For those looking to file for unemployment, the Internet can be a handy tool. Though requirements and procedures may not be identical between states, the fundamental application remains consistent.
Taking David’s lead, he went to Google and searched “filing for unemployment in Florida.” No doubt you can do the same for the state you are in. Once there, he noticed the first few choices were exactly what he needed. After clicking “State of Florida.com / Florida Unemployment,” he was taken to the “Florida Unemployment Guide.”
Once there, review the options. I suggest you take advantage of the resources and read all you can. The following options are readily available:
- Am I eligible
- Submitting a claim
- Unemployment benefits
- Additional benefits and assistance
- Help finding a job
- Claiming weeks
- Appealing denied benefits
According to the Florida Unemployment Guide, in order to be eligible for Florida benefits, several criteria must be met:
- You must have lost your job through no fault of your own, so you must not have quit for personal reasons or been terminated for malicious misconduct (poor job performance does not disqualify you)
- You must be totally or partially unemployed
- You must have a minimum amount of wages earned in what is called the “base period,” which is the first four complete quarters beginning 18 months prior to your claim
- You must be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work. This includes being able to get to a job and have child care if necessary.
Naturally if you or someone you know has been fired, examining eligibility is a first step. To decrease stress and frustration, make sure you are eligible. Given this is a time of great hardship, you don’t want to become even more frustrated with the process. Unemployment can be devastating on a multitude of levels. The psychological stress, the financial hardship, and the family pressure can be an overwhelming trauma. On this note, before detailing the actual unemployment claim application, it may be in David’s best interest to review the job-loss grieving process most people follow. We’ll notice David reacted classically to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s “Five Stages of Grief.”
For those who have been in a difficult grief enhanced situation like being terminated, I believe you will find similarities. Good news is, you are not alone.
If you have any questions or would like to add to the journey, contact me directly: [email protected] to see how I can help you. Be sure and have your peers join in on the conversation and adventure… they may thank you one very difficult day.
Danny Huffman, MA, CEIP, CPRW, CPCC
Education Career Services Blogsite: http://careerbreakout.wordpress.com
Education Career Services: www.edu-cs.com
West Orlando News Online, Event and Career Columnist: https://westorlandonews.com
