Jan.1 marks a new calendar quarter for Florida unemployment, which during the pandemic has brought various glitches and confusion.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity requires many claimants to login and reaffirm their eligibility for federal benefits through a quarter change questionnaire.
“Like we saw in October, likely PEUC and PUA claimants will likely have to complete the questionnaire,” said unemployment expert Vanessa Brito.
The questionnaire typically pops up when claimants try to request benefits.
Brito says not to panic if it doesn’t pop up right away.
“It may not come up this week,” Brito said. “It may come up next week depending on which weeks you’re claiming.”
All quarter change questionnaires are important, but Brito said to pay special attention to this one.
DEO shut down the connect website through Saturday to start implementing changes to the federal programs that have been extended through the new COVID relief package.
Brito said when you can access connect and the questionnaire, it may contain additional content related to federal program extensions.
“You’re going to see a tremendous amount of changes in a very short period of time on a system that is already chaotic and burdened,” Brito said.
That’s why it’s important to fill the questionnaire out correctly, to avoid further delays in payments.
“Fill that quarterly change questionnaire out as if you were originally applying,” Brito said. “If you applied as a self-employed worker, that is what you choose. If you were a W-2, that is what you would choose.”
The department has made step by step videos to help guide claimants through quarter changes.
Click here for the Quarter Change PUA Step-by-Step Guide.
Click here for the Quarter Change PUA Questionnaire Video.
Click here for the Quarter Change PEUC Step-by-Step Guide.
Click here for the Quarter Change PEUC Questionnaire Video.
Click here for the Quarter Change Fact Sheet.