Unemployment Compensation Glossary

Jacksonville unemployment lawyer understands the complexities of the UI law. Because he knows that unemployment claims can sometimes be difficult to comprehend, he offers this glossary, as well as an FAQ to help individuals better understand the unemployment process.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the Jacksonville unemployment compensation attorney to schedule your free initial consultation.

Additional Claim - A claim filed after a break in collection of unemployment insurance due to intervening employment within the same year. Also called a reopened claim.

Address of Record - The mailing address on file with the Agency for Workplace Innovation. Please notify this agency with any address changes you go through.

Adjudicator - An unemployment investigator hired to examine discrepancies between a claimant and their past employer.

Agency for Workplace Innovation - The Florida agency that handles unemployment compensation claims.

Backdating - Receiving payments from the past. If you wait a while to file your claim, you will not receive any backdated checks to make up for the gap between the date you filed and the date you were unemployed. On the other hand, if you were involved in an unemployment appeal, you may receive backdated pay for the time between the filing of the appeal and the time the decision was made in your favor.

Base Period - The time that will be considered when evaluating your unemployment compensation. This period consists of the first four of the last five completed quarters prior to the date you filed your claim. For example, if you file in October, the last completed quarter would be July through September, and the four quarters before that (July of the previous year through June of this year) would make up your base period.

Benefit Week - A calendar week in which you collect benefits.

Benefit Year - The year following the date you filed your initial claim.

Benefits - The compensation received by an unemployed or partially unemployed person.

Claimant - A person who has filed for unemployment benefits.

Determination - A decision regarding an unemployment compensation claim. This affects both their eligibility and their amount of compensation.

Determination Notice of Unemployment Compensation Claim Filed - A notice sent to an employer to notify them that a past employee has filed for unemployment compensation. If this worker has wrongly filed or overstated their wages, the employer may reply to the notice with a correction that may affect the claimant's eligibility or benefits.

Disqualification - An ineligibility for unemployment benefits.

Effective Date - The Sunday prior to the date an initial claim is filed.

Employee Misconduct - Intentional bad behavior by an employee. This does not include low productivity, poor judgment or inadequate performance.

Exhausted Benefits - When all benefits due for a claim have been paid out. At this point, the Agency for Workforce Innovation will automatically make a decision regarding eligibility for extended benefits.

Extended Benefits - Benefits paid after the initial claim payments have been exhausted. These benefits last half as long as the initial benefits.

Filing Date - The date a claimant files to receive unemployment compensation.

Highest Quarter - The quarter of the base period in which the employee earned the most wages.

Inactive Claim Week - A week the employee choose to not collect benefits, frequently because he or she failed to look for work that week.

Initial Claim - The first claim filed within a benefit year.

Internet Claims Filing - The ability to file for unemployment compensation online.

Interstate Claim - A claim filed after a person has moved out of the state.

Lag Quarter - The last quarter of the last five quarters. This quarter is not used to calculate benefits.

Liable State - A state that owes a worker unemployment compensation.

Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA) - The maximum benefits a person may collect in one year.

Overpayment - A payment of unemployment benefits that is greater than the amount the individual receiving the benefits should be entitled to.

Quarter - Three consecutive months in the year. The four yearly quarters are January through March, April through June, July through September and October through December.

Unemployment Appeal - An appeal to the determination about a claimant's eligibility or the amount of benefits they are entitled to.

Unemployment Appeals Commission - The appeals commission that reviews the initial appeal hearings for errors.

Unemployment Fraud - Intentional misrepresentation of facts in order to obtain more unemployment benefits than those otherwise due.

Unemployment Compensation Lawyer - A lawyer dedicated to unemployment insurance law. These attorneys may represent employers or employees and can be instrumental in winning an unemployment appeal.

Wage Transcript and Determination - A document sent to unemployment claimants detailing their eligibility and potential benefit amounts. The eligibility determination on these documents is only preliminary and is subject to employer verification.

Weeks Compensated - The weeks of unemployment in which benefits are due.

Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) - The weekly compensation due to an unemployment claimant.

If you have any questions, contact Jacksonville unemployment attorney to schedule your free initial consultation.