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Florida Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks

Update – Feb 7, 2011 – Legislation to add extra weeks for 99ers

Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Bobby Scott (Va.) are reintroducing legislation this week to provide additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for “99ers,”

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In 2009, the 2009 stimulus package was created by President Obama and provided extra funding for states to extend the length of unemployment benefits if necessary.  Most states have a fixed number of weeks available for benefits but can increase the number of weeks if necessary.  The Florida unemployment rate in April was 9.6%.

The state of Florida recently approved an extension of the unemployment benefits by 20 weeks as a result of Senate Bill 810 sponsored by Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Miami and Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola.  This applies to unemployed persons who have already used up the previous maximum of 59 weeks of unemployment benefits.  The legislation allowing this EB extension was signed by Governor Charlie Crist and will provide more benefits for up to 250,000 unemployed Floridians.  The payments will be up to $300 per week.

The money to pay for these extended benefits will come from the stimulus package of 2009 – about $415 million in total.

The agency responsible for these benefits is called the Agency for Workforce Innovation – they expect to start sending out the extended benefit checks in July.  According to a spokesman from the agency Robby Cunningham – some people might be able to collect benefits retroactive to February of 2009.

“It’s actually retroactive to February 22nd of this year so some qualifying receiptence could receive initial payments up to 5,100 dollars.”

Please note that any retroactive payments will be from February 22, 2009 or when your last claim ran out – whichever is later.

How to apply for extended benefits

If you qualify for the extended 20 weeks then you still have to apply – go to www.floridajobs.com and click on the big red “Extended Benefits” square near the top of the right side of the screen.  The actual link which will open up the application form is here.  You can also fill in and mail the EB application to the address indicated on the EB notice/application you will be receiving in the mail.

How do I know if I’m eligible?

Here are a few guidelines you can use to determine eligibility:

  • You are totally or partially unemployed.
  • You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) benefits prior to February 22, 2009 but your benefit year ends after February 22, 2009.
  • You exhaust all entitlement to regular and emergency unemployment compensation benefits after February 22, 2009.
  • You are not eligible for unemployment compensation benefits in any state (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, The District of Columbia) or Canada.
  • You satisfy all requirements of the Florida UC Law that apply to regular UC and EB, such as being able and available for work, and have not been disqualified from receiving benefits based on your reason for separation.
  • You actively seek work for each EB week claimed and provide the work search record as instructed.
  • You do not refuse an offer of suitable work or fail to apply for suitable work.

 

698 replies on “Florida Unemployment Benefits Extension – 20 More Weeks”

Hi,
Walt1948. Sorry to hear you’re doing poorly. 2012 has just GOT to be a better year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Wow,nice to see some of you back again! Walt, hope you will get better!, and again, I am mighty glad to see most of you back at the forum! I am sorry, but I thought the 99ers were included in this! I swear I thought they were, any reason they give that they are not included? I thought I read in someone’s post recently that they were included in some program that was passed or something, can someone enlighten me on this one please? I pray for them to be included ASAP.

Hey Joe!!

Yeah Tebow is doing well….I’m glad. Can’t say the same for the poor Gators.
I did the same thing & looked at the UE website….couldn’t find anything! Hope all is good with you Joe & hope Santa treated you right 🙂

30 dec 2011 @ 1057 am cst…
thanks Issa and beatrice for your well wishing. I AM doing better now. that Phnemonia is a bear!
any more news of any kind? I know extention is for 2 more months but that is not for the 99ers. anything else in the works? I think i am about at the end of the line. and work is Not out there.not in this area.
best wishes to you all. Happy New year in advance!

Hi!! I honestly don’t know if Obama signed that new extension yet, maybe he hasn’t because of the holidays, I don’t know, I went to the Florida (FLUID NOW) news page to see if anything had been already reported but I did not see anything yet, I will let it go maybe until next Wednesday, if nothing has been posted I will call and find out what the story is because the extensions WERE approved already by all. I also hear people talk about something cooking for the 99ers, or maybe it’s in these new extensions, I don’t want to go further because I don’t know and don’t want to give false hopes, God Willing there will be something for the 99ers, they need it as much as we do, they haven’t gotten anything for a while now, I am just starting my 3rd Tier last week. Happy and HOpeful 2012 for all, 😎

31 Dec 11 @ 12:02 PM CST

Hi everyone! I just hung up with Sherri. we are close friends. we talked for a long time. She wishes everyone on Here a” Happy New Year.”!
She is not on the internet at this time(She has to go to a librarty a few blocks away) when she wants to use the computer} Paul {NY}: she was especially concerned about you; wishing the best for you…
I am hoping the best for you all too. Happy New Year! Be safe. Maybe we will all have some better news in a few days when congress gets back to work…. 2011 has been a Bear… But things will get better!

