Unemployment website launches two-factor authentication causing confusion, frustration

There are now new complications being reported with Florida’s unemployment website plagued by fraud.

A change meant to keep your account secure and keep scammers out is confusing people who need to claim their benefits.

What’s at issue is a new two-factor authentication log in screen.

First, you sign-in with your email and password as you usually would.

The problem is, before Thursday, no one in the unemployment system has had this kind of password. So, regardless of whether you’ve been collecting for weeks or months, you have to start with: “Don’t have an account? Sign up now.”

This is where you should use the email already connected to your account. Follow the instructions and create a password. Then you choose how you want to authenticate your account every time you log in, either by text, phone call or authenticator app.

Once you do that it doesn’t stop there.

You might have to verify your identity on ID.me, even if you’ve done it a million times already. The state is making you log in or create an ID.me account in order to get past that step.

Only after you do all that, then, you will be able to reach the Connect log-in page that you’re used to seeing.

Once the two-factor authentication is set up, you won’t have to log in every time with your social security number or claimant id and pin number.

Now, even if you follow all of those directions, unemployment advocate Vanessa Brito tells us, it might take you a few tries.

“You keep getting kicked out, redirected, or receive an error message,” Brito explained. “For it to happen two days before the expiration of benefits is almost like a slap in the face to people.”

That slap in the face she’s referring to is the fact that these changes and issues have come just days before the Federal Pandemic Unemployment programs are set to expire and thousands of people on those programs only have one or two weeks left to claim.

Claimants are calling it frustrating all around.

RESOURCES

• DEO: Guide for Accessing Your Reemployment Assistance Account
• DEO: All claimants must verify their identity
• DEO: Every claimant must have their own email address. If you share one with another claimant, you need to use a new one on your account
• DEO: Any issues with the website are because of high traffic, and you should refresh your browser and continue trying to log in if you are finding processing errors
• ID.ME: Has created a help article on how to navigate the new multi-factor authentication process

ADVICE

• Vanessa Brito’s advice if you encounter a processing error
• Vanessa Brito’s advice after you create your new account
• Vanessa Brito’s advice for the ID.me step