Does Florida Unemployment Pay Weekly Or Biweekly?

Unemployment benefits in Florida

In Florida, unemployment benefits are paid bi weekly (after 2 weeks). After you filing a claim for unemployment benefits, you will get a Monetary Determination letter that will give information about eligibility for benefits & amount of the benefit payments. You will be required to certify for benefits every 2 weeks to get your payments. Let’s learn about ‘Does Florida Unemployment Pay Weekly Or Biweekly?’.

Does Florida Unemployment Pay Weekly Or Biweekly?

To certify for benefits, you will need to give information about your work search effort & any wages that you earned during certification period. You can certify for benefits by phone, online, or by mail. It is important to certify for benefits as directed in order to get your payments on time. If you have questions about unemployment benefits or certification process, then you can contact Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for assistance.

If a person is out of job without his/her own mistake then that person can get unemployment compensation or Reemployment Assistance benefit. People of Florida can claim Reemployment Assistance benefit or unemployment compensation through an online system called CONNECT. Reemployment assistance benefit was earlier known as unemployment compensation. People eligible for Unemployment benefits in Florida can get between US $ 32 to US $ 275 per week. 

Payment procedure of Florida Unemployment

Payment for Florida unemployment compensation or Florida Reemployment Assistance benefit can be done through direct deposit to the bank account or through Way2Go debit card. You will be questioned to choose the payment method during claim filing process. After filing, you have the option to change the preferred payment method. Weekly benefit amount is obtained by dividing the total earning for highest paid quarter of base period by 26, up to a current maximum of $ 275 per week. You can get benefits for anywhere between 12 to 23 weeks, depending on current unemployment rate of Florida.

CONNECT provides online access for claimant to apply for benefit on a biweekly basis. CONNECT home page will provide with scheduled report date.

Reemployment assistance benefit or unemployment compensation

Temporary wage replacement benefit is given to individuals loosing the work without their own fault. If claimants have not accessed their account since September 2021 then they must create a new log in account for Reemployment Assistance. Before filing for Reemployment Assistance benefit, this information should be available.

1. Driver’s license number or State ID number
2. Social Security number
3. Employment detail of last 18 month, including these detail associated with the employer:

1. Name, address, &  phone number
2. First & last day of work
3. Gross earning (before tax is taken out) during listed dates
4. reason for separation
5. Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), this is found on W2 / 1099 tax forms 

If People need help to file an online claim due to language barriers, computer illiteracy, legal reasons, or disabilities then they can call 1- 833 – FL – APPLY (1 – 833 – 352 – 7759).

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is provided to businesses & residents if they lost or faced interruption in self employment or employment due to Hurricane Ian. Individuals or businesses affected in designated disaster areas should file DUA applications till 30 December, 2022. Applications filed after 30 December, 2022 will not be considered unless Individuals or businesses provide a good cause. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is an unemployment benefit program of Florida that is funded by US federal government.

Benefits that are associated with Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) can be availed in these counties

Brevard	Charlotte	Collier	DeSoto	Flagler	Glades	Hardee	Hendry	Highl&s
Pasco	Pinellas	Polk	Putnam	Sarasota	Seminole	St. Johns	Volusia
Hillsborough	Lake	Lee	Manatee	Monroe	Okeechobee	Orange	Osceola	Palm Beach

All the eligible businesses or individuals have 30 days from announcement date to file for a claim regarding Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). Eligible businesses or individuals are provided these benefits for a period of 27 weeks after the announcement is done. Assistance associated with Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is calculated by considering the nearest recent tax year as a base period that ended before businesses or individuals suffered due to disaster. If the earning of businesses or individuals for a particular week is more than the calculated benefit then the businesses or individuals will not get Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

Self employed people can also claim for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). Unemployment insurance program of Florida is known as Reemployment Assistance. This Unemployment insurance program is for people loosing the job, or people put on furlough or job hours reduced to 0. After corona virus pandemic, Benefits of Reemployment Assistance are also given to self employed people & independent contractors. 

Congress of United States created 3 new unemployment support programs. These programs are 100% paid by federal government to help millions of Americans losing jobs through none of their own fault. Florida signed agreement with Department of Labour to access federal fund.

1. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) for people  furloughed or laid off due to pandemic. It gives $ 600/week for up to 16 weeks from the date applied to anyone receiving Florida state Reemployment Assistance. 
2. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) for a person receiving state unemployment benefits of Florida. It gives 13 more weeks of state benefits funded by federal government.
3. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) workers ineligible for state unemployment benefit, Self employed or independent contractor, workers without sufficient work history, & worker running out of unemployment benefit are eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
4. It gives a maximum up to 39 week of benefit at state maximum $ 275/week from date applied & $ 600/week for a maximum up to 16 weeks.

Summary of Benefits for Florida Workers

Employees who are furloughed or laid off without their own fault due to COVID-19 are eligible for:

1. Up to $ 275/week for 12 week of state benefit effective from date they apply (retroactive to March 9);
2. 13 additional week of federally funded PEUC benefit at state rate after the state benefits have been run out; &
3. $ 600/week of federally funded FPUC benefit for up to 16 week from date they apply.
4. Law of Florida also requires additional 13 week of state funded benefit if unemployment rises to more than 10.5 % & unemployment rate is sustained at 10.5% for 3 consecutive months.

Benefits for Workers with Reduced Hours

Workers with reduced working hours or workers earning less than $ 333 per week can avail the benefits. If employer entered into Short-Time Compensation (STC) agreement with state then workers can get. 

1. Up to 26 week of pro rated state level benefit that are federally funded.
2. 13 week of federally funded PEUC benefit at state rate after state benefit run out; &
3. $ 600/week of federally funded FPUC benefit for up to 16 week

Benefit associated with a Worker Ineligible for State Benefits: 

Self employed worker like independent contractor, freelancer & part time worker, worker without long work history to qualify for state benefit, or worker who wouldn’t qualify for benefit under state or federal law, are eligible for:

1. Up to $ 275/week for 39 week of federally funded PUA benefit effective from the date they applied
2. $ 600/week of federally funded PUA benefit for up to 16 week.

Conclusion

Now We’ve learnt about ‘Does Florida Unemployment Pay Weekly Or Biweekly?’, Department of Economic Opportunity for Florida created a Resource Guide & Q&A to help answer the questions that applicants have on unemployment benefits process. There is a mobile application. CareerSource centre can offer help with paper application.  FedEx offers an option to print & mail applications in storefront located all over the Florida free of charge.