Will my Florida unemployment benefits continue after Sept 4th if I still have balance left?

your balance doesnt matter, everything ends on sept 4 no matter wat. thats just how florida does it. had the same thing happen to me last year, had like $2700 left in my account and it all just disappeared

Unfortunately, the previous commenter is correct. The remaining balance in your account becomes irrelevant when the benefit year ends. According to Florida DEO regulations, your benefit year expires exactly 12 months from when you first filed your claim, or on the specified end date (September 4th in your case). Any unused balance will not be paid out after this date. This is standard procedure for Regular Unemployment Assistance (RA) in Florida. You would need to qualify for a new benefit year if you're still unemployed after September 4th, which means filing a new claim and going through the monetary determination process again.

SAME EXACT THING happened to me in 2023!!!! Had over $3000 left and they just CUT ME OFF! No warning, nothing! DEO doesn't care if you still have balance - once your benefit year ends, you're DONE. The whole system is designed to pay out as little as possible.

I faced this exact situation last year. My benefit year was ending with about 6 weeks of payments left in my balance. I tried calling DEO multiple times to see if there was any way to access those remaining funds, but kept hitting busy signals and automated disconnects. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a live agent. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent confirmed what others are saying - once your benefit year ends, any remaining balance is forfeited. But they were able to help me understand if I qualified for a new benefit year and what documentation I'd need ready.

Let me clarify something important: The September 4th date you're referring to is likely your Benefit Year End (BYE) date, which is shown on your CONNECT dashboard. This is exactly 12 months after you initially filed your claim. Here's what you need to know: 1. Your claim is valid until September 4th, 2025 2. Any remaining balance after that date cannot be collected 3. You must file a new claim after your BYE date if you remain unemployed 4. For the new claim, you'll need to have earned qualifying wages during your base period (typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters) 5. You'll go through the same approval process, including work search requirements and waiting week Start preparing documentation of any work you've done during your benefit year, as this will determine eligibility for a new claim.

To add to what others have said, this isn't DEO "stealing" your money as one commenter suggested. Unemployment benefits aren't like a savings account where you're entitled to a specific dollar amount. The maximum benefit amount is just that - a maximum you could potentially receive if your benefit year lasts long enough. The September 4th date is your Benefit Year End date. Think of it as an expiration date on your claim. If you're still eligible for benefits on September 3rd, you'll get paid for that week. But once September 4th hits, that claim is closed permanently regardless of remaining balance. I recommend claiming every week you're eligible until September 4th to maximize what you receive from this current claim.

btw if u havent been working at all during ur benefit year ur probably not gonna qualify for a new claim... u need to have enough work history in the last 18 months to get approved again

I noticed some confusion in the comments. Just to be 100% clear: - The "balance" shown in your account is the maximum potential payout remaining on your current claim - This balance expires completely on your Benefit Year End date (September 4th, 2025) - You can file a new claim immediately after your benefit year ends - For the new claim, you need qualifying wages in your new base period - Part-time work may qualify you for a new claim, but at a potentially lower weekly benefit amount - If you haven't earned any wages during your benefit year, you likely won't qualify for a new claim I recommend scheduling a meeting with a CareerSource Florida office before your benefits end. They can review your specific situation and help with both job searching and understanding your benefit options.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I went through this exact same situation in 2022. Had about 8 weeks of benefits left when my benefit year ended, and yes, that money just disappears. It's frustrating but that's how the system works. One thing that helped me was starting my job search intensification about 6-8 weeks before my BYE date. Since you know exactly when your benefits will end regardless of balance, you can plan accordingly. I also made sure to save as much as possible from those final benefit payments since I knew there might be a gap before finding work or qualifying for a new claim. Also, keep detailed records of any work you've done during your current benefit year - even small gigs or temporary work. When you file your new claim, DEO will look at wages earned in your base period, and every bit helps determine if you qualify and what your new weekly benefit amount would be. The silver lining is that Florida processes new claims relatively quickly compared to some other states, so if you do qualify for a new benefit year, you shouldn't have too long of a wait.

I'm in almost the same exact boat - my benefit year ends September 6th and I've got about 7 weeks of payments left in my balance. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful but also pretty discouraging to know that money just vanishes. One question I haven't seen addressed - has anyone successfully appealed or challenged this policy? It seems like there should be some way to collect benefits you've already been approved for, especially when you're still actively job searching and meeting all the requirements. Also, for those who've gone through filing a new claim after their BYE date - did you have to go through the whole waiting week process again? That would mean potentially 2-3 weeks without any income between when the old claim ends and the new one kicks in.