12/31/11

Beatrice I called Unemployment last week and they have no information about any extensions of any kind. That’s all I know and, as with everyone, I am very concerned (per the unemployment my last claim will be the week of Jan 8th) so I am truly hoping and praying that we get an extension. Keep us posted please I really appreciate all the information! Which one is the new website? Is it an unemployment website?

Wishing you all friends here a Happy New Year and that this new year will bring us all health, jobs and income!

Happy New Year Payret! and Happy New Year to all friends in this forum!

Payret, they probably did not have anything in writing as of yet, because remember this was just approved in a hurry the last week of December, but yes, the Unemployment Extensions were finally approved, after an unnecessary delay by Congress, but anyway, they were approved but what I don’t know is whether the Prez signed it or not as he was leaving at that time for Hawaii, so, things will start to clear up I guess this first week of the New Year. Those Extensions were in the same bill as the Tax Extension Bill, or whatever they called it, Walt! Glad ur OK!!!!!!!!!!!

Will keep checking any news on this matter.

From Wall Street Journal

(The payroll-tax cut package that was passed by Congress also provides another two months of extended federal unemployment benefits, but fewer Americans may be eligible for the full 99 weeks offered in the hardest hit states.

Jobless Americans will still be eligible for a maximum 99 weeks of benefits, but workers in some states may be limited to only 79 weeks. The law determines each state’s need for extra benefits based on whether the unemployment problem is significantly worse than over the past three years.

Democrats wanted to tweak the law to factor in the duration of America’s high unemployment, allowing states to take into account the change in unemployment over the past four years. That would help some states avoid falling back to a maximum 79 weeks of benefits. Republicans didn’t agree to the change.

“We’ll come back and revisit that,” House Majority Leader Harry Reid said. He noted he had picked Sen. Jack Reed (D., R.I.) to serve as one of the four Senate Democratic negotiators of a new package. The Democrat’s state had a 10.5% jobless rate in November — higher than the nation’s — and he is especially sensitive to the concerns of the long-term unemployed.

Congress decided to offset the cost of the new round of federal jobless benefits, a break with past practice that adds extra pressure on Democratic negotiators next year.)

1/1/12

Thank you Beatrice! I will definitely call unemployment next week to see what they say. I’ll come back here to post what they tell me. As always, thanks for all the information and keep us posted of anything else you find out. Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all.
Walt, I’m glad you’re doing better. Thanks for passing on the info from Sherri. I am worried about her, and Paul and New Yorker too.
2012 has just GOT to be better!

I’m from florida. Is the extended benefits included in the 2 month extension? As of now the last payable week is 1/7/2012.

I hope 2012 is a better year!!!! Im 37 with 3 kids i raise on my own… I have sent my resume to 1,000’s of jobs and got a couple bites, but since i have a felony 16 years ago they wont even give me a chance!!!! Its sad when you made one mistake when you were younger that it will never go away!!! I have tried to get it exponged but they will not cause i pled guilty… Its been just over a year now since employed, I PRAY TO GOD THEY EXTEND THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENIFITS!!!!! Just claimed my last week.. 🙁

BREAKING NEWS, POSTED IN THE FL UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION WEBSITE REGARDING THE NEW EXTENSION!

January 4, 2012

Important Information on the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, Extended Benefits (EB) program, and Duration of Benefits law changes effective January 1, 2012

On December 23, 2011, President Obama signed into law a two-month extension of the eligibility dates for Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC).

Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) – The new federal law extends the deadline for establishing eligibility in the EUC program, to the week beginning February 26, 2012, and extends the phase-out date for the program to the week ending August 18, 2012. Four tiers of federal EUC benefits remain available to eligible beneficiaries:

Tier I: Under this new law, unemployed workers currently receiving benefits from their regular state claims have until week ending February 25, 2012 to exhaust their state benefits and establish eligibility for EUC Tier I, which provides up to an additional 20 weeks of benefits.

Tiers II, III, and IV: Unemployed workers currently receiving benefits on EUC Tiers I, II and III, can now qualify for the next level of benefits if their current tier is exhausted by the week ending March 3, 2012. EUC Tier II provides up to 14 weeks of benefits and Tier III provides up to 13 weeks of additional benefits. Tier IV provides up to 6 (six) additional weeks of benefits.

Those who will exhaust EUC Tiers I, II, and III between now and the week ending March 3, 2012 will be automatically enrolled in the next level of benefits.

Those who received a final payment notice for regular, EUC Tier I, II or III will be automatically enrolled in the next level of EUC and should be able to begin certifying for the additional benefits during their regular claim reporting cycle.

Customers are encouraged to check their claims online to determine if they have weeks available to claim.

