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UPDATE: I just wanted to follow up with something important for anyone going through appeals. Make sure you're very specific about reviewing your Notice of Hearing document when it arrives. It will list what issues are being addressed in the hearing, and you want to prepare evidence SPECIFICALLY for those issues. Also, if you can't make the scheduled hearing date, contact the Office of Appeals immediately to request a reschedule. Missing the hearing almost always results in losing the appeal automatically.
To directly answer your question: You will receive the federal enhancement for any week you claim that ended before the program expiration date. The date you request payment or when the money actually arrives in your account doesn't affect your eligibility. Something else to be aware of: Make sure you're also prepared for the transition back to regular state benefits only. This means: 1. Your weekly benefit amount will decrease by $300 2. You'll still need to complete 5 work search activities each week 3. Regular state benefits (RA) will continue until you exhaust your balance or benefit year ends If you anticipate financial hardship after the federal enhancement ends, Florida has various assistance programs for utilities, housing, and food that you may qualify for. Check the DEO website for resources or contact your local CareerSource office for guidance on additional support programs.
Thank you for this detailed explanation. I've been applying to jobs but my industry (hospitality) still isn't fully staffed up in my area. I'll definitely look into those other assistance programs too since losing the $300 is going to make things really tight.
this happened to me last time benefits changed and I still got the money like 4 days after the cutoff date so dont worry about it
That's reassuring to hear. I'm hoping my experience will be the same.
Remember to keep up with your work search requirements (5 per week) and claim your weeks on time. The CONNECT system will lock you out if you miss claiming weeks, and you'll need to contact DEO to reactivate your claim. While the benefit amount is lower without federal supplements, you can maximize your chances of receiving all eligible state benefits by staying on top of the requirements.
Thanks for the reminder. I've been documenting all my job applications and interviews. Quick question - do LinkedIn job applications count as work search activities?
Yes, LinkedIn applications count as work search activities as long as you document them properly with the employer name, job title, date of application, and method of contact. Any reasonable job application effort counts, whether it's through LinkedIn, Indeed, company websites, or in-person applications.
My neighbor works at DEO (not in claims but in IT) and she says the system is SUPER backed up right now because they did some kind of software update in June that messed up a lot of things. Apparently they're going through and fixing accounts manually but there's a huge backlog. Might be why you're still waiting even though you paid the overpayment.
This is accurate. The CONNECT system underwent a major update on June 8-10, and there have been numerous issues with payment processing since then. They're working through a backlog of accounts that need manual review, particularly ones with overpayment history. If you can get through to a claims specialist, ask them to check if your account is flagged for the "post-update payment review queue" - that's apparently what they're calling it internally.
UPDATE: I finally got through! Used the 7:30am trick and asked specifically for a Tier 2 representative who could access the BPC system. Had to be firm but polite. The claims specialist confirmed exactly what was mentioned here - my overpayment showed as satisfied in BPC but there was a hold in CONNECT that needed manual removal. She processed it while I was on the phone and said I should see payments in 2-3 business days for all my back weeks! Thank you all so much for the advice - especially about using their internal terminology and calling right when they open.
Great news! This is exactly how the process is supposed to work. For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues, make sure to specify you need someone who can access BPC when you call. That terminology seems to be the key to getting transferred to the right department.
Ravi Sharma
Have you considered career retraining since you mentioned hospitality is still struggling? When my benefits were running out, I used my last few weeks to enroll in a short-term certification program through CareerSource. They have something called the WIOA program that can even pay for certain types of training. I switched from retail to healthcare administration with a 6-week medical office certification, and it made a huge difference in my job prospects.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•That's actually a really good idea. I've been in hospitality for 10+ years, but maybe it's time for a change. Did CareerSource help you identify which programs would be most marketable?
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Javier Torres
i heard somewhere that if u work part time they extend ur benefits cuz u don't use them as fast? anyone know if thats true or just a rumor?
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Isabella Ferreira
•That's partially correct. If you work part-time while on unemployment, you may still receive partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount. This can effectively stretch your benefits over a longer period, since you're not claiming your full amount each week. You still need to report all earnings and continue your work search activities.
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