UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
EXTENDED BENEFITS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are Extended Benefits?Extended Benefits (EB) are additional unemployment compensation (UC) benefits payable to qualified individuals when an “Extended Benefit Period” occurs in Florida. EB is payable only for weeks of unemployment during an EB period. These benefits are different than the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits currently available. The Florida Legislature has passed Senate Bill 810. This bill has a provision that will result in the Agency for Workforce Innovation implementing EB retroactively to the week beginning February 22, 2009.
Who is eligible to receive Extended Benefits?
Extended Benefits (EB) are available only to individuals who meet all eligibility conditions during an EB period. This includes additional eligibility requirements that do not apply to regular UC. The individual must exhaust all entitlement to regular and EUC benefits before receiving EB.
You may be eligible for EB if:
- You are totally or partially unemployed.
- You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) benefits prior to February 22, 2009 but your benefit year ends after February 22, 2009.
- You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation benefits after February 22, 2009.
- You are not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits in any state (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, The District of Columbia) or Canada.
- You satisfy all requirements of the Florida UC Law that apply to regular UC and EB, such as being able and available for work, and have not been disqualified from receiving benefits based on your reason for separation.
- You actively seek work for each EB week claimed and provide the work search record as instructed.
- You do not refuse an offer of suitable work or fail to apply for suitable work.
When does an EB period begin?
The current EB period begins with the week beginning February 22, 2009.
How do I apply for EB?
You may apply for EB by Internet at http://www.floridajobs.org/ or by completing and mailing the EB application to the address indicated on the EB notice/application you will be receiving in the mail.
How will I be notified of EB and when can I expect my first payment?
A notice/application will be mailed to all individuals potentially eligible for EB advising them how to file for EB. Notices and applications will be mailed beginning June 3, 2009. We anticipate to begin making retroactive payments in early July.
What is the first week payable on EB?
The week beginning February 22, 2009 and ending February 28, 2009.
What is the last week payable on EB?
Currently, the week beginning December 27, 2009 and ending January 2, 2010 is the last week payable on EB.
Will I be paid retroactive to February 22, 2009?
EB benefits will be payable retroactive to the week beginning February 22, 2009 provided all eligibility requirements are met.
What is the last date that EB can be established on a claim?
The week beginning December 27, 2009 and ending January 2, 2010.
What is the amount of EB I will be paid?
The EB weekly benefit amount is the same as the weekly benefit amount received on your most recent regular/emergency claim. You may be entitled to up to 20 weeks of EB. If you are entitled to Trade Readjustment Allowances, you may receive fewer weeks of EB.
How will I claim weeks for EB?
If your Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits exhausted prior to July 1, 2009, a packet with forms and instructions for filing your retroactive EB claim and weekly EB claim certifications was mailed to you.
If you file your retroactive EB claim by Internet, you will be given the opportunity to claim weeks up to the week ending date prior to the filing date of your claim. To claim retroactive weeks after the filing date of your claim, you will need to complete the EB Retroactive Weekly Claim Certification forms sent to you by the Agency and mail them to us on the dates indicated on the forms.
If you file your retroactive EB claim by mail, you will need to complete the EB Retroactive Weekly Claim Certification forms sent to you by the Agency and mail them to us on the dates indicated on the forms.
When your retroactive EB claim is established, you will be mailed an EB certification Form UCB-60VEB with reporting instructions to claim weeks through the week ending July 11 either by Internet or by mail. You will be able to certify for previously unclaimed EB weeks by the internet on or after the scheduled report date shown at the top of the UCB-60VEB. When claiming weeks by Internet, all available weeks will be displayed one week at a time. Weeks previously claimed will not be displayed. After the week ending July 11 is claimed, EB Weekly Certification Forms UCB-60EB will be mailed to you with instructions for claiming weeks by Internet or mail.