Extended Benefits (EB) – Extended Benefits (EB) – To qualify to receive EB benefits under current state law you must establish an EB claim no later than January 1, 2012. The last week that EB benefits can be paid is January 7, 2012.

Important Facts:

No new tiers of benefits were created.
The department will notify those who are potentially eligible of both programs by mail with instructions on how to receive benefits.
Duration of Benefits – For all claims filed on or after January 1, 2012, the duration of benefits adjusts from the current maximum of 26 weeks to a range of 12 to 23 weeks, based upon the average unemployment rate in Florida for the three months ending September 30 of the prior year.

The maximum weekly benefit amount will remain at $275.

The Department of Economic Opportunity’s Labor Market Statistics Program determined that the average unemployment rate in Florida during the quarter ending September 30, 2011 was 10.7 percent. Because of this determination, the maximum available credits for claims established in 2012 are lowered from $7,150 to $6,325 (Max WBA X 23 weeks).

So EB payments for Florida end this week, not on January 28 – even as other places are reporting that the EB period in Florida would last until this date. (?)

There are a few items that are very confusing still, I would think that the best thing would be to call them directly as I tried today but the dept was plagued with calls and could not talk to anyone,

1/5/12

I tried calling the unemployment office yesterday and today and I could not speak to anyone. Like Beatrice said the department was apparently plagued with calls because you get disconnected and it tells you to call later…

What I was able to check on the phone is my balance and it shows that I only have a balance of two (2) more weeks which will be the ones I have to claim on 1/9/12.

I will keep trying since my benefits are to end next Monday when I have to claim my weeks. Definitely hoping that I am entitled to more extensions based on what has been passed. I think I am on the EB right now. All these tiers are confusing…

Thank you Beatrice for all your detailed information and for keeping updated on everything that is happening!!! Bless you!!!

You are most welcome. I am not an expert, mind you, I just go around see what I can find that it true and verified,I tried calling again but I guess with all these important changes everybody is calling. If you find out about your problem, Payret, let us know, if I find out something I will come and post right away. 😎

Thank you Issa. i hope so too!!!!! well i hate to share bad news, but i just recieved a letter from UE 1/6/12 says this is your final payment of (EB) because you have exhausted your benefit entitlement. You had previously exhausted all (EUC) benefits . There are no more benefits available to you at this time… So i called and they told me that you can only claim once for (EB) and there are no tiers for (EB)…. I asked whats the extension about and they said only for (EUC)…. All this is a bunch of crap getting peoples hopes up just to let them down…

1.10.2012@ 4:07 Pm CST
Been a while since any entries( not much to post yet?) I have been sick but better now. Has there been anymore talks on cspan or elsewhere? Best wishes to the 99ers. Something has to break.

Today is my birthday! I have be called “old Coot,old man and many other things. BUT I have not been called…. to work. lol
Hopefully, something will come out for all of us. Prayers for you.

HI, EVERYONE KIND OF GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE I WAS JUST WONDERING WILL I B ABLE TO GO INTO MY SECOND TIER BECAUSE MY FIRST ONE IS JUST ABOUT UP PLEASE PLEASE CAN I GET A RESPONSE.

I filed for UE today. I do not understand “the deadlines” to file. I was let go today 1/16/12. How many weeks of UE 26 or 23?
Do I get the extensions? You can’t help what date you file…. You file the day they fire you.

17 jan 12 @ 1:46 pm CST
Vince,
I haven’t read or heard anything new yet. I haven’t watched Cspan2 in the last 7 or 8 days. Sure hope something comes around! Best wishes.

18 jan @ 08:41AM CST
ISSA, I am doing quite well and thanks for the Belated Birthday. My youngest son (Sam) sent to me the Beatles”when I’m sixtyfour”. I got it as an attachment on Facebook. I haven’t heard that song in years. LOL!
I am going to start watching Cspan 2 again. Anything coming up for a vote that affects the unemployed other than what Beatrice mentioned? I will keep eyes and ears open for you. best wishes..

24 jan 2012 2:19pm cst
Hasn’t Anyone got any kind of info to pass on? 6 days have passed since i last posted. I Havent heard of any talks on cspan2 yet but i only view it for a short while each day. So i might have missed something?
Is there any NEW talks about benefits past Feb 2012?

No, my friend Walt, nothing as of yet, I check msnbc and cnn in their important news talk shows of each day but they have not said anything yet,
specially The Ed Show at 8:00 is always on top of this unemployment matter,…..Congress just started working so, I guess they will start on something by next week, hopefully, when I don’t check in it’s just that I don’t have any news to post, like I said, by next week they should be doing something.
Regards, Beatrice

Hi, Walt!!! 😎 OK, the Ed Show I watch it daily on cable, MSNBC, at 8:00 pm est.=, I understand you can also watch it on line but you must first go to http://www.msnbc.com and find The Ed Show on their listing, …Ed does talk about the unemployeds problem and is always trying to help in that matter, actually he is the one, so far, that does talk about us and the latest news that come out,….let me know if you finally could watch it. Regards,,,,,Beatrice

PS to Walt: Ed’s show is about politics, you know, what’s going on in Washington, etc etc, but he has made a rule to make sure to keep us informed on what’s going on with the unemployeds problem, the 99ers, etc.
Regards, Beatrice

So anyone who lost their job this month and will start collecting EB, WILL NOT be able to collect extenisons?
Please Respond!!!

