Went to floridajobs.org which is the unemployment website for Florida. Although not unemployed from a non-essential due to separation (job still there when county lifts restrictions), I am unable to complete the application for financial assistance without proof of completing five job applications per week and a slew of other jump thru hoops job search info.

Since this is not typical unemployment circumstances, is there any exemptions that are known for that requirement? I have an email inquiry to the state concerning this, but who knows when they will reply.

Anyone else been through the process successfully yet?

Been trying that number all day. Been getting “unable to take your call” pre-recorded message. Guess the system is overloaded.

I found this posted on FB. I hope it’s what you need.


“Just a reminder to everyone who filed for unemployment during the lay off: You have to start a new weekly claim every Sunday. This claim will ask you to provide proof that you are actively seeking work. BUT because we are part of a pandemic lay-off we DO NOT have to be actively seeking work. The application will give you an error message and then will ask you why you did not look for work. Under the reasoning for not looking for work all you need to write is “temporary covid-19 separation”

I finally got through to the Employ Florida site via phone. 1-800-438-4128. Their response was claims after 15 March do not need to fill out the job seeker information because of the virus situation. But this is not reflected on the DEO website when signed in.

After repeated dropped calls from them, just sent out this “catch-22” problem to elected state officials. We hired them, might as well let them take on some of the fixing of the system.

Just got an email from [email protected] stating mostly what you found, And says disregard the ‘incomplete’ status showing up on the application.

Dude, even before COVID all you had to do is fill out 5 companies with their address and phone number.

Just find random places online. Do it every week. It takes 5 minutes.

You’re way over thinking this.

Source: FSA Sister.

Not overthinking it. The system is broke. Links with dead ends, or instead of sending you to the next page to continue it restarts at the beginning. Information that says do not have to complete a certain section (the requirement waived until May 2nd) just enter COVID-19. No link or space to complete that step.

And the phone system broke also. Gives a thanks for calling, we’re too busy, then hangs up.

My wife has been trying to apply online for unemployment and it's not working.  She's already out of her mind with anxiety and she's starting to really lose it over this.  I printed out the form to fill out so she can mail it in to Tallahassee instead.

After several frustrating days and nights of trying to complete the application, I was finally successful.

I logged on, about a week ago, around 2:00 am using an older windows laptop.

It seemed to me the website was most stable using an older version of Internet Explorer. I thought this might be a coincidence, but I later read the website works best with a previous version of IE.

Getting benefits is another story.  My application has been pending approval for about a week now with no updates or communication from them.

I got up at 4 am to finish my application.

My wife’s application has been pending because of some unknown discrepancy since 24th of March when she applied. Emails have gone unanswered and can’t get anyone on the phone.

She found comments on facebooks saying DeSantis hadn’t signed part of the relief package that adds the additional $600 a week to unemployment. Anyone know if there is any truth to this? I’ve searched and can’t find anything saying he’s accepted that part of the package.

My son applied three weeks ago...………………...nothing!  No update, no response, no status, no money for the government mandated shutdown.

My wife’s this morning was still pending adjudication. She just checked again a few minutes ago and it’s finally been processed. She said the site was down for an update or something. Have you son check again.

No. It’s a federal program he doesn’t have a say in it.

Stop listening to Facebook comments.

"SEC. 2104. EMERGENCY INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS.
(a) FEDERAL-STATE AGREEMENTS.—Any State which desires to
do so may enter into and participate in an agreement under this
section with the Secretary of Labor (in this section referred to
as the ‘‘Secretary’’). Any State which is a party to an agreement
under this section may, upon providing 30 days’ written notice
to the Secretary, terminate such agreement.
(b) PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT.—
(1) FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.—
Any agreement under this section shall provide that the State
agency of the State will make payments of regular compensation to individuals in amounts and to the extent that they
would be determined if the State law of the State were applied,
with respect to any week for which the individual is (disregarding this section) otherwise entitled under the State law
to receive regular compensation, as if such State law had been
modified in a manner such that the amount of regular compensation (including dependents’ allowances) payable for any
week shall be equal to—
(A) the amount determined under the State law (before
the application of this paragraph), plus
(B) an additional amount of $600 (in this section
referred to as ‘‘Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation’’).

https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr748/BILLS-116hr748enr.pdf

Edited to add a better link

Work Armed Security. So, glad my job is essential. No hazard pay, though. Many, many of us deserve it from our exposure to people who practice ZERO social distancing and having to supply 100% of our own protection materials. In the end, just glad to have a job.

Most out on news. Florida has broken unemployment site (DEO) and being investigated by state senate. Only 45% of applications from COVID-19 exemptions have been successful.