Effective as of January 3, 2012

In an effort to provide the best possible customer service and to better assist our community throughout the Treasure Coast area, The Treasure Coast ReEMPLOYment Services Center will be directing all unemployment claimants/recipients residing in Indian River, Saint Lucie Okeechobee and Martin Counties to their respective career centers for assistance with initial claims filing, certification of unemployment benefits and re-employment planning services.

Customers will no longer be reporting to the ReEMPLOYment Services Center for assistance.

Each facility has trained staff in place to provide the following services:

• Job search assistance
• Career exploration
• Labor market information
• Workshops to assist you in securing employment such as Ace the Interview, Resume Preparation and Basic Computer Useage
• Information and referral to career training opportunities
• Screening for On-the-Job Training opportunities
• Federal bonding assistance
• Interest and aptitude testing (assessments)
• Assistance with unemployment claims issues

ReEMPLOYment Services Location Listings - Please visit our Full Service Career Centers and Mobile Unit Career Centers.

For more information, please call 1-877-525-1392.

File an Unemployment Claim!  -  UC Frequently Asked Questions  - UC Reform Law Details

Effective Upon Becoming Law (effective now)

Misconduct is now defined as demonstrating conscious disregard of a reasonable standard of behavior, and can include:

• Chronic absenteeism or tardiness;
• Willful and deliberate violation of a state standard or regulation which would jeopardize the employer’s Florida license or certification;
• Violation of an employer’s rule under certain circumstances.

The definition still provides that carelessness or negligence to a degree or recurrence that manifests culpability or wrongful intent is misconduct.  If the claimant is discharged on or after the date the Governor signs the bill, the new definition of misconduct will be used to determine whether a claimant is disqualified from receiving benefits.

Effective July 1, 2011 (effective now)

Benefit payments – Claimants receiving benefits by paper check as of July 1, 2011 may continue to do so until the end of their claims. Claimants who did not receive payment by paper warrant for the week of July 1, 2011 must select payments via Florida Unemployment Compensation Debit Card, or direct deposit to their bank account.  Individuals who have established a benefit year prior to July 1, 2011, but are not receiving benefits as of July 1 will not be permitted to receive benefits by paper check if they reopen their claims or file an additional claim prior to the expiration date of their claim.

Effective August 1, 2011

Online filing and certification – Initial and continued claims must be made via the Internet. Claims can no longer be filed via telephone or by paper applications. 

Work Search – Claimants are required on a weekly basis to make contact with five potential employers or make one in-person visit to their local One-Stop Career Center and meet with a representative to access reemployment services. Claimants will be required to provide this information via the Internet during their bi-weekly certification for benefits. 

Skills Assessment – Individuals filing initial claims must participate in an online initial skills assessment in order to be eligible to receive benefits.  The initial skills assessment is provided by Florida Ready to Work. Claimants will be notified of this requirement when filing for benefits.  Failure to complete the assessment will result in the denial of benefits until the review is completed.  The agency will be notified by Florida Ready to Work when the claimant has completed the assessment.  In responding to claimant inquiries relating to the assessment, staff should NOT refer to it as a test.  The results of the assessment do not affect benefit eligibility.

Severance Pay – Severance pay is now considered disqualifying income.  If a claimant’s severance pay for a particular week is equal to or greater than the claimant’s weekly benefit amount, the claimant is not entitled to benefits for that week. However, there is no reduction in the amount of the total benefits (available credits) that can be paid on the claim.

Incarceration – Although the agency has denied benefits to incarcerated individuals because they are not able and available for work, the law now provides a disqualification specifically applicable to any week that the individual is incarcerated.  This disqualification is only applied to the period of incarceration and does not include an earnings requirement to re-establish eligibility.  Individuals whose date of incarceration is prior to August 1, 2011 will continue to be held ineligible. However, when the date of incarceration is on or after August 1, the claimant will be disqualified during the period of incarceration. The effect on the claim is the same in either case.

Effective January 1, 2012

Duration of Benefits:

The duration of benefits adjusts from the current maximum of 26 weeks to a range of 12 to 23 weeks, based upon the average unemployment rate in Florida for the three months ending September 30 of the prior year. For example, the maximum amount of benefits that will be paid for any new claim filed in 2012 will be based on the average unemployment in Florida for the months of July, August and September 2011.

When the average unemployment rate is 5 percent or less, the maximum duration of benefits will be 12 weeks.

For each half-percent increase in the average unemployment rate, an additional week is added to the total available weeks beginning January 1 of the following calendar year.

If the average unemployment rate reaches at least 10.5 percent, a maximum of 23 weeks would be payable during a claim year established during the following calendar year.

Because of the decrease on the maximum number of weeks benefits can be paid, the available credits cannot exceed $6,325.  However, the maximum weekly benefit amount remains at $275.

The average unemployment rate for the third quarter of each year will be determined by Labor Market Statistics in November of each year to allow time for computer programming changes that may be required for the new monetary determinations made the following year.

The Treasure Coast ReEMPLOYment Services Center is a new facility established to provide services to unemployment compensation claimants/recipients in Martin, Indian River, and St. Lucie Counties.  The center is staffed with a manager who has a strong background in unemployment compensation along with additional staff members who handle customer flow, unemployment issues, and reemployment planning services.

The Treasure Coast ReEMPLOYment Services Center offers access to computer stations with internet access so that claimants can complete their Ready-to-Work Skills Assessment, job searches and file their weekly benefits online. The center also provides workshops geared to the needs of the unemployed in order to increase their potential for placement.

Workshops Available: Orientation to Services Employ Florida Marketplace (EFM) Navigation Job Search Workshop Resume Assistance  Services Provided: Ready-to-Work On-line Skills Assessment Job Search Assistance Unemployment Claims Assistance Additional Services (offered at Career Centers): Resume Preparation Assistance Referral to Intensive Workshops Bonding Assistance Interest and Aptitude Testing (Assessments) Referral to Training

File an Unemployment Claim!  -  UC Frequently Asked Questions  - UC Reform Law Details