Frequently Asked Questions

Extended Benefits (EB) are additional unemployment compensation (UC) benefits payable to qualified people when an “Extended Benefits Period” exists in Florida.   EB is payable only for weeks of unemployment during an EB period and only to qualified individuals who have exhausted both regular state benefits and federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits.

The initial EB period began with the week beginning February 22, 2009. The program was subsequently extended when Congress made available full federal funding for the benefits. Federal law effective February 22, 2012 extended the eligibility period for EB. However, DEO can only pay EB for as long as Florida remains triggered “on” an EB period. The EB period is controlled by the average rate of unemployment in Florida. As of the week ending April 21, 2012, Florida’s unemployment rate declined below the level needed to allow the payment of EB.

EB will remain available for three weeks following April 21, 2012. Florida will pay EB through the week ending May 12, 2012. New EB claims will continue to be taken through the week beginning May 6, 2012. The last week that EB can be paid is May 12, 2012, regardless of any benefits remaining on the claim. No new EB claims can be accepted after the week ending May 12, 2012.

Yes. Individuals who exhaust EUC Tier III with payment of the week ending May 12, 2012 or May 19, 2012, thereby becoming eligible for EUC Tier IV beginning May 13 or May 20, 2012, are entitled to an enhanced augmentation of Tier IV. Rather than an entitlement equal to the lesser of 24% of their regular state benefits or 6 weeks, these Tier III exhaustees are entitled to Tier IV benefits equal to the lesser of 62% of their state entitlement or 16 weeks.

Individuals exhausting Tier III with payment for the week ending May 26, 2012 or later are entitled to the regular Tier IV benefits; i.e., the lesser of 24% of their regular state benefits or 6 weeks. No enhanced augmentation is available.

Extended Benefits are available only to people who meet all eligibility conditions during an Extended Benefits period and who have exhausted all entitlement to regular state and EUC benefits. 

You may be eligible for Extended Benefits if: 

• You are totally or partially unemployed, and   
• You exhausted all entitlement to regular and EUC benefits after February 22, 2009 but prior to March 4, 2012.

• You are not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits in any state (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia) or Canada, and you satisfy all requirements of the Florida UC Law that apply to regular Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits, such as being able and available for work and having not been disqualified from receiving benefits based on your reason for separation
• You make a systematic and sustained effort to seek work by making five contacts with prospective employers for work for each Extended Benefits week claimed
• You do not refuse an offer of or fail to apply for suitable work

No.  You must complete an application for Extended Benefits using the department’s internet web-site.

You can apply for Extended Benefits through the Florida Extended Benefits Online Application. Beginning August 1, 2011 all Extended Benefits claim applications and weekly certification must be made by online.

DEO can only pay EB for as long as Florida remains triggered “on” an EB period. The EB period is controlled by the average rate of unemployment in Florida. As of the week ending April 21, 2012, Florida’s unemployment rate declined below the level needed to allow the payment of EB.

EB will remain available for three weeks following April 21, 2012. Florida will pay EB through the week ending May 12, 2012. New EB claims will continue to be taken through the week beginning May 6, 2012. The last week that EB can be paid is May 12, 2012, regardless of any benefits remaining on the claim. No new EB claims can be accepted after the week ending May 12, 2012.

The EB weekly benefit amount is the same as the weekly benefit amount received on your most recent regular state or EUC claim. You may be entitled to up to 20 weeks of EB however; the last week that EB can be paid is May 12, 2012, regardless of any benefits remaining on the claim. If you are entitled to Trade Readjustment Allowances, you may receive fewer weeks of EB.

If you submitted an application for a new EB claim you will receive a determination of eligibility and, if eligible, you will receive a notice informing you when to claim your weeks. Your benefits will be paid in the same manner as your regular and EUC benefits.

If, as of July 1, 2011, you were receiving benefits by check you may continue to do so.  If not, EB is paid either by direct deposit or Florida Visa® debit card. You will be able to enter or change direct deposit banking information or choose the Florida Visa® debit card payment option while claiming weeks by internet.

Your entitlement will be based upon the EB conditions of the state in which you reside.

We encourage you to contact your local One-Stop Career Center for job search assistance.  Florida’s One-Stop Career Centers offer a wide variety of employment and training services across the state.  Locate the nearest One-Stop Career Center. Additionally, you can search a wide array of job opportunities online through Employ Florida Marketplace.

Whenever you receive a determination for EB, you have the same right to appeal as under the regular UC and EUC programs. Find more information on appeals.

You must continue to make a systematic and sustained effort to find a job during each week that EB is claimed. Effective August 1, 2011, you are required on a weekly basis to make contact with five prospective employers for work and provide this information via the Internet during your bi-weekly certification for benefits.  If you are not able to make at least five employer contacts in a week, meeting with a representative at your local One-Stop Career Center for reemployment services may satisfy this requirement for that week.  Failure to do so will result in a denial of benefits. 

NOTE: There are many ways to search for work. You may contact the person authorized to hire for a potential employer or follow the job application process specified by the employer. You may attend a job fair or utilize the reemployment services available through your local One-Stop Career Center. You may contact your union hiring hall or do what is customary in the community and labor market to find work. In addition, resumes submitted via the Internet are acceptable.

NOTE: If you are enrolled in training under the Trade Act or training approved by the agency, you are not required to search for work. 

Applying for and accepting work
 
If you do not expect to find work in your customary occupation within four weeks, do not have a definite offer of employment in your customary occupation with a specific starting date and do not have a specific recall date from your employer, you must apply for and accept any work that is within your capabilities if: 

• The work pays at least the federal minimum wage; as of January 2011, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour 
• The work pays more than your EB weekly benefits amount 

If you have a definite return-to-work date within four weeks, you are not required to seek other employment. However, you must list the employer’s name, address and start date on your work search form each week.  If you normally get a job through a union, you are still required to look for other suitable work that will not jeopardize your union status. The union counts as one job contact.  You must make at least one four more job contact on a separate date for each week you claim EB and provide this information via the Internet during your bi-weekly certification for benefits. If you are not able to make at least five employer contacts in a week, meeting with a representative at your local One-Stop Career Center for reemployment services may satisfy this requirement for that week.

Penalties: 
If you receive EB that you are not eligible to receive, you may be required to repay the benefits. The Florida UC Law contains penalties for knowingly making false statements or knowingly withholding facts to obtain benefits. Federal law also contains criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully concealing facts or making false representations.  

DISCLAIMERS:
EB special disqualifications:  IMPORTANT: If you are disqualified from receiving EB because you did not actively seek work, the disqualification remains in effect until you have been employed and have worked at least four different weeks and earned wages of not less than four times your EB weekly benefit amount and were separated from work through no fault of your own.

Note: This special disqualification provision only applies to weeks claimed for EB benefits and does not apply to EUC benefits. 

If you did not actively seek work during a week, and want to avoid a disqualification for that week and subsequent weeks until you requalify for benefits, you may choose not to claim EB for that week and resume claiming EB for weeks during which you made an active work search; that option will be provided to you when you claim weeks via the Internet.