Florida Denies Vet Unemployment and a whole lot of other people

by Deb, USAF, RET
(Navarre, FL, USA)

I am a 20 year retired vet who was laid off my job in September this year. After 6 weeks and several phone calls, Florida informed me I cannot collect unemployment due to my military retirement and disability pay. They keep telling me I am getting a weekly sum of $699, but they can't fully explain how they come up with this figure. The first phone call they said they’d send me a form, to sign stating there was a mistake (they kept telling me I claimed the $699, which is not true, there is nowhere in the online claim to do so, you simply verify demographics and answer yes/no questions) If I could live off of the RAS/DIS pay I receive, I wouldn't be trying to work, but since I worked at the job I was laid off from for 218 or 19 months, and that employer paid unemployment taxes, how can Florida justify denial? Also, my age and limitations make it difficult to find work, althought I continue to try. I have no idea, how I am going to get groceries, let alone keep up with my other bills. This is the second time since my retirement 2 years ago I find myself unemployed. I was denied unemployment the first time following my USAF retirement because FL said the AF did not pay unemployment, after 5 months nearly lost my house. I am not recovered from that and here I am unemployed again. Can you provide a resource for me?


Hi Deb,

I did answer your other submission and provide links, but I forgot to add something.

There is a thread going on this website and it's all about how long it take s to get benefits after winning an appeal.

The last person who posted actually won his hearing and the FL unemployment department kept telling them he would have to wait 20 more days to get paid.

Now, I know this is completely unacceptable, but I guess the FL AWI thinks it is okay to hold up rightfully won benefits to slow the flow of funds.

This person called the FL Attorney General's office and let them know what was going on. They happened to agree that this was totally unacceptable and he had his money the next day.

Now, I have no Idea what's going on inside the AWI, but if I lived in Florida and was having trouble .. I think I would bypass them altogether and move right on up the chain. I have little patience for state nonsense.

The State of Florida Unemployment Department is suppose to do things by the book .. so I say DO IT BY THE BOOK!!! and quit screwing around with the people who need and SHOULD be getting benefits.