How to Apply for Florida Unemployment
If you are out of work or had your hours reduced, you may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits in Florida. However, to be approved for benefits, you must meet the eligibility criteria. In this post, we will walk you through how to apply for Florida unemployment online, plus what you need to submit to file a successful claim for benefits.
Here’s what you will find below in our detailed guide:
First, we will explain the eligibility requirements for Florida Unemployment benefits.
Next, we will provide a summary and details of documents and information you need to apply for unemployment in Florida.
Additionally, we will walk you through the application process, what you happens after you apply, and what to do if your claim is denied.
Also, we will explain how you are going to receive your benefits and how to contact Florida Unemployment if you have any questions.
Lastly, we will answer the most frequently asked question, including how much you will get in benefits and how long your unemployment benefits will last.
In the state of Florida, unemployment insurance (UI) benefit is also called Florida Reemployment Assistance (Insurance) Program.
This post will cover:
- Florida Unemployment Benefits Eligibility
- What you need to apply for Florida Unemployment
- How to Apply for Florida Unemployment
- What Happens After you submit your application
- Receiving your Florida Unemployment Benefits
- Where is the Florida unemployment login?
- Unemployment Phone Number for Florida
- Florida Unemployment FAQs
Florida Unemployment Benefits Eligibility
To qualify for Florida unemployment benefits, you must meet several criteria:
First, you must have lost your job through no fault of your own.
You are not eligible for unemployment if you quit for personal reasons or were terminated for malicious misconduct.
However, poor job performance does not disqualify you from getting unemployment.
Second, you must be totally or partially unemployed.
Partially unemployed means your hours were reduced or you’re a part-time worker who can’t find additional work.
Third, you must have earned at least $3,400 before taxes in what is called the “base period,”.
The base period is the first four complete quarters beginning 18 months prior to your unemployment benefits claim.
Lastly, you must be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work.
However, the best way to find out if you are eligible for Florida Unemployment is to apply online.
See our step-by-step process on what you need to apply and how to apply for Florida unemployment benefits below.
What you need before you apply for Florida Unemployment
Before you apply for Florida unemployment benefits, you will need to have the following information available to support your claim.
Generally, here’s a summary of what you need to apply for Florida Unemployment:
- Social Security number.
- Driver’s License or State ID number.
- Employment information for the last 18 months for each employer.
- Employer identification number, also known as FEIN number, if available. This number can be found on your W2 or 1099 tax form.
- Employer name (name on pay stub), address, and phone number.
- First and last day of work.
- Gross earnings (before taxes) covering the last 18 months.
- Reason for separation.
If one of the following criteria applies to you, have the following additional information available:
- Not a U.S. Citizen: Alien Registration Number or other work authorization form.
- Military employee: A copy of your DD-214 Member 4. If you do not have a Member 4, a copy of your Member 2-7 may be used.
- Federal employee: SF-8 or SF-50.
- Union member: Union name, hall number, and phone number.
Here are the details of what you need to apply for Florida Unemployment.
Information about your work history
Your work history affects the amount of unemployment benefits you receive each week.
Submitting accurate information helps the state unemployment office process your claim faster.
You will need:
Work history from the last 18 months
This includes:
- The name of any companies as they appear on your paycheck
- Dates of employment
- Hours worked per week
- The total wages you earned before taxes were taken out (gross wages)
- Hourly rate of pay
- The reason you are no longer working
Specific information from your last employer or company
This includes:
- Your employer’s name
- Employer’s mailing address
- Phone number
- Supervisor’s name
- Total wages you earned before taxes were taken out (gross wages) for the last week you worked
- The reason for your unemployment
The video below, from the Florida DEO provides a great summary of how to report your employment information when filing your claim for unemployment.
Since one of the biggest mistakes that affect unemployment claims is how income is reported, we highly recommend watching the video.
Federal and military documents
If you are a former federal employee, have your Notice to Federal Employees About Unemployment Insurance (SF-50 or SF-8) ready.
Additionally, if you served in the military in the last 18 months, have your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD 214) ready.
Proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States
You will need all of the following to prove your citizen:
Proof of US citizenship, or a green card, or a visa that allows you to work in the US, or an Alien Registration Number
You must be authorized to work in the US to receive unemployment benefits.
