Florida Unemployment Benefit Amount
How are the weekly benefit amount and maximum available credits calculated?
To qualify monetarily, a person must:
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Have been paid wages in two or more calendar quarters in the base period;
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Have total base period wages of at least 1-1/2 times the wages in the quarter having the highest earnings;
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Have at least $3,400 total wages in the base period.
As required by Florida law, the base period is the first four of the last five completed quarters. For claims filed during April, May and June of 2007, the base period is January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006. To calculate the weekly benefit amount, use the quarter in the base period with the highest earnings. Divide the earnings in that quarter by 26. This figure will be your weekly benefit amount. The minimum weekly benefit amount is $32 and the maximum weekly benefit amount is $275. To calculate your maximum available credits, you divide your total wages in the base period as shown on the Wage Transcript and Determination by four (4). This figure will be the benefits you have available to receive if you are determined otherwise eligible. The total amount of available credits can range from a minimum of $850 to a maximum of $7150 depending on your earnings in the base period.
The wage transcript also informs you of the effective date of your claim and the ending date of the benefit year. You have a one year period, the benefit year, to use the maximum available credits. That does not mean you are entitled to a year of benefits. To calculate the number of weeks to which you are entitled, divide the maximum available credits by the weekly benefit amount. This figure will be the number of weeks for which you may be paid. The maximum number of weeks a claimant may receive regular benefits in Florida is twenty six (26) weeks.
If you exhaust your regular benefits prior to the end of your “benefit year”, an extended benefit claim will be established automatically and a determination letter sent to you. If you do not receive an Extended Benefit determination letter within 7 days after you claimed your last weeks of unemployment, contact us at 1-800-204-2418, option 0, for assistance. On your extended benefit claim you will be paid your current weekly benefit amount and a maximum payable amount of ½ of the original Maximum Available Credits on your current claim.
If you exhaust all of your benefits, including extended benefits, prior to the end of your “benefit year”, you cannot file another Florida claim until your benefit year expires.
If you are monetarily eligible, your weekly benefit amount and total available credits are also shown on the form. If you are not monetarily eligible, one of the boxes under “Ineligible” will be X’d to advise you of the reason for your monetary ineligibility.
If you have been determined monetarily eligible, that does not necessarily mean you are eligible to receive benefits. It only means you had sufficient work and earnings in the base period to establish a claim. The reason for separation from your last or possibly next to the last employer must be investigated to determine if you separated from the employer under nondisqualifying conditions. Other eligibility conditions must also be met in order to receive benefits. Some of the other eligibility requirements are listed on page 10 of the Unemployment Compensation Program Booklet that was mailed to you. The booklet may also be viewed on the Internet at http://www.floridajobs.org/unemployment/uc_bri.html.