Federal vs State payment amounts in DEO benefits - why is my federal portion higher?
So I got my first unemployment payment deposited yesterday (finally!) and something seems off. When I checked the payment breakdown in CONNECT, the federal portion is $425 but the state portion is only $275. I thought Florida's max weekly benefit was supposed to be higher than the federal supplement? Did anyone else notice their payment split like this? Not complaining about getting money, just confused if this is right or if DEO made an error in my benefit calculation.
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Connor O'Neill
That doesn't sound right. Florida's regular state unemployment (RA) maxes out at $375 per week, and there's no current federal supplement program running in 2025. The only 'federal' portions would be if you qualified for some special disaster assistance or trade adjustment benefits. You should definitely call DEO to check this out - sounds like either a system error or there's something about your claim type that's unusual. I had trouble getting through to them for weeks until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). Their service got me connected to a DEO agent in about 20 minutes when I was stuck with an adjudication issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj
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Zainab Ismail
•Really? Wow, I didn't even think to question it because I just assumed there was still some kind of federal money. Will definitely have to call tomorrow. Is Claimyr legit? I've wasted hours trying to get through on my own.
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Yara Nassar
It's possible you're misinterpreting what you're seeing in CONNECT. Can you check if the $425 portion is labeled as "Federal Income Tax Withholding" rather than a federal benefit? Many people elect to have taxes withheld, which would show up separately. Or maybe you're looking at the total benefit amount vs. the weekly amount?
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Zainab Ismail
•No, I double-checked and it definitely says "Federal Emergency Assistance" for the $425 and "State RA Benefit" for the $275. I did select tax withholding but that's shown as a separate deduction.
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Keisha Robinson
r u on regular unemployment or sumthin else? cuz i got laid off from construction job and just getting the regular FL amount, no federal stuff at all.
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Zainab Ismail
•I applied for regular unemployment after getting laid off from my hotel job. Didn't select anything special during the application process.
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GalaxyGuardian
Hmm, this might be related to the hurricane assistance program they just activated last month. Were you working in any of the counties that were declared disaster zones after Hurricane Nelson? If so, the system might have automatically enrolled you in Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) which IS federal money on top of regular state benefits. Check your determination letter - it should specify what type of benefits you're receiving.
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Zainab Ismail
•OMG you might be right! I was working in Hillsborough County which was in the disaster declaration. I didn't connect those dots at all. Going to pull up my determination letter right now to see if it mentions DUA.
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GalaxyGuardian
If it is DUA, that would explain the federal vs state split. DUA provides additional federal assistance on top of your regular state benefits if your unemployment is directly related to the disaster. The standard formula would be your state benefit plus the federal supplement up to a combined maximum. DEO hasn't been great about explaining this to claimants.
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Zainab Ismail
•I found my determination letter and you're 100% right - it says I'm eligible for both regular RA and DUA benefits due to job loss resulting from Hurricane Nelson. Thank you for figuring this out! The DEO never explained any of this to me.
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Paolo Ricci
BE CAREFUL with that disaster money!!! DEO is NOTORIOUS for coming back later and saying you weren't eligible and demanding repayment!!! Make SURE you keep ALL documentation showing your job loss was hurricane-related. I got hit with a $5,600 overpayment notice after Hurricane Irma because they decided after 4 months that my job loss wasn't "directly" caused by the storm even though my workplace was damaged!!!!
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Zainab Ismail
•Oh crap, that's scary! I do have an email from my manager specifically stating the layoff was due to hurricane damage and reduced bookings. I'll make sure to keep everything. Thanks for the warning.
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Amina Toure
This happened to me too! I was confused about why my payment was higher than expected. Called DEO after waiting on hold for 3+ hours and they confirmed I was getting DUA + regular benefits. Since your workplace was in a declared disaster area, the system probably flagged your claim automatically for the additional federal assistance. Just make sure to continue doing your work searches - 5 per week - even with the DUA portion because they audit these claims more closely.
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Oliver Zimmermann
just fyi i think the dua payments only last for like 3 months or something so dont get used to that extra money
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GalaxyGuardian
•That's correct. DUA benefits typically last up to 26 weeks from the date of the disaster declaration, but they can end earlier if you find new employment or if FEMA determines the disaster period has ended. It's important to prepare for when those federal payments will stop.
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Zainab Ismail
Thanks everyone for helping me figure this out! I just got off the phone with DEO (waited almost 2 hours) and they confirmed everything. I'm getting both regular unemployment AND Disaster Unemployment Assistance because my layoff was hurricane-related. The agent said the DUA portion ($425/week) will last for a maximum of 26 weeks from the disaster declaration date, while my regular state benefits ($275/week) can continue for up to 12 weeks total depending on the state unemployment rate. She also warned me to keep documenting my work searches and any hurricane-related impacts to avoid future overpayment issues.
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