layed off in florida and just moved to kentucky to be with husband

My husband lost his job in florida 5 months ago and moved to Kentucky to sleep on a sofa in a granite shop to work (homeless). I stayed at my job in Florida, forcibly separated from my husband, because I could not afford to quit and join him since I was paying all the bills. The duplex in Florida I rented got foreclosed on and I had to sleep on my brothers sofa for 5 months in a tiny little apartment while I continued to work in FL. I just got layed off on Friday and drove with all my worldly belongings in my van up to KY to join my husband. We are now together for the first time in 5 months and renting a real furnished dump. It is now 3 days after my layoff. My question is: (I worked for the same company 2 1/2 years in FL and made 38,000 per year) Do I use my brothers FL address and file FL unemployment on line but begin the big job hunt in KY? I know FL unemployment office is terrible. I also will be (maybe) getting a one weeks severence paycheck. Where do I file? what address should I use? when do I file ? before or after the severence check? We will surely lose the van and this internet service provider that I had to pay for just to find work, now if I don’t get unemployment or get offered a job soon. I have already started to send resumes out on craigslist and monsters with no response. I got layed off 4 years ago and got 2 weeks severence and the unemployment office said I should have filed right away and not include the severence as a payroll check. my previous experience with FL was they were horribly rude, unforgiving, mean spirited and I am terrified they will not me at this terrible time. I paid taxes for all these years in FL. I am 53 years old and as I apply for jobs in sales , I know the odds are stacked against me, but I am trying so hard. The move almost physically broke me and now I have to worry how florida unemployment may try to screw me if I don’t do the claim exactly perfect. I just don’t understand where I am suppose to file and what address I am suppose to use. Help because I need to file ASAP or sleep out in the streets. We already have lost everything we have including our furniture. We had 7 kids and 2 grandchildren that we had to help with any extra money we got, so we did nothing for ourselves.

Hi,

First, use the address you are NOW living at.

File for unemployment in Florida online.

The separation itself is qualifying because it is a lack of work.

I’m sure Florida will require that you register for work in Kentucky and adhere to their job search requirements, but scour Florida’s pitiful AWI website to find the answer to that. It’s probably located in their pitiful FAQ’s.

As far as I know Florida does not have any locality provision that would disqualify you because you moved .. which is the case in a handful of states.

File now and just report the severance in the week you receive it, when filing your continued claim. If it will only be for a weeks worth of wages you would not receive benefits that week .. that’s all .. oh and course Florida like most states also has a one week unpaid “waiting week”.

Don’t ask me why any state does this.

I’ll bet you’re thrilled to be back with your husband .. even if it is in a dump:)

Let me know if you have any problems.

Good Luck

Chris