 to a maximum of $7150. You have a one-year period from the effective date of your claim to use your Available Credits.  Once the benefits have been exhausted, you cannot file a new claim until after your benefit year-end date (BYE).  However, if Extended Benefits are available, you may be entitled to additional credits.

1. Non-Monetary Eligibility
   
   Once your claim is determined to be monetarily eligible and you have claimed weeks, your non-monetary eligibility must be determined before any benefits will be paid to you.

The information below is only meant to provide general guidelines.  The agency will obtain the necessary information and provide a written determination in accordance with the Florida Reemployment Assistance Law in Florida Statutes, Chapter 443.  For more information on the Adjudication process, click here.

1. Job Separation Issues:

   In order to receive benefits, you must have been separated from your job through no fault of your own.  After your monetary determination is issued, then the reason for separation from the last employer must be reviewed to determine if you are eligible for benefits. If you have not earned 17 times your weekly benefit amount with your last employer, the reason for separation from your next-to-the-last employer may also affect your eligibility for benefits.

   1. Discharge/Fired

      You may be eligible for benefits even if you were fired, provided you were not discharged for misconduct.  Misconduct is now defined as demonstrating conscious disregard of an employer's interests and found to be a deliberate violation of the reasonable standards or behavior which the employer expects of an employee, and may include activities that did not occur at the workplace or during working hours.  Examples of misconduct which can result in a denial of benefits include:

      • Chronic absenteeism or tardiness;
      • Willful and deliberate violation of a standard or regulation which would jeopardize the employer's Florida license or certification;
      • Violation of an employer's rules under certain circumstances.

      Inefficiency, unsatisfactory job performance, inadvertencies or ordinary negligence in isolated instances or good faith errors in judgment or discretion are not deemed to be "misconduct" within the meaning of the law, so any of these reasons would not necessarily disqualify you from receiving benefits.

   2. Voluntary Quit

      A voluntary quit is when you took the first step in leaving your job.  For example, you quit due to personal reasons, accept other work, relocate, care for a family member, distance to work, unhappy with the job, health issues, etc.  If you voluntarily quit, you will be disqualified unless you can provide evidence to support a finding you had good cause for leaving. The law provides that good cause may only consist of:

      • a cause attributable to the employer
      • illness or disability of the person filing the unemployment claim
      • recall by your permanent employer within six calendar months of a temporary termination
      • the military transfer of a spouse.
2. Other Eligibility Issues

   You must be able to work, be available for work and actively seeking employment to be eligible for benefits.  You cannot refuse a suitable job offer from a prospective employer or from a referral to a suitable job supplied by the One-Stop Career Center.

   1. Able and Available for Work:

      Agency regulations provide that to be considered available for work you must actively seek work in a manner customary to the occupation in which you are seeking. You must not have any restrictions that lessen the chance of your becoming re-employed at the earliest possible time.

   2. Work Search:

      You are required to keep a record of your work search contacts while receiving reemployment Assistance benefits.  Effective August 1, 2011, you are required on a weekly basis to make contact with five prospective employers and provide this information via the internet during your bi-weekly certification for benefits.  If you are not able to make at least five employer contacts in a week, meeting with a representative at your local One-Stop Career Center for reemployment services may satisfy this requirement for that week.

      Individuals' claim weeks of unemployment on a bi-weekly schedule and answer questions concerning their availability for work.

   3. Eligibility Reviews:

      Periodically during the claim series, an eligibility review notice, DEO Form UCB-231 is sent to the claimants concerning continued eligibility. You must complete the form and return it to the claims-taking hub address indicated on the form. When you submit the completed form, you must also include your Form DEO-UC 20A which lists your job contacts. This form will be reviewed by agency personnel and if additional information is needed you will be contacted.

   4. Initial Skills Review:

      To receive benefits, you are required to complete an initial skills review comprised of three modules designed to measure your job skill levels. This information will then be used by your Regional Workforce Board to assist in developing a plan for workforce development in your region of the state. The completion of this review does not in any way affect the outcome of other potential issues that may be affecting your claim.

While we cannot advise you concerning eligibility prior to a claim being filed, please note that if you worked for a school, reemployment assistance benefits may be denied between terms and during school breaks or when on vacation. 