If you are not a US citizen, have information from your employment authorization document ready.
How to Apply for Florida Unemployment
Within one week of becoming unemployed, you should begin the claims process to receive your unemployment insurance benefits.
In Florida, all applications for unemployment benefits must be completed online.
The process takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete and must be finished within 72 hours of when you first start the application, or you will have to start over again.
What is the Florida unemployment website?
To file your unemployment claim, you must log in to the state’s Florida Jobs site.
Once you are registered, you can return to the Florida Jobs site for your claim status and more.
Click here to visit the Florida Jobs website.
If you have questions or need assistance completing your application online, you can contact DEO at 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) for assistance.
Other ways to Apply for Unemployment in Florida
Here are other ways you can apply for Florida Unemployment:
Apply by Mail
Additionally, you may complete a paper application by following the steps online at FloridaJobs.org and by mailing your application to:
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
P.O. Box 5350
Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350
Apply in Person
Furthermore, CareerSource centers throughout the state of Floria can offer assistance with paper applications.
To locate a center, visit CareerSourceFlorida.com to find the location and contact information for your local career center.
It’s important to call to confirm your local center’s hours of operation.
What Happens After you submit your application
Here’s what happens after you apply for unemployment in Florida:
Once you complete your application, you will be required to complete the following:
- Register for work through Employ Florida. Click here for the website.
- Review your monetary determination. The DEO will contact you.
- Keep a record of your weekly job contacts.
- Request benefits biweekly. Click here for details on how to request weekly benefits.
Review your Home page in CONNECT portal to complete any open fact-findings and review any important messages on your account. Click here for CONNECT website.
The video below from the DEO provides a quick summary on what to do after you have filed your claim for Florida Unemployment.
How long does it take to get approved for Florida unemployment?
Once your unemployment claim is filed in Florida, you’ll get confirmation that it was received.
For claims that are accepted, the first payment arrives in approximately 3-4 weeks.
How are Florida Unemployment Benefits Calculated?
Here’s how your Florida Unemployment benefits are calculated:
First, the wages used to determine your benefit amounts are the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters.
Also, for claims filed as of July 1, 2021, wages earned between April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, are used.
Once the DEO has the wages on record, they will verify the following to determine if you are eligible for unemployment benefits:
- $3,400 minimum gross earnings during base period.
- You must have a minimum of two-quarters of covered wages.
- Total base period gross wages must be more than 1.5x the highest wage quarter.
Once the DEO has successfully completed those verifications, they will determine whether you qualify for benefits or not.
If you qualify, here’s how much in benefits you will receive:
- Your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) is the highest quarter divided by 26 or the weekly amount $275, whichever is less.
- Your Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA) is your total base period wages divided by 4 OR the yearly maximum, whichever is less.
How do I appeal Florida Unemployment Denial?
If you were denied unemployment benefits, you may file an appeal online.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity refers to those seeking benefits as Claimants.
Claimants, employers, and authorized representatives may appeal a decision that was not made in their favor.
If your claim is denied, you may file an appeal online but you must do so within 20 calendar days.
You can also file an appeal via mail.
However, even though you’ve been turned down, you must keep filing your unemployment claims every other week.
That is because if you win your appeals, you will only receive payment for the weeks you filed.
Here’s how to appeal:
Online: Through CONNECT website.
Visit FloridaJobs.org to download a Notice of Appeals Form.
Email: RA.AppealsClerks@deo.myflorida.com
Mail: Office of Appeals
P.O. Box 5250,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-5250
Fax: 1-850-617-6504
What are the reasons you can be denied unemployment?
Here are the common reasons why unemployment claims are denied in Florida:
- Failing to Meet the Earnings Requirements
- Quitting Your Last Job
- Getting Fired for Misconduct
- Refusing Suitable Work
Receiving your Florida Unemployment Benefits
Here’s what you should know about receiving your Florida Unemployment benefits.
How will I Receive my Florida Unemployment Benefits?
In Florida, you have two options for receiving your unemployment benefits:
Direct Deposit
This process may take 1-2 business days to reflect in your bank account after your claim is approved and your first payment is processed.
