A domestic farmworker came to Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) for assistance because he received an overpayment notice from the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for unemployment compensation. FRLS is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide.
Surprisingly, he did not receive this notice until after he was already approved and received benefits. The DEO informed him that he did not qualify because he did not have the required earnings to receive the benefits even though he had submitted the required documentation.
A paralegal at FRLS stepped in and submitted a notice of appearance and a request for a hearing on the decision. The first hearing was unsuccessful because the hearing referee stated that our client did not have enough earnings to qualify.
FRLS moved to appeal the decision of the hearing referee to the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission (RAAC). As our team awaited the second hearing, we resubmitted the required employment documentation showing that the client was eligible for benefits.
However, at the second hearing, the hearing referee still determined that the client was ineligible for benefits. FRLS then appealed for a second time, resulting in the RAAC reversing the decision and determining that our client was eligible for benefits upon application.
Our client’s overpayment of $2,600.00 was waived, and he received his remaining benefits of $1,624.00 that was “on hold” while the overpayment issue was pending. Our team was determined to secure our client’s benefits and prevent him from paying an unfair overpayment that he could not afford while unemployed.
FRLS has been providing free legal services to qualified farmworkers across Florida since 1966. Reach out to us at 1-888-582-3410 or apply online at FRLS.org for help.
About Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS):
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide. Since 1966, FRLS has pursued justice by providing legal services in
housing law, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, elder law, disaster relief, education law, tax advocacy, and more, all at no cost to our clients. FRLS collaborates with community organizations and Pro Bono attorneys to deliver quality advocacy, outreach, and education designed to protect the rights of those in need. For over 50 years, FRLS has been a steadfast advocate for justice. Learn more at www.FRLS.org.