DEO payment schedule confusion - do they pay CONNECT benefits weekly or biweekly?

Florida DEO pays biweekly, not weekly. You claim two weeks at a time and get paid for both weeks together. The $340 you got is for one week, so you'll get $680 total for the two-week period (before taxes if you're withholding). The maximum weekly benefit amount in Florida is $375, so your $340 is a weekly amount. The confusion is common because the CONNECT system has you claim every two weeks, but each payment represents your weekly benefit amount. So when you claim on 3/15, you'll be claiming for the next two-week period and should receive another payment shortly after.

DEO pays every 2 weeks. u claim 2 weeks at once every 2 weeks. so the $340 is for 1 week. youll get another $340 for the 2nd week after you claim. hope that helps

THIS SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING!!! I had the exact same question when I started getting benefits last month. The CONNECT website is just awful at explaining anything clearly. They pay biweekly but your benefit amount is WEEKLY. They should just say that clearly somewhere! I spent hours trying to figure this out and got different answers from everyone I asked. Then when I finally got through to DEO they acted like I was stupid for not understanding. How are we supposed to know these things if no one explains them properly??!

I just want to say Im so relieved to see this post because I was wondering the exact same thing! Started getting benefits last week and was totally confused about whether my payment was for one week or two.

To clear up some confusion: Florida's unemployment system (now called Reemployment Assistance) pays benefits on a biweekly schedule. Your weekly benefit amount is between $32 and $375 based on your previous earnings. When you claim weeks, you're claiming two weeks at once. After claiming, you'll receive two separate payments (one for each week) or one combined payment depending on your payment method. If you're using direct deposit, it's usually combined. If you're using the Way2Go debit card, you might see separate transactions. The $340 you received is your weekly benefit amount. You claim every two weeks, so expect around $680 before taxes every time you complete your biweekly claim. Don't forget that you must complete 5 work search contacts for each week you claim (unless you have a work search exemption). Record these carefully as DEO can audit your work search efforts at any time.

I had this same issue and spent DAYS trying to get someone on the phone at DEO to explain it. The busy signals and automatic disconnects were driving me crazy. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a DEO agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent confirmed what others are saying - Florida pays biweekly but the amount you see is your weekly benefit. So whatever amount you got ($340 in your case) is what you get per week, but they pay two weeks at once after you claim both weeks. Made so much more sense after talking to someone directly.

u need to watch out for the claim weeks. they dont tell u but if u miss claiming on ur scheduled day u can get locked out and have to call DEO. happened to me and took 3 weeks to fix it. DEO system is a nightmare

Also make sure you're answering the PEUC question correctly - you mentioned PEUC in your original post but that program ended years ago. The regular state unemployment (Reemployment Assistance) is what's active now. If you answer questions about expired programs incorrectly it can delay your payments!

One more thing to note - keep an eye on your CONNECT inbox. DEO often sends important notices there rather than to your email, and missing them can cause problems with your claim. Check it at least once a week even after you've started receiving payments. They might request additional information or verification at any time during your benefit period.

To summarize for you and anyone else who finds this thread: 1. Florida DEO pays biweekly (claim two weeks at once) 2. The payment amount you see ($340) is your weekly benefit amount 3. When you claim two weeks, you'll receive $680 (before taxes) 4. You must complete 5 work search activities per week (10 total for biweekly claim) 5. Your claim date (3/15/2025 in your case) is important - missing it can cause issues 6. Regular check your CONNECT inbox for important notices Hope this helps clarify everything!

Just wanted to add that if you're getting direct deposit, sometimes the timing can be a bit off from what you expect. I usually get my payment 2-3 days after I complete my biweekly claim, but I've heard some people get it the next day and others wait up to a week. Don't panic if it doesn't hit your account immediately - the processing time can vary. Also, if you ever need to change your payment method or update your banking info, do it right after you submit a claim, not right before your next claim date. I learned that the hard way when I switched banks and it delayed my payment by almost two weeks while they sorted out the new account information. Keep tracking everything - claim dates, payment amounts, work search activities. Having good records will save you headaches if any issues come up later!

