First Coast News determined Wednesday that a phone number listed on the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's website for people trying to cancel their unemployment claims after returning to work is disconnected.
FCN brought this to DEO’s attention and they said they would fix it. Before DEO fixed the section, it read:
Q: I have returned to work. How do I close/cancel my claim?
A: Congratulations on your new job! If you applied before March 15, 2020, 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. If you applied between March 15, 2020 and May 9, 2020, please contact the call center at 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7799) to cancel your claim. Please VOID and return any check received past the date you returned to work to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Instead of fixing the contact information, the section shown above was removed completely. The website now provides no contact information or guidance on how to cancel claims if claimants can't stop receiving overpayment.
The deleted text also mentions to void and return any check, when DEO has been sending out debit cards and direct deposits.
“I see this being the next big struggle in this Florida unemployment problem,” said Amanda Dobb, whose daughter can’t stop unemployment payments as she’s back to work as a hairdresser. “It just keeps coming and I just think, ‘It’s got to be easier than this.”
DEO doesn’t say how to cancel these overpayments, but now has a page listing the many ways people can pay the extra money back. But state representative Anna Eskamani says to do so with caution.
“We are advising every Floridian who thinks they received overpayment if they cannot spend the money, that would be the best approach,” Eskamani said. “I would be worried about the potential of future benefits being withheld, versus you being told you need to return what you have now. I really encourage folks hold onto the extra payment. If you did go back to work, don’t certify future weeks. Just don’t spend the money because DEO will notify you and at that point they’ll ask you to pay it back.”
Eskamani says the only way she knows to notify DEO that you’ve gone back to work is to not certify future weeks in your portal.
Unfortunately, the portal hasn’t been the same for everyone and Dopp doesn’t even have that option—it just keeps sending payments automatically.
“It just keeps coming and I just think, ‘It’s got to be easier than this,” Dopp said.
Many Floridians impacted by the pandemic were out of work in mid-March. We are nearing the 12-week maximum of state unemployment benefits, which Eskamani said should completely cut off payments to those having trouble when that time comes.
“People are getting overpaid when some people aren’t getting any money and it’s just another reflection of how broken this process is,” she said.