DEO approved me for minimal benefits after 30+ years in workforce - is this normal?

Unfortunately, this is actually normal for Florida. Our state has one of the lowest maximum benefit amounts in the entire country at $275/week, and the shortest duration at 12 weeks (though it can extend to 19 weeks when unemployment is high statewide). It doesn't matter if you worked 3 years or 30 years - the maximum weekly benefit amount stays the same, and it's been that way since 1998 without any increases for inflation. The benefit amount is calculated based on your highest earning quarter in your base period, not your total years of work history.

same thing happened to my dad he workd 25 yrs at disney and they gave him like $260 a week for 12 wks... its a joke man

I understand your frustration completely. Florida's unemployment system has some significant limitations: 1. The maximum weekly benefit amount is capped at $275 regardless of your previous wages 2. The standard benefit duration is 12 weeks (can extend to 19 weeks depending on the state unemployment rate) 3. Benefits are calculated using your earnings from the highest paid quarter in your base period 4. Your work history length doesn't affect the amount or duration You can appeal the monetary determination if you believe there was an error in your wage calculation. Look at your wage transcript in CONNECT and verify all employers and earnings are correctly listed for your base period (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed). If something is missing, you can submit an appeal with proof of those wages (W-2s, pay stubs). However, if all wages are correctly reported and you're already at the $275 maximum, an appeal won't increase your benefit amount.

OMG YES!!!! I worked as a hospital administrator for 15 years, making good money, and still only got the pathetic $275 a week. Florida's system is CRIMINAL. I had to drain my retirement savings just to keep my house while looking for work. The weekly maximum hasn't increased since the 90s!!! Meanwhile, rent has tripled!!!!

I went through the exact same situation last year after 22 years at my company. The $275 weekly maximum is a disgrace, especially considering how expensive everything is in Florida now. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about the benefit amount if your wages are correctly reported. However, I would recommend checking if you qualify for any other assistance programs while you're job searching. CareerSource Florida offers retraining programs that might provide additional support, especially for displaced workers from manufacturing. Also, make sure you're completing your 5 work search contacts each week and documenting them properly - DEO is notorious for auditing those and stopping benefits if they're not done correctly. By the way, when I was trying to get answers about additional programs, I could never reach anyone at DEO by phone until I used Claimyr.com. It got me through to an actual person in about 20 minutes instead of spending days calling. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. Definitely worth it when you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.

Wait, I'm confused about something. You said you got a monetary determination letter? Have you actually started receiving payments yet? Because sometimes the determination letter is just telling you what you qualify for, but you might still have pending issues that need to be resolved before payments start. My determination letter said $275/week but then I was stuck in adjudication for 2 months before I got any money.

If you have a pending adjudication issue, that needs to be resolved before you'll receive any payments - regardless of your monetary determination. Common adjudication issues include questions about your job separation (was it a true layoff or potential misconduct/quitting), availability for work, or other eligibility factors. You should have received a fact-finding questionnaire in your CONNECT inbox about the specific issue. Make sure you complete it as soon as possible with detailed, accurate information. Adjudication can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks to resolve depending on DEO's current workload and the complexity of your case. I strongly recommend trying to speak with a DEO representative to understand exactly what the adjudication issue is and what information they need to resolve it quickly. The sooner you address their specific concerns, the faster your benefits can begin.

To answer your question about Florida considering increases to the maximum benefit amount - there have been several bills proposed in recent legislative sessions to increase both the weekly benefit amount and the duration, but none have passed. The most recent attempt would have raised the maximum to $375/week and extended the base duration to 14 weeks, but it died in committee. Regarding your pending adjudication - that's actually a separate issue from your benefit amount. Even though your monetary determination is approved, you won't receive any payments until the adjudication is resolved. Since you mentioned it was a company relocation/layoff, they're likely just verifying the circumstances of your separation to confirm eligibility. This is standard procedure but can take several weeks to process.

I see you mentioned having an adjudication pending. That's actually a bigger immediate concern than the benefit amount. The adjudication process can drag on for weeks if you don't actively follow up. If you need to reach DEO about the adjudication issue, I really can't recommend Claimyr enough - it's the only reason I got my adjudication resolved in a reasonable timeframe. When I called using their service, I asked the DEO rep specifically what documentation they needed to clear the adjudication, then uploaded it right away to my CONNECT account AND followed up again three days later. Being proactive made all the difference. Otherwise, you could be waiting months before receiving any benefits at all, regardless of the amount.

That severance letter stating the facility closure and relocation is exactly the kind of documentation you should upload to support your claim. Go to your CONNECT dashboard, click on the "Document Upload" section, and submit it as support for your adjudication issue. Select document type "Proof of Employment Separation" when uploading. After uploading, call DEO to confirm they received it and ask if anything else is needed. The severance letter should help speed up your adjudication process since it clearly documents a qualifying job separation. Make sure to continue claiming your weeks while the adjudication is pending - if approved, you'll receive back payments for weeks properly claimed.