TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued its weekly Reemployment Assistance updates. Daily updates can be found on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard.

PAYMENT PROGRESS:

• As of January 5, DEO has paid 2,442,032 claimants more than $31.9 billion ($31,902,394,348). Over 5.8 million (5,856,792) unique claims have been processed, representing 99.7 percent of unique claims submitted.  
• 97.9 percent of all eligible benefits requested prior to December 10, 2021, for state Reemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) have been paid to claimants. Additionally, 99.9 percent of all eligible benefits requested by claimants for weeks of unemployment prior to July 25, 2020, have also received their corresponding Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefits for that week. 
• DEO recommends that claimants and employers utilize the Reemployment Assistance Help Center—an online portal for claimants and employers to provide and receive additional information from DEO. This online resource continues to be updated with additional features for claimants and employers to notify DEO of instances of Reemployment Assistance fraud or identity theft, provide documentation to DEO, and has several resourceful materials for claimants or employers who have additional questions. To visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center, click here. 

Overpayments

• This month, DEO will begin issuing the overpayment determinations for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and Lost Wages Assistance (LWA).
• If a claimant previously received a Notice of Disqualification with an overpayment for weeks of unemployment where the claimant received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), or state Reemployment Assistance benefits, the claimant will soon receive an additional notice for the same weeks of unemployment for the federal programs listed above, as applicable.
• DEO encourages all claimants to monitor and check their Reemployment Assistance account for updates if they have received a state or federal overpayment to potentially reverse or relieve the overpayment established.
• If you received an overpayment for Reemployment Assistance benefits between March 1, 2020, and September 4, 2021, through no fault of your own, the state of Florida is not referring overpayments to collection agencies to ensure claimants do not experience adverse impacts to their credit scores. Additionally, the state of Florida is not pursuing enforcement actions regarding non-fraudulent state Reemployment Assistance overpayments.  
• The federal government sometimes requires enforcement actions to recoup federal overpayments. However, in some circumstances, the federal government also allows you to be eligible for a waiver from a federal overpayment. Federal Reemployment Assistance benefits include PUA, FPUC, LWA, PEUC, and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) programs.
• If you received a federal overpayment, you have the following options: 
  • Apply for a federal overpayment waiver;
  • Appeal the Notice of Determination; and/or
  • Repay the overpayment.
• These actions or options do not apply to fraudulent overpayments and DEO will continue to investigate fraudulent overpayments to ensure individuals and bad actors are held accountable for their fraudulent actions in accordance with the law. 
• DEO remains committed to Floridians and understands the financial hardships and uncertainty the pandemic has caused for many claimants and their families.
• In addition, to assist claimants in navigating overpayments on their accounts, DEO has made the following resources available:
  • FloridaJobs.org/Overpayments - with easy-to-understand information and resources on overpayments
  • Reemployment Assistance Overpayments Guide for applying for an overpayment waiver
  • Informational Flyers with helpful information on overpayments and overpayment waivers
  • FloridaJobs.org/RAHelpCenter - Reemployment Assistance Help Center self-service paths for notice of disqualification, overpayment, and appeals assistance
• For more information about Reemployment Assistance overpayments, click here.

Update to the Amount of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Weeks

• Each year, the maximum number of weeks available to Reemployment Assistance claimants is calculated based on the average unemployment rate for the most recent third calendar year quarter.
  • The maximum duration of benefits is 12 weeks if this statewide average unemployment rate is at or below 5 percent.
  • An additional week is added to the maximum duration of benefit weeks for each of 0.5 percentage point increment in the statewide average unemployment rate above 5 percent.
• Based on the average 2021 third quarter statewide unemployment rate of 5 percent, beginning January 1, 2022, any new state Reemployment Assistance claim filed is eligible for up to 12 weeks of benefits.

CONNECT Hours

• DEO will be conducting nightly maintenance to the CONNECT system to process claims and payments. CONNECT's regularly scheduled hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. daily, Monday - Friday.
• Beginning Saturday, January 8, through Sunday, January 9, CONNECT will be unavailable to claimants while DEO works to continue to process payments, and send necessary correspondence to claimants. CONNECT will be available Monday, January 10, at 8:00 a.m.
• 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 atwww.FloridaJobs.org and select "File a Claim."  

Customer Service Centers

• The Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center is available this week Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for all account inquiries and questions. On Saturday, January 8, through Sunday, January 9, staff resources will be dedicated to processing claims and payments. The Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center will reopen Monday, January 10, at 7:30 a.m.
• For additional questions, please visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center. This online portal can assist claimants or employers provide additional information to DEO. Individuals can also notify DEO of suspected Reemployment Assistance fraud or identity theft. To access this new online portal, click here.

Additional Resources

• If an individual is not eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance benefits, there are additional resources readily available to Floridians and their families.
• DEO, in partnership with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), provide additional opportunities and resources for Florida families who need additional assistance. Resources include food assistance for low-income households, medical assistance, and temporary financial assistance to families who qualify. For more information, click here. 

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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