Unemployment benefits are available to employees who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. In Florida, these benefits are called “reemployment assistance.”
The purpose of the unemployment system is to provide some temporary cash assistance to people while they transition between jobs.
The basic structure of the unemployment system is the same in every state. You must:
- meet certain eligibility requirements based on your work history
- be looking for work, and
- file a claim for benefits with your state’s unemployment department.
But each state has its own rules about who qualifies, how to apply, how much you will receive, how long benefits last, and much more.
Here’s how unemployment works in Florida.
Are You Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in Florida?
In Florida, there are two basic requirements you must meet to be eligible for benefits.
First, you must have earned a minimum amount during the “base period”: the first four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed for benefits.
Second, you must be out of work involuntarily, for reasons that are not your fault.
Earnings Requirement for Unemployment Eligibility in Florida
In Florida, you must meet all three of the following requirements to qualify for reemployment assistance:
- You must have earned at least $3,400 in the entire base period.
- You must have earned wages in at least two of quarters in the base period.
- Your total base period earnings must be at least 1.5 times your earnings in the highest paid calendar quarter of the period.
Reason for Losing Your Job
You must have a qualifying reason for being unemployed to be eligible for benefits. Here are the rules:
Can You Get Unemployment If You Are Laid Off?
If you lose your job in a restructuring, layoff, downsizing, or similar job action taken by your employer for economic reasons, you will qualify for benefits.
Can You Get Unemployment If You Get Fired?
You will still qualify for benefits even if you were fired, unless you were fired for job-related misconduct. Examples of job-related misconduct include failing a drug test, stealing from the company, or committing insubordination.
Not being able to meet your employer’s performance or productivity expectations generally doesn’t qualify as misconduct, as long as you made a good faith effort.
Can You Get Unemployment If You Quit?
If you quit your job voluntarily, without good cause relating to your job, you won’t be eligible for benefits. However, if you left for a compelling work-related reason, you will still qualify. For instance, if you are facing harassment on the job and your employer fails to remedy the situation after you complain, you will likely be eligible for benefits.
How Much Will You Receive in Unemployment Benefits in Florida?
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) determines your weekly benefit amount by taking your earnings during your highest paid quarter and dividing that amount by 26.
The maximum benefit you can receive is based on the state’s unemployment rate. Currently, the maximum weekly benefit is $275.
How Long Can You Collect Unemployment Benefits in Florida?
In Florida, you can collect benefits for up to 12 weeks while you remain unemployed. This time limit is also based on the state’s unemployment rate. In times of very high unemployment, the state might make additional benefits available if you use up all of your regular benefits; however, no extended benefits are available now.
How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits in Florida
You can file a claim for unemployment benefits in Florida online. You must supply basic information about yourself, your employer, your earnings, and your work history.
If your claim is denied, all is not necessarily lost. You can file an appeal of the unemployment denial, arguing that you should have been awarded benefits.
When Do Unemployment Benefits Start in Florida?
You don't receive unemployment as soon as your claim is approved. The first week after you've filed a claim is a "waiting week," during which you're not entitled to benefits. Benefits accrue from the first week after your waiting week.
In some cases, it will take a few weeks for the benefits to actually arrive in your account, but you'll receive retroactive payments if they don't arrive on time.
How Are Unemployment Benefits Paid in Florida?
In Florida, unemployment benefits are paid in one of two ways:
- direct deposit into a bank account, or
- loaded onto a debit card.
Maintaining Unemployment Benefits: Work Search Requirements in Florida
To remain eligible for benefits in Florida, you must be able and available to perform a full-time job, and you must be actively seeking work. Among other things, you will have to:
- register online for the Employ Florida Marketplace
- make at least five work search contacts each week, and
- request benefits every two weeks, providing information about your availability to work, your job search efforts, and more.
Find out more about these requirements (and the reemployment benefits program) in the Florida DEO’s Reemployment Assistance Handbook. You can also contact The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) by phone to get answers to your questions.