If your EUC benefits exhaust on or after July 1, 2009, a packet with forms and instructions for filing your EB claim will be mailed to you. When your EB claim is established, EB Weekly Certification Forms UCB-60EB will be mailed to you with instructions for claiming weeks by Internet or mail.
When can I expect my first payment?
If you submitted an EB application and claimed retroactive weeks, you will receive a determination of eligibility and, if eligible, an initial payment no later than July 24th.
If your Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits exhausted on or after July 1, 2009 and you submitted an EB application, you will receive a determination of eligibility and forms for claiming weeks. If eligible, a payment for claimed weeks will be made within three weeks of the receipt of your application.
EB payment and work search requirements
EB laws require a review of your work search record after you have been notified of the EB work search requirement. The week ending 7/25/09 and thereafter will require a review of your work search record before payment can be released. Payments will be processed as soon as the work search record has been reviewed.
How will I be paid?
EB is paid either by direct deposit or warrant (check). You will be able to start or change direct deposit banking information while claiming weeks by Internet.
What if I reside in another state?
Your entitlement will be based upon the EB conditions of the State in which you reside.
What are EB work search requirements?
- You must make a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work during each week that EB is claimed. This means that you must conduct at least two work search activities per week on separate days.
NOTE: There are many ways to search for work. You may contact the person authorized to hire for a potential employer or follow the job application process specified by the employer. You may attend a job fair or utilize the reemployment services available through your local One Stop Career Center. You may contact your union hiring hall or do what is customary in the community and labor market to find work. In addition, resumes submitted via the Internet are acceptable.
- You must provide tangible evidence of your efforts to find work during each week that EB is claimed. This means you must identify your work search activities, the dates and methods of your activities, the kind of work sought, and the results. You must provide this information on the EB work search form. A two-week form will be mailed to you when the claim is established and every time that weeks are claimed. You must keep an accurate and up-to-date record of your work search activities. Failure to do so will result in a denial of benefits.
NOTE: If you are enrolled in training under the Trade Act or training approved by the Agency, you are not required to search for work.
Applying and Accepting work
If you do not expect to find work in your customary occupation within four weeks, do not have a definite offer of employment in your customary occupation with a specific starting date, and do not have a specific recall date from your employer, you must apply for and accept any work that is within your capabilities if:
- The work pays at least the federal minimum wage. As of July, 2009, the federal minimum wage will be $7.25 per hour.
- The work pays more than your EB weekly benefit amount.
If you have a definite return to work date within four weeks, you are not required to seek other employment. However, you must list the employer’s name, address and start date on your work search form each week.
If you normally get a job through a union, you are still required to look for other suitable work that will not jeopardize your union status. The union counts as one job contact. You must make at least one more job contact on a separate date for each week EB is claimed and provide your work search contacts on your certification/work search record.
How can I get help finding a job?
We encourage you to contact your local One Stop Career Center for job search assistance. Florida’s One Stop Career Centers offer a wide variety of employment and training services across the state. Additionally, you can search for wide array of job opportunities on the EmployFlorida Marketplace by going to www.EmployFlorida.org.
DISCLAIMERS:
EB special disqualifications
IMPORTANT: If you are disqualified from receiving EB because you did not apply for or accept suitable work, or did not actively seek work, the disqualification remains in effect until you have been employed and have worked at least four different weeks and earned wages of not less than four times your EB weekly benefit amount and were separated from work through no fault of your own.
Appeal Rights
Whenever you receive a determination for EB, you have the same right to appeal as under the regular UC and EUC programs. The appeal rights are explained in the Benefits Rights Information Pamphlet located on the Internet at www.fluidnow.com.
Penalties
If you receive EB that you are not eligible to receive, you may be required to repay the benefits. The Florida UC Law contains penalties for knowingly making false statements or knowingly withholding facts
to obtain benefits. Federal law also contains criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully concealing facts or making false representations.
Additional questions regarding EB can be sent to uceb@flaawi.com, or call
1-888-896-0091.