Determinations concerning eligibility for benefits can only be made after a claim is filed, as we are required to obtain the facts from you and the employer concerning these and other eligibility issues.

Monetary Eligibility

A Wage Transcript and Determination form will be mailed to you about a week after filing your claim. It will tell you if you worked and earned enough wages to qualify for benefits and if you did, what your weekly and maximum benefit amounts are. A monetarily eligible claim does not necessarily mean that you are eligible to receive benefits (see Non-monetary Eligibility, below).

Non-monetary Eligibility

If your claim is monetarily eligible and you claim weeks, your claim will be reviewed to determine if you or a former employer have raised any issues that might keep you from getting paid. If there are issues, they will be investigated and one or more determinations will be sent to you to tell you if you will actually receive your benefits. This determination is normally issued about six weeks from the date you filed your claim. You must be eligible on all issues in order to get paid.

Below is a general description of the issues which can affect your claim:

• You were discharged (fired), you quit, or you are on a suspension or leave of absence from your last employer or other recent employers.
• You are a school employee and you are not working because you are between terms or on a vacation or holiday.
• You are unable or unavailable to work or to accept work or you are not looking for work or you have failed to report five contacts with prospective employers for work during a claim week..
• You are currently attending school or training.
• You are currently self-employed.
• You are receiving payments of some kind from a recent employer.
• You refused a suitable job offer or you refused a referral from the One-Stop Career Center to a suitable job.
• You failed to participate in Reemployment Services scheduled at the One-Stop Career Center.
• You failed to complete the initial skills review on the Internet.

In summary, (1) the first determination (Wage Transcript and Determination) tells you how much you will receive if all other requirements are met. (2) A non-monetary determination(s) will be issued to you on Form UCB-45 and will tell you whether or not you qualify to receive those benefits. Eligibility for benefits is determined in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 443.

If your gross earnings for a claim week are equal to or greater than your weekly benefit amount, no reemployment assistance 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 fulltime employment, unless all of your work during the base period of your claim was part-time work.

If you exhaust regular Florida benefits prior to the end of your benefit year and your final payment is for the week ending December 24, 2011 or earlier, an Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) claim will be established automatically and a determination letter sent to you.  If you did not receive an EUC determination letter within 7 days after you claimed your last weeks of unemployment, contact us at 1-800-204-2418, option 2, for assistance.

If you were mailed a final payment notice for regular, EUC Tier I, II, or III you will be automatically enrolled in the next level of EUC.

The last date of eligibility to roll into the next Tier is January 1, 2012.  If you exhaust EUC Tier I, Tier II, or, Tier III and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011 or earlier, a EUC claim for the next Tier will be established automatically and a determination letter will be sent to you.  However, due to the expiration of the federal deadline for the EUC program, weeks are not being paid after June 9, 2012.

If you exhaust EUC Tier IV and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011 or earlier, you may be eligible for benefits on the State Extended Benefits (EB).  The last week benefits can be paid on EB is January 7, 2012.

Likewise, if you exhaust regular Florida benefits and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011, you will be eligible for one week (January 7, 2012) of benefits on the EB program.

Note: If after reading the information below, you are still unclear as to where you should file your claim, file your claim with the state in which you are currently living and they will advise if you should file with another state.

You will file a claim with Florida if:

• You live in Florida and worked in Florida during the base period of your claim.
• You live in Florida and did not work during the past 18 months, but need a determination stating your ineligibility to receive unemployment benefits.
• You live in another state and worked in Florida during the base period of your claim.

You will file your claim against another state if:

• You live in another state and during the last 18 months you worked in that state only.
• You live in another state and during the last 18 months you worked in more than one state.

To file your claim against another state:

• To file a claim against another state while living out of state, click on the following link: http://www.servicelocator.org/OWSLinks.asp, choose the state in which you worked, and follow the instructions. Most states take out of state claims by phone or internet or both.
• If that state does not take claims by phone or internet from individuals living out of state, you must file your initial claim with Florida. Once the initial claim is filed, you will communicate directly with that state and all determinations and payments will be issued by that state.

If you are filing your first claim since leaving the military, your claim must be filed with the state in which you are physically located at the time you file your claim. You do not have to be living in that state permanently to file a claim against that state. If this is not your first claim since leaving the military, file your claim with the state in which you are currently living and if you need to file with another state you will be advised to do so.

