The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has announced multiple actions have been invited to improve Floridian’s to access the Reemployment Assistance program.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a historic increases in Reemployment Assistance claims. Last week, Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-93, directing DEO and other executive agencies to take all necessary actions to improve the Reemployment Assistance program.
Additional Ways to Apply for Reemployment Assistance
As many Floridians do not have access to a computer at this time, Governor DeSantis instructed DEO to make paper Reemployment Assistance applications available for Floridians.
- Beginning this week, CareerSource locations across the state will be providing paper applications and assisting Floridians with submitting their Reemployment Assistance applications. Visit CareerSourceFlorida.com for information and center locations.
- FedEx is offering free printing and mailing of Reemployment Assistance paper applications at over 100 storefronts across the state.
- Applications can be downloaded at www.FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19 . Once the application is complete, individuals should mail them to:
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
PO Box 5350 Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350
Additionally, to make it easier for Floridians to receive Reemployment Assistance, Governor DeSantis waived:
- The waiting week, so individuals can claim their very first week of Reemployment Assistance.
- The work search and work registration requirements so individuals filing for Reemployment Assistance are not required to register in Employ Florida or submit information on a biweekly basis regarding the employers that they contacted each week while the state mitigates the spread of COVID-19.
Technology
DEO has worked with the Department of Management Services to dramatically enhance the capability of the online application system for Reemployment Assistance, CONNECT.
- DEO has installed 72 new servers from the state’s back up data center in Winter Haven to increase capacity. The system can now handle up to 120,000 simultaneous connections by individuals filing claims. This allows for greater capacity than the 20,000 simultaneous connections that the system has been experiencing recently.
- An additional 10 servers are being installed to assist the CONNECT system this week.
Providing Additional Customer Service Support
During these historic times, the Governor has supported DEO by making resources available to assist with helping more Floridians as quickly as possible. Last week, DEO had nearly 200 staff working on the claims process for Reemployment Assistance.
- Beginning today, Tuesday, April 7th, more than 500 individuals will be providing support for the Reemployment Assistance claims process through contracts with customer call centers, CareerSource center staff and state employees.
- By next week, that number will more than double when additional contracted staff, state employees and local workforce development boards are added to the team.
The Florida Department of Revenue has provided DEO with 579 additional employees to begin processing Reemployment Assistance applications. This week, more than 2,300 state employees have volunteered to be available to answer calls, reply to emails and process applications.
CARES Act Update
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, expands Reemployment Assistance benefits. DEO is working diligently to incorporate the new provisions of the CARES Act to ensure all Floridians who are eligible get their full amount of benefits. DEO will issue additional information about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance as it becomes available.
Benefits will be paid from the date they became eligible under the CARES Act. At this time, individuals who apply for Reemployment Assistance whose employment was negatively impacted as a result of COVID-19 will follow the same application, review and payment process as all applicants for Reemployment Assistance in Florida.
For more information about Reemployment Assistance benefits and how to apply, visit site FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19.
Any Floridian whose employment has been negatively impacted as a result of COVID-19 to visit FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19 and watch a short video on how to apply.