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

PAYMENT PROGRESS:

• As of January 11, DEO has paid 2,175,926 claimants just over $20 billion ($20,117,734,792). Over 4.8 million (4,828,895) unique claims have been processed, representing 99.1 percent of unique claims submitted. 
• 97.9 percent of all eligible benefits requested prior to December 25, 2020, 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. 
• If a claimant has not received benefits or all of the benefits they believe they are entitled to, they should:
• Check that they have requested benefits; 
• Check that the weeks they are requesting are eligible weeks; and 
• Check that their account information in CONNECT is up-to-date and accurate.
• If a claimant needs additional assistance, they should call the Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center at 1-833-FL-APPLY.
• The Department continues to work to modify claim effective dates as appropriate. The requests for these benefits are not included in this data. 
• The Department would like to remind claimants that it is important to continue requesting benefits to receive payment. This video and guide may be helpful. 

UPDATES:

Claimant Communication

• The Department continues to progress through a staged implementation of the Continued Assistance Act, which is necessary to build the provisions in the CONNECT system.
• Claimants are asked to continue checking their CONNECT account every 48 hours for additional changes and updates. 
• The Department will be sending important emails to claimants, including actions that may need to be taken on their CONNECT account. The Department sends emails from Do-Not-Reply email addresses, which are official notifications from the Department.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation

• The Department is currently processing Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments which were extended and modified by the Continued Assistance Act.
• Beginning the week ending January 2, 2021, claimants who are eligible for at least $1 of their original unemployment benefit amount, will be eligible to receive an additional $300 FPUC payment supplementing their weekly benefit amount. No additional action is required to receive the FPUC payment, but claimants should continue to request their weekly benefits to receive any benefit payments.
• The FPUC program expires on March 14, 2021. This means the last payable week for FPUC is the week ending March 13, 2021. 

Claimant 1099-G Tax Form

• The Department began processing 1099-G Tax Forms for claimants to view in CONNECT on January 10, 2021.
• Claimants should receive their 1099-G tax form no later than January 31, 2021.
•  If a claimant does not receive their 1099-G tax form by January 31, 2021, please click here for additional resources to obtain the form.
• The Department has created Frequently Asked Questions to provide more information about the 1099-G Tax Form.

State Reemployment Assistance

• Any new state Reemployment Assistance claims filed January 1, 2020, and forward are eligible for up to 19 weeks of benefits instead of 12 weeks of benefits.

Continued Assistance Act

• The Department has provided additional weeks for nearly 1 million claimants who have not previously exhausted their federal benefits before December 26, 2020. These individuals will receive notification from the Department to log-in to their CONNECT account to request benefits for those additional weeks. The Department is working diligently to release weeks for additional claimants regarding the Continued Assistance Act.
• DEO is working diligently to implement the new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program extensions for individuals who have exhausted their eligible benefits under the CARES Act.
• The Department is making the necessary program adjustments to make these additional weeks of benefits available quickly, and will continue communicating as weeks become available.
• Claimants who have exhausted their eligible weeks of benefits under the CARES Act and are unemployed or partially unemployed after December 27, 2020, will be able to request benefit payments soon.
• Claimants who have exhausted their benefit payments and are waiting for the CARES Act program extensions, should not submit an additional application for Reemployment Assistance benefits at this time.
• After the Continued Assistance Act extensions are implemented, some claimants may need to submit an application for regular state Reemployment Assistance benefits if they can establish a new benefit year. 
• Claimants who will soon exhaust their Reemployment Assistance benefits and remain unemployed should continue to request any benefit weeks available. When extended programs are available, claimants will be able to continue requesting benefit payments. Not requesting benefit payments could delay program extensions on their claim.
• Claimants who are unemployed or partially unemployed after December 27, 2020, and have not exhausted their eligible benefits should continue requesting benefit payments in order to continue receiving PEUC or PUA benefits.
• Claimants who are on PEUC or PUA can view this step-by-step guide to learn how to request weekly benefits.

Waivers

• Governor Ron DeSantis has directed DEO to continue waiving the waiting week requirements, work search, and work registration requirements through February 27, 2021. 

CONNECT Hours

• DEO will be conducting nightly maintenance to the CONNECT system to process claims and payments. CONNECT will be available from 8 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. daily, Monday - Friday.
• Beginning Saturday, January 16, through Monday, January 18, the CONNECT system will be unavailable to claimants while the Department works to continue efforts to implement the CARES Act programs, process payments and send necessary correspondence to claimants including tax documentation. CONNECT will be available Tuesday, January 19, 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 at www.FloridaJobs.org and select "File a Claim."     

Customer Service Centers

• Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Centers are available this week Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. for all account inquiries and questions. On Saturday, January 16, through Monday, January 18, staff resources will be dedicated to processing claims and payments. The Reemployment Assistance Customer Service Center will reopen Tuesday, January 19, at 7:30 a.m.

Job Opportunities

• The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is hiring across the state. To view a list of vacant opportunities, visit here.  

Employer Updates

The Department has developed additional guides for employers to better understand how to navigate the CONNECT system. To view these guides, 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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