Welcome to the Florida unemployment system! I see you've gotten some great explanations already, but I wanted to add that the $340 weekly amount you're receiving is actually pretty good - that means your previous earnings were decent since Florida calculates benefits based on your highest quarter of earnings from the past year. One thing I didn't see mentioned is that you should keep all your payment records and screenshots of your CONNECT account activity. If there's ever a dispute or audit, having documentation will be crucial. I've been through the system twice now and learned that lesson the hard way the first time around. Also, since you mentioned coming from a warehouse job, make sure you're including warehouse and logistics positions in your work search activities. DEO expects you to search for "suitable work" which generally means jobs similar to what you were doing before, at least initially. After a certain number of weeks, they may expect you to expand your search to other types of work. Good luck with everything, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions - this community has been really helpful for navigating all the DEO quirks!

Hey Victoria! I went through the exact same confusion when I first started getting benefits a few months ago. Everyone here has given you great explanations, but I wanted to add one more tip that really helped me understand the timing better. When you log into CONNECT and see your next claim date (3/15 in your case), that's when you'll be claiming for the two-week period that just ended. So you're not claiming for future weeks - you're claiming for weeks you've already completed. This was a lightbulb moment for me because I thought I was claiming in advance! Also, I'd recommend setting a phone reminder for your claim date. I use my phone's calendar to remind me the day before and the morning of my claim date. Missing it even by a day can cause headaches, and the CONNECT system doesn't send email reminders (at least not reliable ones). The $340 weekly amount is solid - you should be able to budget around getting $680 every two weeks as long as you keep up with your claims and work search requirements. Just remember that if you have taxes withheld, your actual deposit will be less than that amount.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating the Florida DEO system for about 6 months now. The biweekly payment schedule definitely takes some getting used to, especially when you're coming from a job that paid weekly like yours. One thing I learned that might help with budgeting - since you know you'll get $680 every two weeks (your $340 x 2), I started treating it like I was getting $340 deposited into a separate "bill money" account every week, even though the actual deposit only comes every two weeks. This mental trick helped me avoid overspending in the first week after getting paid and then being short the second week. Also, just a heads up that your claim schedule might occasionally shift due to holidays. DEO usually posts notices about holiday schedules, but it's something to keep an eye on so you don't miss your claim window. The CONNECT system really is confusing at first, but once you get into the rhythm of the biweekly claims and understand that your weekly benefit amount stays consistent, it becomes much more manageable. Hang in there!

I'm so glad you posted this question! I just started receiving Florida unemployment benefits last week and was having the exact same confusion about the payment schedule. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that the $275 I received was actually my weekly amount, not a biweekly amount. I was also confused about the CONNECT system telling me to claim again in two weeks. Now I understand that I'll be claiming for both weeks at once and should expect to receive $550 total ($275 x 2) after my next claim. The budgeting advice from everyone here is really valuable too. Coming from a job that paid biweekly, I thought I'd be fine with the schedule, but the timing of when you actually claim versus when you get paid was throwing me off. Thanks for asking this question - it's helped more people than just yourself!

This is such a helpful thread! I just started my unemployment claim process last week and haven't received my first payment yet, but I was already stressing about the payment schedule. Reading everyone's explanations about how Florida does biweekly claims but pays weekly amounts has cleared up so much confusion for me. I'm especially grateful for all the practical tips - like setting phone reminders for claim dates, keeping screenshots of everything, checking the CONNECT inbox regularly, and that budgeting trick of mentally dividing the biweekly payment into weekly amounts. Coming from a retail job that paid every two weeks, I thought the timing would be straightforward, but clearly there are a lot of nuances with the DEO system that aren't obvious at first. The work search requirement details are really helpful too. I've been applying to similar retail positions and keeping track in a spreadsheet, but it's good to know I need exactly 5 contacts per week and that they can audit this at any time. Thanks Victoria for asking this question and thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! This community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate this confusing system.

I'm also new to the Florida unemployment system and this thread has been incredibly educational! I just filed my initial claim last week and was already worried about understanding the payment timing. Reading through everyone's explanations, I now understand that when I eventually get approved, I'll receive my weekly benefit amount but claim every two weeks for both weeks at once. The budgeting tips are especially helpful since I'm coming from a job that paid weekly - I'll definitely use that mental trick of dividing the biweekly deposit into weekly amounts for budgeting purposes. I've already started keeping detailed records of my work search activities in a spreadsheet with all the details mentioned here (company, position, date, contact method). It's clear that staying organized from the beginning is crucial with the DEO system. One question for those who have been through this - about how long did it take from filing your initial claim to receiving your first payment? I know processing times can vary, but I'm trying to plan my finances accordingly while I wait for approval. Thanks to Victoria for starting this discussion and to everyone who shared their experiences!

