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What to Say at a Florida Unemployment Phone Hearing
Use the free tool — Reemployment Assistance Denial FL
What is the phone hearing?
If you appeal a Florida Reemployment Assistance denial, a referee holds a hearing by phone. This is your chance to explain what happened. It is also the employer's chance to explain their side.
Who has to prove what
If your denial was for misconduct, the employer has the burden of proof. The law requires the employer to prove misconduct — it is not on you to prove your innocence. Know which reason applies to your case: misconduct, voluntary quit, monetary ineligibility, availability, or a missed claim week. Each reason works differently under Florida Statutes chapter 443 and Florida Department of Commerce rules.
What to bring to the hearing
- Any documents related to your job separation or the issue named in the determination.
- Witnesses who saw what happened, if you have any.
- The written determination itself, with the mailing date and the section cited.
Before the hearing: file on time
You generally have 20 days to appeal, counted from the mailing date on your determination. File before that date even if you are not sure you want to go forward with it — you can withdraw the appeal later. You can file through CONNECT, by mail, or by fax. Keep claiming your weekly benefits while the appeal is pending, or you lose those weeks.
What this page cannot tell you
This page cannot give you an exact script for your hearing, because that depends on your own determination and your own facts. It also cannot predict what the referee will decide. This is not legal advice. For free legal representation, see floridalawhelp.org.
What to do next
Paste your own Reemployment Assistance determination into the free tool. It reads your mailing date, the reason given, and the section cited, and gives you: the rule in plain words, your deadline computed from your own notice, guidance on what to say and what not to say for your specific hearing, and an appeal letter you can file. This is not legal advice — confirm your deadline against the date printed on your own notice, and consider talking to a professional, including at floridalawhelp.org.
Reemployment Assistance Denial FL is an informational tool based on Florida Statutes chapter 443 and Florida Department of Commerce Reemployment Assistance rules as of 2025–26. It is not legal advice, does not file appeals, and cannot predict a referee's decision. Deadlines are computed from the mailing date you typed; the date on the notice controls. It is not affiliated with the Florida Department of Commerce or any employer.