File your claim with the state in which you are currently living. They will review your work history and will advise you if you need to file with another state.

A claim for reemployment assistance benefits can be filed online at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/. The Internet Claims Filing System is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You may change your PIN or speak with a claims representative by calling toll free 1-800-204-2418. Choose the language and then option 1 to change your PIN or option 2 to speak with a claims representative. The RA Hotline hours of operation can be found here. Florida law requires that the effective date of your claim will be the Sunday prior to the day you file the claim.

Except for claiming your weeks, the online system is available 24 hours/7 days-a-week.

PLEASE NOTE: The online system is only available to claim weeks Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

For more information about the claims process review the Florida Reenemployment Assistance Claim Book or visit your local One-Stop Career Center. Computers are available at the One-Stop Career Centers so that you can file your claim online.

If you are currently residing in another state, but had employment in Florida during the base period, you may file your claim online 7 days a week, 24 hours a day at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/.

You may change your PIN or speak with a claims representative by calling toll free 1-800-204-2418. Choose the language and then option 1 to change your PIN or option 2 to speak with a claims representative. The RA Hotline hours of operation can be found here. Florida law requires that the effective date of your claim will be the Sunday prior to the day you file the claim.

If you exhaust regular Florida benefits prior to the end of your “benefit year” and your final payment is for the week ending December 24, 2011 or earlier, an Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) claim will be established automatically and a determination letter sent to you. If you did not receive an EUC determination letter within 7 days after you claimed your last weeks of reemployment assistance, contact us at 1-800-204-2418, option 2 for assistance.

If you were mailed a final payment notice for regular, EUC Tier I, II, or III you will be automatically enrolled in the next level of EUC and should be able to begin certifying for weeks no later than December 23, 2010.

The last date of eligibility to roll into the next Tier is January 1, 2012. If you exhaust EUC Tier I, Tier II, or, Tier III and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011 or earlier, a EUC claim for the next Tier will be established automatically and a determination letter will be sent to you. However, due to the expiration of the federal deadline for EUC, weeks are not being paid after June 9, 2012.

If you exhaust EUC Tier IV and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011 or earlier, you will be eligible for benefits on the State Extended Benefits (EB) program. The last week benefits can be paid on EB is January 7, 2012.

Likewise, if you exhaust regular Florida benefits and your final payment is for the week ending December 31, 2011, you will be eligible for one week (January 7, 2012) of benefits on the EB program. You may apply for these benefits at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/eb_default.asp.

• Your correct Social Security Number.
• The names, addresses and phone numbers of all your employers for the last 18 months. (Site or location address and Payroll address from W2 or pay stub, if available.)
• The dates you worked and gross earnings from each employer. If you were employed for more than one year with an employer, the approximate gross earnings with that employer for a recent one year period.
• Earnings for this week since 12:01AM Sunday, if you worked this week.
• Driver's License or State Identification Card Number, voter registration number or other type of ID that could verify your identity.
• The name and local number of your labor union hall, if applicable.
• If not a U.S. citizen, your Alien Registration Number and work permit expiration date.
• If you were on active military duty within the last 2 years, certain information from your member 4, DD-214. You can file, even if you do not currently have your member 4, DD-214. NOTE: No benefits are payable until after your official military discharge date as shown in item 12b on your DD-214.
• If you were a federal employee within the last two years, your SF-50 form or SF-8 form and check stubs or W-2 proof of earnings.
• If you would like for your benefits to be deposited directly to your bank account, you will need to have one of your checks or deposit slips available.

Claims are effective at the beginning of the week in which they are filed, so you will be okay as long as you file by Saturday. See the information below for detailed information.

A claim for reemployment assistance benefits can be filed using the Internet at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/. The Internet is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If a claim is completed, submitted and a confirmation number received by Saturday at midnight, the claim will be effective that week, normally on the Sunday the week began. Claims filed on Sunday will be effective that day.

Note: You can save a partially completed internet claim to your Favorites file on your computer. However your application must be completed within 72 hours and by midnight Saturday, Eastern Time, or your information will be lost and you must restart the application.