Great question Victoria! I went through this same confusion when I started receiving benefits a few months ago. Everyone here has explained it perfectly - Florida DEO pays biweekly, but your $340 is your weekly benefit amount, so you'll get $680 every two weeks when you claim. One thing I want to add that really helped me is to download the CONNECT mobile app if you haven't already. While the website can be glitchy, the mobile app sometimes works better for quick check-ins and claiming your weeks. I've had times where the website was down but I could still access everything through the app. Also, since you mentioned budgeting - I found it helpful to set up a separate savings account where I automatically transfer half of each biweekly payment ($340 in your case) as soon as it hits my account. This way I'm basically creating my own "weekly" payment schedule and it prevents me from accidentally overspending in the first week after getting paid. The learning curve with CONNECT is steep, but once you get into the routine it becomes much more manageable. You're asking all the right questions and staying organized, which puts you way ahead of where I was when I started!

Welcome to the community! I just wanted to add something that helped me a lot when I was starting out with Florida unemployment - make sure you understand the difference between your "benefit year" and your individual claim weeks. Your benefit year is the 52-week period during which you can collect unemployment benefits (assuming you don't find work first). Each time you file your biweekly claim, you're claiming for specific weeks within that benefit year. This becomes important if you ever have to stop claiming for a while (like if you get temporary work) and then need to restart - you can usually pick up where you left off as long as you're still within your benefit year. Also, I see people mentioned the work search requirements - just wanted to emphasize that you should save confirmation emails, application receipts, or any other proof of your job applications. I keep a folder in my email just for unemployment-related stuff. The 5 work search contacts per week is strictly enforced, and having good documentation makes everything much smoother if DEO ever asks for verification. The $340 weekly amount you're getting suggests you had decent earnings before unemployment, so you should be in good shape financially while you search for new work. Just stick to the biweekly claiming schedule and you'll get into a good routine! This community is great for ongoing support too.

Hey Victoria! I just went through this exact same confusion when I started getting benefits a couple months ago. The Florida DEO system is really not intuitive at all about explaining the payment schedule! Everyone here has given you great explanations, but I wanted to add one more practical tip that really helped me. Since you're getting $340 weekly but paid every two weeks, I set up two separate budget categories in my banking app - one for "Week 1 expenses" ($340) and one for "Week 2 expenses" ($340). When that $680 biweekly payment hits, I mentally allocate it immediately so I don't accidentally blow through it all in the first few days. Also, since you mentioned coming from a warehouse job, make sure you're familiar with the "suitable work" requirements for your work search activities. Initially, DEO expects you to look for jobs similar to what you were doing before (warehouse, logistics, etc.) but after several weeks they may expect you to broaden your search. Keep good records of every application - company name, position, date applied, and how you applied. I use a simple spreadsheet and it's saved me so much stress. The CONNECT system gets easier to navigate once you do it a few times, but don't hesitate to ask questions here - this community has been incredibly helpful for figuring out all the quirks of Florida's unemployment system!

Hey Victoria! I just started collecting unemployment benefits in Florida last month and had the exact same confusion about the payment schedule. I was so worried when I got my first payment of $290 because I thought that might be all I was getting for two whole weeks! Just to add to what everyone else has explained so well - the $340 you received is definitely your weekly benefit amount, and you'll get paid for both weeks ($680 total) after you complete your biweekly claim on 3/15. One thing that really helped me understand the timing better was realizing that when you claim on 3/15, you're actually claiming for the two weeks that just ended, not the upcoming two weeks. So you're always claiming for weeks you've already completed, which is why there's that gap between when you claim and when you get paid. Also, since you mentioned budgeting concerns - I totally get it coming from weekly pay! What I started doing is treating each $680 payment like two separate $340 weekly deposits in my budget tracker, even though the money hits my account all at once. It's helped me avoid overspending early in the cycle. The CONNECT system really is confusing at first, but you're asking all the right questions. This community has been a lifesaver for navigating all the DEO quirks!