JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Many college students have finances on their minds as the fall semester is right around the corner.
So many students have struggled as many jobs have been lost, and they are not eligible for state unemployment benefits—but that should not stop them from applying.
Typically, state unemployment benefits aren’t available to college students, as the state would say they are not “willing and able to work” if any job opportunity came up.
The CARES Act brought Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which basically fills in the unemployment gaps. Many people who weren’t eligible for state benefits are eligible for PUA.
If students have lost their job due to COVID-19, they should be eligible for benefits.
“A lot of students gave up at the beginning,” said Vanessa Brito, who has helped hundreds of students navigate the unemployment system. “This is probably the first time a lot of them had to deal with this process, and their parents as well.”
People must first apply and be denied for typical state benefits to be directed to the PUA application.
The link to the PUA application should show up in the CONNECT portal, but we’ve found many times it doesn’t. In that case, Brito says you should reapply.
“There are no adverse effects to doing so,” Brito said. “And they should apply on the PEGA site instead of CONNECT.”
Reapplying on the PEGA site prompts a DEO agent to see what the problem is and make the PUA link available in the CONNECT portal.
“It was very, very frustrating,” said Jessica Taylor, a Florida A&M student who lost her job in March. “I tried Doordashing, just little stuff.”
As the pandemic progressed, Taylor couldn’t hold the job down. After applying for unemployment benefits, she was denied for state benefits.
“The bills were coming still,” Taylor said.
Taylor reapplied and just got benefits. She is hoping this money can carry her into the fall until she can find work for this next semester.
Those who are approved for PUA will be paid back to the date they were unemployed. If your first application was before July 31 (the deadline for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation), you are in luck. Your retroactive payments you receive should have the weekly $600 FPUC money tacked onto it.