TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of September 17, DEO has paid 1,986,571 claimants a total of $16.4 billion ($16,419,950,438). More than 3.7 million (3,769,954) 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: Due to the unforeseen public health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19, multiple benefit programs have been developed to provide benefits for Floridians in need, including Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Additionally, 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 6 weeks of benefits to eligible individuals who have exhausted Reemployment Assistance benefits during periods of high unemployment.
• 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.
• Floridians who have exhausted their state Reemployment Assistance and 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 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 are receiving benefits from the appropriate program.
• Click here to review all of the Florida Reemployment Assistance benefit programs.
• Additional Weeks: Each year, the number of weeks for state Reemployment Assistance is calculated based on the average unemployment rate for the most recent third calendar year quarter. After the September 2020 unemployment rate is released in October, the Department will be able to determine if additional weeks will be added to the current 12 week benefit duration for state Reemployment Assistance. Additional weeks would go into effect in January 2021, based on the average unemployment rate for the third calendar quarter of 2020 and will apply to any new state Reemployment Assistance claims filed in 2021. 

PANDEMIC EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION:

• 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. 

PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE:

• 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. 

ADDITIONAL UPDATES:

• 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, September 18, from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. for all account inquiries and questions and will reopen at 7:30 am on Monday, September 21. On Saturday, September 19 – Sunday, September 20, 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, September 18 and 8:00 a.m. – 4:59 p.m. on Saturday, September 19. CONNECT will be unavailable on Sunday, September 20. CONNECT will be available at 8:00 a.m. Monday, September 21.
• 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 for an additional 90 days. 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

HOW TO APPLY FOR REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE:

• 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.

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