DEO RA balance of $3800 left but program ends in December - Will I lose my remaining benefits?
Hey all, just found out my Florida DEO unemployment ends in December but I'm confused about what happens to my remaining balance. I still have about $3800 showing in my account but I only get $125 per week. At this rate I won't use it all up before the end dates. Do I just lose all that money or can I get it somehow? Really worried because I was counting on that to last me through until I can find something stable. The job market in my field (hospitality) is still pretty tough around here. Any help is appreciated!
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Charlotte White
yep u lose it. happened to me last year. had like $2600 left and it just disappeared when my benefit year ended. sucks but thats how they do it.
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Anthony Young
•Dang that's what I was afraid of. So there's really no way to get that money? Seems so unfair when they calculate your benefit amount based on what you earned!
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Admin_Masters
Unfortunately, yes. Your RA benefits in Florida expire at the end of your benefit year regardless of how much is left in your monetary balance. The balance is just the maximum you COULD receive during your benefit year if you claim all available weeks. It's not like a bank account where you're entitled to withdraw the full amount. Even if you have $3800 remaining, once your benefit year ends (which appears to be December for you), any unclaimed benefits are forfeited. I had the same situation in 2022 - had about $4200 left but my benefit year ended and that was that.
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Matthew Sanchez
•This is 100% correct. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. DEO doesn't let you access funds after your benefit year expiration no matter how much is left.
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Ella Thompson
Is it possible to get an extension??? I've heard some ppl can get more weeks if they still can't find work. My sister-in-law got something called extended benefits last year but idk if that's still available???
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JacksonHarris
•The extended benefits program was temporary during the height of the pandemic. Currently, Florida doesn't offer any extensions beyond the standard 12 weeks of Regular Unemployment Assistance (RA). Once your benefit year ends or you exhaust your maximum weeks (whichever comes first), benefits stop completely. The only exception would be if there's a new federal extension program passed by Congress, but there isn't one currently available. Florida has one of the shortest benefit periods in the country at just 12 weeks maximum when unemployment is low.
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Jeremiah Brown
CALL THEM AND ASK!!! Don't just listen to randoms on the internet about something this important. The rules change ALL THE TIME and half the people here don't know what they're talking about! I had a similar situation and when I finally got through to someone they explained my options. But it took DAYS of trying to get through on the phone lines!!!!!
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Royal_GM_Mark
•Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to DEO? I was getting disconnected for days trying to reach someone about my remaining balance. Used claimyr.com and got through in about 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The DEO rep confirmed what others are saying - balance goes away when your benefit year ends. But at least I got a definite answer and she looked at my specific account info.
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JacksonHarris
To clarify something important: there are two key limits to Florida unemployment benefits: 1. Your monetary balance ($3800 in your case) 2. Your maximum weeks (12 weeks in Florida when unemployment rate is low) You're entitled to whichever runs out FIRST - your monetary balance or your maximum weeks. Additionally, everything expires at the end of your benefit year regardless of whether you've used all weeks or all money. If your benefit year ends in December, any remaining balance will be forfeited. It doesn't roll over or get paid out in a lump sum. This is standard for all state unemployment systems, not just Florida.
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Anthony Young
•Thanks for the detailed explanation. I had no idea how the system worked - they don't exactly make it clear when you apply. Guess I better step up my job search since that money won't be available for as long as I thought.
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Matthew Sanchez
Focus on the work search requirements! Make sure you're doing your 5 activities each week and documenting them correctly. That's way more important right now than worrying about money you might lose in December. If you mess up your work search, they can cut you off completely.
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Jeremiah Brown
•THIS!!! DEO is looking for ANY reason to deny benefits!!! I know someone who missed ONE work search and they got disqualified for THREE WEEKS!!! They are super strict about this!!!
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Charlotte White
random but is anyone else's CONNECT site acting weird lately? keeps logging me out when i try to claim weeks
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Admin_Masters
•That's happening to a lot of people right now. They're doing system updates on Wednesdays from 8pm-7am. Try claiming during regular business hours if possible.
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Ella Thompson
I'm confused about something. If you get $125/week and have $3800 left, isn't that like 30 more weeks of payments? But Florida only gives 12 weeks total right? So you wouldn't be able to use it all anyway? Or am I missing something?
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JacksonHarris
•You've identified an important point. Florida currently provides a maximum of 12 weeks of benefits (this can go up to 23 weeks when state unemployment is very high, but we're at the minimum now). So even if the benefit year didn't end in December, OP would still be limited to 12 weeks total regardless of the monetary balance. The monetary balance is calculated based on previous wages, but doesn't guarantee you'll be eligible to claim that full amount.
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