Florida Unemployment Debit Card
The Florida Unemployment Debit card, also called the Way2Go Debit Card is mailed after the first payment is processed and may take 7-10 business days to receive by mail.
For step-by-step instructions on the Florida Way2Go Card, read our complete guide on Way2Go Card Florida for Unemployment Benefits here.
Where is the Florida unemployment login?
CONNECT is Florida’s Reemployment Assistance claims system. That is your Florida unemployment website where you log in to manage your claim.
If you do not have an account, you will need to create one.
Click here for the CONNECT website.
Once you have created an account, you can use the CONNECT system for the following
- View all of your claim information in one convenient place, 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
- Update information anytime – including change of address or phone number.
- Choose the way you receive notifications from us – either electronically or by U.S. mail.
- Establish or cancel payment by Way2Go debit card or direct deposit.
- Create or change your PIN (Do not use any portion of your Social Security Number as your PIN)
- Get your claim and payment information, request benefits, and print tax forms
- Submit work search contacts:
Florida law requires that you contact at least five potential employers each week or receive reemployment services from a CareerSource Center.
Unemployment Phone Number for Florida
If you need assistance filing a Florida unemployment claim online, call 1-800-681-8102 for help.
Here are additional phone numbers for the Florida unemployment office.
Department of Economic Opportunity: 1-850-245-7105
Reemployment Assistance Program Main Help Line: 1-800-204-2418
Benefits Appeals Assistance: 1-800-204-2418
By mail:
Department of Economic Opportunity
107 East Madison Street
Caldwell Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4120
Florida Unemployment FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about Florida Unemployment:
See our full list of FAQs here.
How much is unemployment in Florida right now?
The Florida unemployment payment amount depends on
Florida’s duration of benefits may adjust based on the state’s unemployment rate, but the maximum amount of benefits remains the same.
2020 Claim Maximums: 12 weeks
Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA): $275
Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA): $3300
2021 Claim Maximums: 19 weeks
Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA): $275
Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA): $5225
How Many Weeks of Unemployment Can You Get in Florida?
One of the most often asked questions about unemployment benefits in Florida is how long you can claim unemployment.
In Florida, the maximum number of weeks you can get unemployment is 12 weeks.
However, that duration was extended to 19 weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Are Florida Unemployment Benefits Taxed?
Yes, Florida Unemployment benefits are considered taxable income.
You can elect to withhold 10% of your weekly benefits due to the IRS.
This can be handled after logging into your claim under “View and Maintain Account Information” and selecting “Payment Method and Tax Withholding Options.”
How do I get the Florida Unemployment Tax Form?
All unemployment claimants should have access to their 1099-G Tax Form in their CONNECT account.
When viewing your 1099-G Tax Form in CONNECT, be sure to enable pop-ups on your web browser.
Pop-up blockers restrict you from viewing your 1099-G Tax Forms and other important documents from the Department.
For more information on visit 1099grequest.myflorida.com.
How do I cancel my Florida Unemployment Claim?
If you have returned to work, you may continue to request benefit weeks up to the week when you started working.
When you request the week overlapping with your job, please indicate that you have worked and earned money during the week.
If you expect to work full-time and/or earn over $275 in gross earnings during the week of overlap, you do not need to request benefits for that week.
How to Apply for Florida Unemployment Summary
We hope this post on How to Apply for Florida Unemployment was helpful.
Still Have Questions?
To see the detailed Florida Unemployment FAQ Page, click here: Florida Unemployment FAQ.
To go to the main Florida Unemployment page, click here: Florida Unemployment.
For login help with the Florida Unemployment website, click here: Florida CONNECT log in.
See the latest news about Florida Unemployment Benefits – Click here: Florida Unemployment News Updates.
If you have further questions about Florida Unemployment, Unemployment Benefits, or Unemployment Debit Cards, you can fill out the comment form below and we will answer your question ASAP.
Be sure to check out our other articles on Unemployment Benefits, including:
Whether Unemployment Benefits are Taxable
List of States Extending Unemployment Benefits
Massachusetts DUA Unemployment Debit Card
How to file for Unemployment (in all 50 States)
Unemployment office Phone Number (All 50 States)