{"id":3233,"date":"2026-10-24T03:53:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T03:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kewlegal.com\/resources\/employee-disputes-florida-employer-guide\/contest-unemployment-claim-florida-employer\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T14:40:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T14:40:36","slug":"contest-unemployment-claim-florida-employer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kewlegal.com\/resources\/employee-disputes-florida-employer-guide\/contest-unemployment-claim-florida-employer\/","title":{"rendered":"Contest Unemployment Claim Florida Employer | KEW Legal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Employment Law for Employers | Coral Gables & Sunny Isles Beach<\/p>

Responding to an Unemployment Claim? Build a Clear Response<\/h1>

KEW Legal helps Florida employers review and respond to unemployment claims filed by former employees, with attention to the separation records, timeline, and documents that shape your response. Kristina E. Wilson leads this work from our Coral Gables office.<\/p>

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By Kristina E. Wilson \u00b7 Published October 23, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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When a former employee files an unemployment claim, the employer’s response should be built around the specific facts of the separation. Florida calls the program reemployment assistance, and the employer’s response depends on the facts in its own file. This page explains what contesting involves, how the steps usually flow, and what to gather before you call.<\/p>\n

What It Means to Contest a Reemployment Assistance Claim in Florida<\/h2>\n

Contesting a claim means giving the state your account of how the job ended and challenging any claim the facts do not support.<\/p>\n

Florida’s reemployment assistance program runs under Chapter 443 of the Florida Statutes. The definitions in Fla. Stat. \u00a7 443.036<\/a> describe benefits as money payable to an individual for his or her unemployment. The same section defines an employing unit to include a partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, domestic or foreign, that has or had one or more individuals performing services for it in Florida. Whether a particular business falls within the statutory definitions of employer or employing unit depends on the facts of each situation.<\/p>\n

This page is for owners, HR managers, and employers who believe the employee quit voluntarily, was discharged for misconduct, or otherwise should not receive benefits.<\/p>\n

A claim contest is not a lawsuit. It is an administrative matter. Still, the same documents often matter if the former employee later files a discrimination or retaliation complaint.<\/p>\n\n

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If a notice about a former employee's reemployment claim has just reached your desk, we can help you sort out the separation facts before the response dates run. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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What Does the Representation Cover?<\/h2>\n

Representation covers the employer’s written response, the records behind it, and any hearing that follows.<\/p>\n