Reemployment Assistance

For assistance, call 1-877-846-8770 or visit http://www.floridajobs.org/

What services does the program provide?

Reemployment Assistance (also called reemployment assistance insurance) provides temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own. CONNECT is Florida's Reemployment Assistance claims system. CONNECT provides online access for claimants to apply for benefits, view and maintain claimant account information, view claim status and payments, view overpayment balance and make payments. CONNECT also provides information and resources for employers and third-party administrators regarding special programs and how to file an appeal.

Reemployment Assistance Programs

Short Time Compensation Program is a short claims program that pays partial benefits to groups of employees working reduced hours. Employers may elect to participate in this program to retain valued employees by reducing hours for an entire group of employees instead of resorting to temporary layoffs.
Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members provides benefits for eligible ex-military personnel who were discharged within the last 18 months. Former members of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps are also covered under the program.
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Civilian Employees provides for the payment of unemployment compensation to unemployed former federal civilian employees.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides temporary financial assistance to individuals whose employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of a major disaster.

What is the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission?

The Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission is authorized by s. 443.012, Florida Statutes. The commission is the quasi-judicial administrative appellate body responsible for reviewing contested decisions of Department of Economic Opportunity reemployment assistance appeals referees. The commission is comprised of a chairman and two commissioners, each appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The commission is housed within DEO but operates as an independent review body; it is 100% federally funded.

What reemployment assistance services does the Department of Revenue provide?

The Department of Revenue collects reemployment assistance taxes from employers. Employers pay for unemployment compensation through this tax—workers do not pay reemployment assistance tax and employers do not make payroll deductions for this purpose. The department provides information on which employers are liable for reemployment assistance tax and how the amount of taxes due from each employer is calculated. Taxpayer service centers are available to assist employers with filing reemployment assistance taxes.

How many reemployment assistance claims were filed?

In Fiscal Year 2021-22, 1,747,844 initial reemployment assistance claims were filed.

Accuracy in Payments. The Reemployment Assistance Program reports it accurately paid 55.0% of the claimants receiving benefits in Fiscal Year 2021-22. Florida received unprecedented demand for Reemployment Assistance in Fiscal Year 2019-20 and Fiscal Year 2020-21 and continues to conduct the work required by the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve claims received during that period, as well as for Fiscal Year 2021-22.

Timely Payments. During Fiscal Year 2021-22, the division's payment timeliness (66.0%) was 21% lower than its performance standard (87%). The program attributes this to resolving the high number of claims for the two prior fiscal years in addition to new claims.

How is the program funded?

Fiscal Year: 2023-24

	Fund	Salary Rate/ Position	General Revenue	Trust Funds
SALARY RATE		20,065,811
POSITIONS		448.00
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			668,659
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			31,701,130
OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			230,295
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			14,939,624
EXPENSES
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			12,321,610
OPERATING CAPITAL OUTLAY
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			20,945
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE SYSTEM MODERNIZATION
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			3,504,402
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TAX COLLECTION SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			5,976,800
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			19,000,000
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - CONTRACTED SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			16,066,221
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			22,093,524
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			324,833
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN - REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			42,010,971
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			208,808
DATA PROCESSING SERVICES
NORTHWEST REGIONAL DATA CENTER (NWRDC)
	FROM EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND			1,633,629
TOTAL			68,457,348	102,244,103

Source: www.transparencyflorida.gov

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

OPPAGA Reports
A complete list of OPPAGA reports pertaining to the department is available on our website

Where can I get more information?

Websites of Interest
Florida Department of Revenue, Reemployment Assistance Tax Overview
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration

What are the applicable statutes?

U.S. Social Security Act of 1935, s. 20.60, and Ch. 443, Florida Statutes

Whom do I contact for help?

Reemployment Assistance Compensation Benefits Hotline: 1-877-846-8770, or online form
Website