Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment)
Last updated August 2026
Florida calls unemployment Reemployment Assistance, and honest expectations help: it pays at most $275 a week, among the lowest in the country, and current claims cap at 12 weeks, $3,300 total. File at the redesigned Reconnect portal, reconnect.commerce.fl.gov, or call 1-833-352-7759. Expect ID.me identity checks with multi-factor login.
You need about $3,400 in base-period earnings and to have lost work through no fault of your own. The first payable week is an unpaid waiting week, one per benefit year.
Staying paid is a rhythm, and breaking it is how Floridians lose money. Request benefits every two weeks, within 7 days of your scheduled date. Log 5 job contacts every week, 3 if your county has under 75,000 people. Register with Employ Florida. Miss any leg and payments stop.
If anything is denied, the appeal window is 20 calendar days from the determination's mail date. Keep requesting benefits during the appeal; only requested weeks get paid if you win.
A $275 check does not cover a Florida household, so stack the rest while you hunt: SNAP reaches 200 percent of poverty on myaccess.myflfamilies.com, the kids stay covered through KidCare, and 2-1-1 tracks local rent and utility funds between jobs.
Phone 1-833-352-7759
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Recent Florida work history and a qualifying job separation, such as a layoff
- Must register with Employ Florida, stay able and available for work, and complete required work searches
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
File at reconnect.commerce.fl.gov, or call 1-833-352-7759. Have your work history for 18 months.
- 2
Complete ID.me verification and set up multi-factor login; claims stall without it.
- 3
Register with Employ Florida and start your work-search log immediately.
- 4
Request benefits every two weeks, within 7 days of your assigned date, without fail.
- 5
Log 5 employer contacts a week (3 in counties under 75,000) with names, dates, and results.
- 6
Expect the first week to be an unpaid waiting week; it is one per benefit year.
- 7
Denied? Appeal within 20 calendar days of the mailing date, and keep requesting benefits meanwhile.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much is unemployment in Florida?
Up to $275 a week, one of the lowest maximums in the country, and current claims run at most 12 weeks with a $3,300 total cap.
How many weeks does Florida pay?
12 weeks for current claims. Florida ties duration to the unemployment rate, and at today's rate the floor of 12 weeks applies, not the old 23-week maximum.
How do I apply?
Online at reconnect.commerce.fl.gov, the state's redesigned portal, or by phone at 1-833-352-7759. ID.me identity verification is required.
How many job searches do I need?
Five employer contacts a week, or three in counties with 75,000 or fewer people, logged with details. You also must register with Employ Florida.
Why did my payments stop?
Usually a missed biweekly request, which must come within 7 days of your scheduled date, or a work-search shortfall, or an unfinished ID.me check. Log into Reconnect and catch up.
How do I appeal a denial?
Within 20 calendar days of the determination's mailing date, through Reconnect. Keep requesting your biweekly benefits during the appeal; only requested weeks get paid if you win.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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