Worried about DEO benefits ending Dec 31 - will my new Regular UI claim be complicated?

ur fine just wait till ur bal hits zero before u worry about it. sometimes they extend ur benefit yr automatically

The reapplication process depends on whether you've worked during your current benefit year. If you worked and earned enough qualifying wages, you'll need to file a new claim. If you haven't worked, you might not qualify for a new benefit year. When your benefit year ends, CONNECT will prompt you to file a new application. It's not as bad as the first time since some of your information will already be in the system, but you will need to provide updated employment information and answer all the eligibility questions again. I would recommend starting the reapplication process 1-2 weeks before your benefit year ends so there's no gap in payments. The system should let you apply early if your benefit year end date is approaching.

I went through this in October. The reapplication is definitely simpler than your first time, but you still need to meet the wage requirements. For qualifying wages, Florida requires you to have earned at least $3,400 in your base period (the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your new claim). You'll need to report all work since your original claim, and they'll use that to determine eligibility. The system will have your basic info, but you'll need to answer all the questions about job separations, ability to work, etc. again. One tip: Make absolutely sure you keep claiming weeks right up until your benefit year ends. If you miss weeks, they won't be paid retroactively even if you qualify for a new benefit year.

WHATEVER YOU DO, don't just assume it will be automatic!!! I made this mistake and ended up with a 6 WEEK GAP between my old claim ending and my new one starting. DEO doesn't tell you when you need to reapply and the system is terrible about giving notifications. I recommend putting a reminder in your phone for 2 weeks before your end date to start the reapplication process. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - take screenshots of your submission confirmation. I had to fight with them because they claimed I never submitted my reapplication even though I did!!!

When I hit the end of my benefit year, I struggled for weeks trying to get through to DEO about my reapplication issues. Regular phone lines were always busy or disconnected me after hours on hold. I finally used Claimyr.com to get connected directly to a DEO agent who helped me with my reapplication. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj that shows how it works. It saved me so much frustration when I needed to resolve my benefit year transition issues. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my new claim and fixed it while I was on the call.

My cousin just went thru this last month and she said they made her verify her identity with ID.me all over again even tho she already did it for her first claim! Something about a "system update" requiring everyone to reverify. Took her an extra week to get paid while they processed it. Make sure your ID.me account is up to date!

Regarding your part-time hotel work - that should count toward your qualifying wages as long as it falls within the base period for your new claim. Since you're looking at applying around December 2025, your base period would likely be July 2024 through June 2025. Also, something important to know: if you don't qualify for a new regular claim but still have unemployment needs, ask specifically about Extended Benefits (if available) or file an appeal if denied. Sometimes claims representatives don't automatically check for all programs you might be eligible for. The DEO system will walk you through the application, but it helps to have all your employment records ready, including start/end dates and earnings for any work during your current benefit year.

One more thing to prepare for: expect your account to go into "pending" status during the transition between benefit years. This is normal but stressful. You'll still need to claim weeks during this time, even though payments might be delayed until your new claim is processed. If your claim gets stuck in adjudication during the transition (this happened to me), be persistent about contacting DEO. The regular phone lines are nearly impossible, so having alternative contact methods ready is essential. Also, occasionally check your CONNECT inbox and spam folder for any fact-finding questionnaires. Missing these can seriously delay your new claim processing.

just saw ur earlier reply - if u made $4800 at hotel job u shud be fine for new claim. thats over the minimum