Florida’s unemployment benefits: We answer your questions
How to apply. How much you will get. Where you can send your complaints.

By Graham Brink & Lawrence Mower
Tampa Bay Times
Published: Apr 1, 2020

The number of Floridians applying for unemployment benefits exploded last week. So did questions about how much money workers can get and how they can navigate the state’s balky system. Here are a few:

I’m unemployed. How much does Florida offer?

The state offers a maximum of $275 a week — based on your earnings — for up to 12 weeks. An additional week is added for every 0.5 percent increase in the state unemployment rate above 5 percent. The maximum is 23 weeks when the unemployment rate gets above 10.5 percent. The unemployment rate was 2.8 percent in February.

What about the jobless benefits from the federal stimulus package?

You can get an extra $600 a week through July 1. The package also provides an additional 13 weeks in state benefits. It’s possible that another extended benefits program will kick in that adds more weeks, but that hasn’t happened yet.

What if I earned less than $600 a week before I lost my job?

It doesn’t matter. As long as you are eligible, you still get the $600. You are also eligible to receive the $600 even if you lost your job before the coronavirus outbreak and you remain unemployed.

Can I be denied state benefits based on getting the $600 a week?

No. The state might deny you for other reasons, but it can’t deny you because you’re eligible for the federal benefit.

Can contractors and the self-employed receive Florida’s unemployment benefits?

Contractors who received 1099 tax forms and self-employed workers are generally not entitled to state unemployment compensation in Florida. But the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, part of the federal stimulus package, opens up benefits to contractors, the self employed and other gig workers who wouldn’t generally benefit under Florida’s system. The federal program calls for those workers to get $600 a week, plus half of the average unemployment benefit in Florida.

How do I apply for unemployment benefits?

You can apply online at connect.myflorida.com. Here's a guide to using the site.

How do I apply for the federal benefits?

You use the state system.

If I receive severance from my employer, can I get state unemployment benefits at the same time?

That depends. If your weekly severance payment is more than the $275 maximum, the answer is no. If you receive less than $275 a week in severance, you can apply to have the state make up the difference. In other words, if you receive $175 a week in severance, you can apply to receive up to $100 a week in unemployment benefits.

What happens when the severance payments end?

You can start receiving state unemployment benefits once your severance stops, as long as you are still unemployed. You would be entitled to up to 12 weeks at a maximum of $275 a week, as long as you hadn’t already received any partial payments described in the previous question.

Laid-off workers shouldn’t wait for their severance to run out before applying for unemployment benefits, said Paul Scheck, a lawyer with Shutts & Bowen in Orlando. They should apply immediately upon becoming unemployed, even if that means the unemployment payments are delayed until their severance runs out.

Is there a lifetime cap on how many times I can get unemployment benefits?

No.

If I was fired for cause, can I still collect unemployment benefits? You may be entitled to benefits, but it will depend on the facts of your particular claim, Scheck said. If it is found that “misconduct” led to your termination, you will not be eligible for unemployment compensation. Florida defines misconduct as: (1) conduct that disregards an employer’s interests and violates reasonable standards of behavior, including theft or property damage; (2) carelessness or negligence on such a scale that shows culpability or intentional disregard of your employer’s interests and your obligations; (3) repeated absenteeism or lateness that violates your employer’s policy or one or more unapproved absences after a written warning related to that absence; (4) subjecting an employer to sanctions or loss of licensure through violating a standard or regulation; or (5) violating an employer’s rules that are known and consistently and fairly enforced.

I’m encountering error messages and other problems when I try to apply online. What should I do?

You’re not alone. The vast majority of people appear to be having problems applying for unemployment at the website. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, which operates the site, says it’s being burdened by so many people trying to apply. The department is advising people to use the site during non-peak hours, between 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., and use Internet Explorer as your web browser. You can also call 1-800-204-2418 for help, but the phone lines have been busy as well. Keep trying. The department recommends calling as early as possible.

Why is the unemployment website so bad?

Former Gov. Rick Scott spent $77 million overhauling the website in 2013, but the site has never worked properly since then. State auditors told Scott in 2015 and 2016 to fix it,but he didn’t. A third audit in 2019, a few months after Ron DeSantis became governor, flagged the same website errors and glitches, but it doesn’t appear that DeSantis fixed the site, either.

Is there anything else I can do about it?

Sure. Gov. Ron DeSantis is responsible for the Department of Economic Opportunity and the website. You can write to him at GovernorRon.Desanti@eog.myflorida.com. You can also write to your state senator and your State representative, who can provide oversight of state agencies. All three of those people might be able to get the department to speed up your claim.