Hey, Mark and Joe and all. Just thought I would drop in and say My Prayers are with you all. I am getting evicted and in a wheelchair but still have my faith. Love you all!!! xoxox

1/29/2012
Good Morning All!

Hi Peachykeen….it’s been a while. I’m SO sorry that you are facing an eviction. I hope you have found some family, friends, or someone to help you out. Isn’t your dad with you or am I remembering wrong? Tap your resources & stay creative. I’ll be sending positive thoughts your way! Remember keep smiling! 🙂

Hello All! I hope everyone is doing okay – or at least as okay as possible.

Joe – Can you tell me anything about Stevei B’s pizza in Gainesville at 3720 NW 13th St.? I’m mainly interested in if it’s in a safe area for a single female to visit. And if you know, how’s the food?

Mark – I hope you and your son are well.

Ciao!

Looks like unemployment is down again today. That tells me it doesn’t look good for the extensions for this year. If we do get them they will not be for the total tiers i don’t think. Where the government gets 8.3 percent is beyond me but anyone can flub the numbers i guess. Just saw American Airlines going to cut 15,000 jobs and Microsoft also but i guess they don’t count those.

Kelly,
Florida has a maximum of 23 weeks unemployment. If you do not get a job after that you would be able to claim extended unemployment benefits depending on the outcome of congress this month. employment taxes and unemployment benefits expire at the end of FEB unless congress extends it to the rest of the year and then it depends on the state you are in. Florida is one of the states that would get hit hard by the extensions. Those out of work would only be able to claim thru Tier 2 and that would be cut to 13 weeks instead of 14 weeks. Tier 3 and 4 would be eliminated. Unless congress acts this month, you only have 23 weeks as of now.

Hi Kathy from Jville!! Wow….long time. How are you? Things are well with me & my son. I still check in here every once in a while. Not sure about the pizza place in Gville. But that area used to be near the old Gainesville mall & some older homes with some students, some families & some older folks. I would think it would be ok. If you go just use your street smarts & your gut, if you are not comfortable ….leave! Smiles to you Kathy 🙂

Hi Mark!

I’m doing okay, thanks. Same here, I check in once in awhile to see what’s going on. I think the only names I have recognized lately are yours, Joe’s, and Peachy’s. Thanks for the info on the pizza place.

Back in “the day” of this blog we were always sharing ideas for making money. For about a year now I have been busting my hump as a Mystery Shopper (hence the request for info on the pizza place), which has been a fun way to earn a little spending money and enjoy reimbursable meals and entertainment. I love road trips and get bored with Jacksonville shops, so I hit the road a few days a month to another city for a change of scenery. I went to Gainesville yesterday and will be going back at the end of the month.

If anyone would like more information on this I will be happy to share my knowledge, either through the blog or to your email if you care to post it. Mystery Shopping is not for everyone, but it is easy to get jobs if you are a good writer and are dependable.

Hello! First time I visit, thank God I found this site last night after a lot of
inquiring around, I know I should get good, well-based info here by what I have read so far, I am alone and with no family and help it is getting unsustainable and might get evicted but anyway, my question is, I overheard last night from a neighbor that has c able that they finally arrived to a decision on a “Yes” for extending the long-term unemployment extensions again and that it should be signed by the President soon. Any of you have any ideas when they will implement this, as I am just starting my last tier 4 which is actually the little bit of extension they passed back in December, and I am in total anguish, and praying for this new extension, even if it is for a few more weeks, there is no help here in the SW area of Miami for anything, except food stamps, of course, but no help anymore for paying the light bill, etc, they claim they do not have any more funds until July, and churches are not a big help either, much too many people here in the city lately and this is what it is. Could someone here, knowledgeable about these extensions, tell me what can we expect in the next few weeks? I imagine by what I read that there are quite a few here that are in my same situation and some have lost all extensions already. Please, please someone answer, I do not want to end up in the hospital due to my severe anguish, that’s the last thing I need! Blessings to all.

Annushka Marie

Hey Kathy – I would be interested in hearing about the mystery shopper. I need some more avenues to make some $. Not sure I want to put an email on here though…..

Has any new come on the passing of 2012 unemployment. I,m getting to the point of pulling my hair out here.

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