JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has multiple benefits program changes in the works to aid unemployed Floridians—Extended Benefits and Additional Weeks.
Extended Benefits
Due to the large increase in the unemployment rate in March of this year, Extended Benefits have been triggered for the first time since 2009.
Extended benefits is a federal program implemented by the state which authorizes an additional six weeks of benefits to eligible Floridians who have exhausted regular state benefits during periods of high unemployment.
The benefits would be the same as regular unemployment benefits the claimant receives.
DEO said it is figuring out how to disperse Extended Benefits in a timely manner, but anticipates have Extended Benefits the application ready for unemployed Floridians in December.
DEO said claimants should utilize programs in this order if they did not start with PUA benefits—Regular state benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance, Extended Benefits (when in place), and then Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
Additional Weeks
Additional Weeks may be available to Floridians in 2021.
Each year, the number of weeks for regular state unemployment benefits is based on the average unemployment rate for the most recent third calendar quarter, which would be June-September of this year.
The number of additional weeks is determined by the unemployment rate in the third quarter. One extra week is added to Florida's regular 12 weeks for every 0.5% above 5% the average Florida unemployment rate.
The third quarter unemployment rate should be released in October for DEO to determine if additional weeks would be added to the current 12 weeks of maximum benefits.
These Additional Weeks would be added in January 2021 and would only apply to claims filed after that date.