Claims completed by Saturday at 5:00 will be effective the Sunday that began that week.

You may change your PIN or speak with a claims representative by calling toll free 1-800-204-2418. Choose the language and then option 1 to change your PIN or option 2 to speak with a claims representative. The RA Hotline hours of operation can be found here.

For uniformity claims, applications for new claims are established to begin the Sunday that begins the week in which you file your claim. This ensures you will be able to receive credit for the week. If you had a prior claim which ended during that week, or you are filing during a week in which a new calendar quarter begins and your claim needs to be effective on the first day of the new calendar quarter, the effective date of your claim may be on a day other than Sunday.

No. By law your claim is effective the week in which you file your claim.

• You may qualify for less benefits.
• You will not receive benefits for the weeks before you filed your claim.

If your benefit year has not ended yet, then you must reopen your existing claim. Note: If your benefit year has not ended and you have already served a waiting week you will not have to serve another one. Follow the procedures below to open a new or existing claim.

A claim for reemployment assistance benefits can be filed  7 days a week, 24 hours a day at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/.

Florida law requires that the effective date of your claim will be the Sunday prior to the day you file the claim.

You may change your PIN or speak with a claims representative by calling toll free 1-800-204-2418. Choose the language and then option 1 to change your PIN or option 2 to speak with a claims representative. The UC Hotline hours of operation can be found here.

For more information review the Reemployment Assistance Claim Book or visit your local  One-Stop Career Center. Computers are also available at the One-Stop Career Centers so that you can file your claim using the Internet.

If your benefit year has not ended yet, then you must reopen your existing claim. Note: If your benefit year has not ended and you have already served a waiting week you will not have to serve another one. Follow the procedures below to open a new or existing claim.

A claim for unemployment compensation benefits can be filed  7 days a week, 24 hours a day at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/.

Florida law requires that the effective date of your claim will be the Sunday prior to the day you file the claim.

You may change your PIN or speak with a claims representative by calling toll free 1-800-204-2418. Choose the language and then option 1 to change your PIN or option 2 to speak with a claims representative. The UC Hotline hours of operation can be found here.

For more information review the Reemployment Assistance Claim Book visit your local  One-Stop Career Center. Computers are also available at the One-Stop Career Centers so that you can file your claim using the Internet.

To reopen a claim against another state, click here. and choose the appropriate state. If that state does not take claims via phone or online from individuals living out of state, you must file your claim with Florida at https://www2.myflorida.com/fluid/.

You will need to call the Claims Assistance Center toll free at 1-800-204-2418, option 2 to determine if your claim was filed correctly.

You can cancel a claim within 20 days of the date that your claim was determined, provided you have not received any monetary benefits.

Once a claim has been cancelled, it cannot be reinstated.

To cancel the claim, you must request the cancellation by writing or faxing a letter to:

Department of Economic Opportunity
Special Payments Unit
P.O. Drawer 5350
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350
Fax: (850) 921-3938

In your letter, you must state the reason why you want to cancel the claim. The letter must contain your Social Security Number and your signature.

1. Wage Transcript and Determination - It is vital that you review the information on this form. Failure to report any discrepancies may result in an overpayment or an underpayment of benefits.
2. Reminder to Claim Weeks - You will receive a notification advising you of your scheduled date to claim weeks. Even if you do not receive this notice, you are still required to claim your weeks as scheduled, normally every two weeks on a Monday or Tuesday as assigned.

The Form W-4V, Income Tax Withholding Change Form is available via the Reemployment Assistance Forms Directory. Under "Claims Forms," select “DEO-UCW4T Income Tax Withholding Change Form.” Instructions for completing the form are printed on the form. The completed form must be mailed or faxed to the address below:

Department of Economic Opportunity
P.O. Box 5300
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5300
Fax: (850) 921-3865

Allow ten (10) working days for the changes to take effect.

The following information is available via phone or internet:

• Your benefit year beginning date
• Your weekly benefit amount
• Your total available credits
• When your last payment was issued and the amount of that payment
• Your remaining balance

This information can be accessed by:

• Internet: https://www2.myflorida.com/flccid/.
  • Select your language option.
  • Enter your resident state and zip code.
  • Enter your Social Security Number and your Personal Identification Number and click on ‘Get Claim Information.’
• Telephone: 1-800-204-2418
  • Select language option.
  • Select option 1, To Establish or Change Your Personal Identification Number or for Specific Claim Information.
  • Enter your Social Security Number and your Personal Identification Number.
  • If you do not have your PIN you may call 800-204-2418 and choose option 2 for assistance.

