Unemployment Update: Work search requirements, unlocking accounts, tax filing and more

If you or a loved one collect unemployment benefits, or has employees, the Department of Economic Opportunity has several updates you need to be aware of.

Work search and work registration waiver might not be extended

You may soon have to complete work registration and begin documenting your work searches on the unemployment website CONNECT. Governor Ron Desantis has waived that requirement for about a year, but he’s not expected to extend that past the April 24th expiration date.

Here’s what you need to do, according to DEO:

“When the waiver expires, claimants must complete the work registration through Employ Florida, be actively seeking employment, and report these work searches on a weekly basis to meet the work search requirement.”

“An accurate work search record may include, but is not limited to, registering for work and reemployment services with a local CareerSource Center, completing a job application in person or online, mailing a job application or resume, making in-person visits with potential employers, interviewing with potential employers, or registering for work with employment or placement agencies to name a few.”

“Claimants are required to report these work searches in CONNECT on a bi-weekly basis when requesting benefit payments.”

Unemployment advocate Vanessa Brito explains the exemptions to this requirement:

‼️WORK SEARCH EXEMPTIONS‼️

Below are the ONLY conditions that would exempt a claimant from meeting the Work Search Requirement. #2MillionStrong pic.twitter.com/CXmmQmSv0Q

— Vanessa Brito (@VanessaBritoMia) April 21, 2021

DEO has also shared several ways to look for jobs.

“The state of Florida has more than 400,000 online job ads available for Floridians.”

“DEO is hiring across the state. To view a list of vacant opportunities, click here.”

“Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities are encouraged to turn to the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can also find guidance to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings here.”

Unlocking accounts that have been re-locked

DEO said it’s working to fix a glitch that re-locks accounts that should be unlocked after claimant verify their identities through the service ID.me.
DEO said it is unlocking those accounts. If you verified your identity through ID.me, wait at least 24-48 hours for your claim to unlock.

According to DEO:

“DEO is working diligently to resolve the issue and unlock claims that have been re-locked. For existing claimants who have verified their identity, please allow 24-48 hours for your claim to be unlocked.”

“If a claimant has already verified their identity through ID.me, the claimant does not need to re-verify their claim. However, you may be prompted to login to ID.me using multifactor authentication throughout the Reemployment Assistance claims process.”

“If the claimant has a ‘locked’ claim status, the link to verify their identity can be found on their CONNECT homepage. For more information about ID.me, click here.”

Any new claimant filing for Reemployment Assistance will need to verify their identity through ID.me. For more information about ID.me visit the claimant resource page here.

“DEO also provided an identity theft toolkit which details what Floridians should do if they are a victim of identity theft and steps they should take to mitigate fraudulent activity on their account. To view the identity theft toolkit, click here.”

IRS: File taxes even if you haven’t got your corrected 1099-G yet

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recommends people who have collected unemployment benefits should file their income taxes and only include income they actually received. You should not wait to receive a corrected 1099-G Tax Form to file annual income taxes.

DEO said:

“For more information about 1099-G Tax Forms and filing your income taxes, click here.

“If a claimant did not receive their 1099-G tax form, they received a 1099-G Tax Form by mistake, their 1099-G Tax Form is incorrect, or they cannot access their 1099-G Tax Form, visit 1099grequest.myflorida.com.

“DEO has created Frequently Asked Questions to provide more information about the 1099-G Tax Form.”

For more help getting your 1099-G form, see our previous stories:
How to find your unemployment tax documents for filing season
Top three unemployment system issues plaguing jobless in SWFL, explained

New alert system for account changes

DEO has started a new alert system to notify you when banking info or pin numbers have been changed in CONNECT. But be on the lookout, that alert will only come from an official DEO email address.

DEO has implemented an alert system to notify Reemployment Assistance claimants when banking information or PIN numbers have been changed in CONNECT. Notification will come from an official @deo.myflorida.com email address. pic.twitter.com/LOiwKzZ7r3

— Florida DEO (@FLDEO) April 21, 2021

DEO implements changes to PUA eligibility on CONNECT

DEO has recently incorporated the Department of Labor’s guidance on the expansion of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) eligibility for claimants. When you request your benefit payments, you should now be able to review the expanded eligibility provisions in your CONNECT account.

Unemployment advocate Vanessa Brito shows what that will look like for PUA claimants:

UPDATE: NEW SET OF QUESTIONS WILL ONLY APPEAR TO PUA CLAIMANTS WHEN CLAIMING WEEKS pic.twitter.com/6kOLgH7USx

— Vanessa Brito (@VanessaBritoMia) April 21, 2021

DEO said:

“Claimants should continue to request their benefit payments as weeks become available in their CONNECT account if they remain unemployed. DEO encourages individuals to continue checking their CONNECT account every 48 hours for additional updates or notifications from the Department.”

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