Can I restart my DEO unemployment claim after a short temporary job ended?

OMG I went through this EXACT thing last year!! Took a 3 week job thinking it would turn permanent and then they let everyone go. Such bs. You DON'T need to file a new claim!!! Just log back into CONNECT and there should be an option to reopen your claim. You'll need to report your work and earnings for those weeks you worked. They'll ask all about the job and why it ended. Make sure u have the exact start/end dates and company info ready.

i did this 2 months ago just log in and claim ur weeks again. they might ask why u stopped claiming before. just be honest

You'll need to reactivate your claim rather than filing a new one. Here's what to do: 1. Log into your CONNECT account 2. Select "Reopen Claim" option (if your claim is inactive) 3. Report your employment during the gap period 4. Provide details about why this job ended (temporary assignment completion) 5. Resume claiming weeks as normal Since your benefit year hasn't expired, your remaining balance ($4,800) should still be available to you. You may need to serve a one-week waiting period again depending on how long you were employed. Make sure to complete your work search requirements - remember Florida requires 5 work search contacts for each week you claim benefits. Also, be prepared that your claim might go into adjudication while they verify your temporary job details, which could delay payment by 2-3 weeks.

The length of the temporary job doesn't disqualify you from reopening your existing claim. What matters is whether your benefit year (typically 12 months from when you first applied) is still active and you have remaining benefits. However, there is one important thing to know: if your earnings during the temporary job were high enough to qualify for a new claim (usually earning at least 10x your weekly benefit amount during your base period), DEO might require you to file a new claim instead of reopening the old one. Most likely with just 4 weeks of work, you'll simply reopen your existing claim. Just make sure you report your earnings accurately when you reopen - any incorrect reporting could trigger an overpayment issue later.

I was in this EXACT situation in January. Had a DEO claim, took a 6-week contract job, then needed to go back on unemployment. Here's what happened: I logged into CONNECT, selected the option to reopen my claim, and had to answer questions about my work during the gap period. The annoying part was my claim went into adjudication for almost 3 weeks while they verified why my temp job ended. I got desperate trying to reach someone at DEO (kept getting disconnected or waiting hours). I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a DEO agent right away - they have this service that gets you past the hold times. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent was able to see that my claim just needed manual approval since the system flagged the short employment period. After that call, my payments started processing within 2 days. The remaining balance from my original claim was still there! Just remember to keep doing your 5 work search activities each week while you wait.

when i did this my claim got stuck for like 5 weeks because they said i quit my job but i didnt the assignment just ended!!! make sure u select the right reason the job ended or ull be stuck in pending forever

i think u can restart the claim but i did this and they made me pay back money later becuase they said i didnt report my earnings right... so be super careful about the dates and amounts. also when u log in sometimes the system is glitchy and it doesnt show the reopen claim button right away. try logging out and back in or use a different browser if u dont see it right away.

I worked at DEO call center during the pandemic (not anymore) and this is a very common situation. The key is properly reporting your return to work AND your subsequent job loss. Here's what you need to know: 1. If your claim is inactive (because you stopped claiming), you'll need to reopen it rather than file new 2. Your benefit year is 12 months from initial filing - if you're still in that window, your remaining balance is still available 3. You MUST report ALL earnings from your temp job during the reopen process 4. For separation reason, select "Lack of Work" or "Temporary Work Ended" - NOT "Quit" or "Fired" 5. Have your employer info ready: company name, address, phone, supervisor name, start/end dates Your claim will almost certainly go into adjudication for review when you reopen after employment - this is normal but can take 2-4 weeks. If it takes longer, you'll need to contact DEO directly. One important note: if you earned enough at this temp job to qualify for a new claim with a higher weekly benefit amount, the system might require you to file a new claim instead of reopening. But with just 4 weeks of work, that's unlikely.

Wait - did u mean ur original claim was from before the pandemic? Because if it's SUPER old the rules might be different. When did u originally file ur claim?? If it was more than a year ago u probably need a whole new claim.

good luck getting thru to deo if u have problems! took me 3 days of calling!!!

I went through something similar last year with a seasonal retail job that ended after 6 weeks. Here's what worked for me: Log into CONNECT and look for "Reopen Claim" - sometimes it shows up as "Request Weekly Benefits" if your claim is still technically active. You'll need to report ALL your earnings from the temp job, including exact dates and gross pay amounts. One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you have documentation ready in case they ask for it later. I kept my hiring paperwork that showed it was a temporary position from day 1, plus my final paystub. Even though they didn't ask for it during the reopen process, having it saved me when they did a review 3 weeks later. Also heads up - your first payment might be delayed while they process the work separation. Mine took about 10 days longer than usual, but once it cleared, all my back weeks came through at once. The good news is your $4,800 balance should still be there since you're well within your benefit year. Just be super accurate with those work dates and earnings - any discrepancies will trigger a longer review process.

Just went through this exact process two weeks ago! You're definitely on the right track - you can reopen your existing claim since you're still within your benefit year (filed in November 2024). Here's what I learned: Log into CONNECT and look for "Reopen Claim" or sometimes it shows as "Request to Reopen Claim." You'll need to report your temp job earnings for each week you worked. The system will ask why you stopped claiming (select "returned to work") and then why the job ended (select "temporary work completed" or "lack of work"). Pro tip: Have your exact start date, end date, and total gross earnings ready before you start. Also keep your temp agency contact info handy - they might ask for supervisor details during the process. My claim went into pending status for about 2 weeks while they verified everything, but once approved, I got backpay for all the weeks I was eligible. Your remaining balance should still be there waiting for you! One heads up - make sure you're ready to start your work search activities again (5 contacts per week in Florida) as soon as you reopen. Good luck!

I'm in a very similar situation right now! Just had a 5-week temp assignment end (data entry clerk) and I'm trying to figure out the same thing with my DEO claim. Reading through all these responses is super helpful - sounds like the consensus is definitely to reopen rather than file new since we're both still in our benefit year. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - did anyone have issues with the temp agency trying to say you "quit" instead of the assignment ending? My agency keeps saying different things about how they'll report it, and I'm worried it might mess up my claim if there's conflicting information. Also @Danielle Campbell - we filed around the same time (I filed in December 2024) so our situations are really similar. Let me know how it goes when you reopen yours! I'm planning to do mine this week once I get my final paystub. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is way more helpful than anything on the actual DEO website!

I just went through this exact process about a month ago after a 3-week warehouse temp job ended! You definitely want to reopen your existing claim rather than file a new one since you're still well within your benefit year (filed in November 2024). Here's what worked for me: Log into CONNECT and look for the "Reopen Claim" option. When it asks why you stopped claiming benefits, select "returned to work." Then when it asks why the job ended, be very careful to select "temporary assignment completed" or "lack of work" - NOT anything that suggests you quit or were terminated for cause. You'll need to report your exact earnings for each week you worked at the temp job. Have your paystubs ready with the exact amounts. The system is really picky about this part. My claim did go into pending status for about 2.5 weeks while they reviewed everything, but once approved, I got all my back payments and my original remaining balance was still there. One tip: Start doing your 5 weekly work search contacts immediately when you reopen - don't wait for approval. DEO requires this from day one of claiming again. Your $4,800 balance should definitely still be available since your benefit year hasn't expired. Good luck with the process!