To set up a personal identification number (PIN) you must use either your computer or touch tone telephone. We do not send your PIN to you. The PIN is a 4 digit number of your choice. You may use any combination of numbers except four zeros.

To set up your PIN using the Internet:

1. Go to http://www.floridajobs.org.
2. Scroll down, select “Claim Your Weeks.”
3. Select your language option.
4. Enter your residential state and zip code.
5. In the second paragraph, you will select the underlined option “To establish or change your personal identification number (PIN), please click here."
6. You will then need to follow the instructions of entering your social security number and your PIN of exactly any four numbers except four zeros.

To set up your PIN using your touch tone telephone:

1. Call the toll free telephone number 1-800-204-2418.
2. Choose the language option 1.
3. Choose option 1 "To establish or change your personal identification number."
4. Listen and follow the instructions to "establish" your 4-digit PIN. Your PIN may be any four numbers except four zeros.

You must call the Claims Assistance Center toll free at 1-800-204-2418, option 2 and ask the representative to reset your PIN. You will then be able to establish a PIN using either the Internet or your touch tone telephone.

To change a personal identification number (PIN) you must use either your computer or touch tone telephone. We do not send your PIN to you. The PIN is a 4 digit number of your choice. You may use any combination of numbers except four (4) zeros.

To change your PIN online:

1. Go to https://www2.myflorida.com/flccid/.
2. Select your language option.
3. Enter your residential state and zip code.
4. In the second paragraph, you will select the underlined option “To establish or change your personal identification number (PIN), please click here."
5. You will then need to follow the instructions of entering your social security number and your PIN of exactly any four numbers except four zeros.

To change your PIN using your touch tone telephone:

1. Call the toll free telephone number 1-800-204-2418.
2. Choose the language option 1.
3. Choose option 1 "To establish or change your personal identification number."
4. Listen and follow the instructions to "change" your 4-digit PIN. Your PIN may be any four numbers except four zeros.

You must call the Claims Assistance Center toll free at 1-800-204-2418, option 2 and ask the representative to reset your PIN. You will then be able to establish a PIN using either the Internet or your touch-tone telephone.

Although state and federal laws require you to be able and available for work each week you certify for benefits, and to accept suitable work when offered to you, these requirements can be waived during weeks you are enrolled full-time in an department-approved college degree or other training program. You may obtain department approval for programs one of two ways: 

Approval of Education/Training from the One-Stop Career Center

Full-time training funded through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) by a Regional Workforce Board One-Stop Career Center is considered approved training. You must contact your local One-Stop Career Center to see if you are eligible for such training.Locate the One-Stop Career Center nearest you.

Please note, your education or training program must be in an occupation considered to be in demand. One-Stop staff can assist you in identifying targeted/demand occupations or you can review a list of in-demand occupations. View occupations in demand for 2012.

Once you have enrolled in WIA or TAA-funded training, the One-Stop Career Center will automatically send a notice to the department’s Office of Reemployment Assistance. You should continue to receive your reemployment assistance benefits with minimal or no interruption. 

Approval of Education/Training from the Office of Reemployment Assistance (RA)

If you do not qualify for education or training through the One-Stop Career Center, but would like to pursue full-time education or training (whether personally funded, or funded by other grants or loans), you may still qualify for reemployment assistance by following the process below.

• Enroll in education or training program (you must be enrolled at the time the request for training approval is made)
• Notify RA via the Internet or phone when certifying weeks that you would like to be approved for training.

 The education or training program must meet the following criteria to be approved by the department:

• You should have existing skills that will be complemented by the training.
• There must be little demand for jobs in the field in which you are currently skilled.
• The training must be a vocational, technical, intern, managerial, high school equivalency, or academic program designed to prepare you for gainful employment.
• There must be a reasonable expectation that you will become employed upon completion of the training

The training course or school must be approved by the Florida Department of Education (or other official governmental approving department within the state where the training is being conducted).