To summarize for you and anyone else who finds this thread: 1. Florida DEO pays biweekly (claim two weeks at once) 2. The payment amount you see ($340) is your weekly benefit amount 3. When you claim two weeks, you'll receive $680 (before taxes) 4. You must complete 5 work search activities per week (10 total for biweekly claim) 5. Your claim date (3/15/2025 in your case) is important - missing it can cause issues 6. Regular check your CONNECT inbox for important notices Hope this helps clarify everything!

Just wanted to add that if you're getting direct deposit, sometimes the timing can be a bit off from what you expect. I usually get my payment 2-3 days after I complete my biweekly claim, but I've heard some people get it the next day and others wait up to a week. Don't panic if it doesn't hit your account immediately - the processing time can vary. Also, if you ever need to change your payment method or update your banking info, do it right after you submit a claim, not right before your next claim date. I learned that the hard way when I switched banks and it delayed my payment by almost two weeks while they sorted out the new account information. Keep tracking everything - claim dates, payment amounts, work search activities. Having good records will save you headaches if any issues come up later!

I went through this exact same situation about 4 months ago and had the exact same reaction - I was convinced it was a scam! But it's completely legitimate. The RESEA appointments are a normal part of Florida's unemployment system, and honestly, mine was actually helpful rather than stressful. A few tips based on my experience: - Call your local CareerSource office directly to verify if you're still worried (I did this and they were super helpful) - Make sure your EmployFlorida.com profile is fully completed before you go - Bring printed copies of your work search log, your resume, and photo ID - The appointment usually takes 45-60 minutes and feels more like career counseling than an audit The counselor I met with helped me improve my resume, showed me some job search resources I didn't know about, and even gave me a few leads in my field. They're genuinely there to help you find work, not to trip you up or find reasons to disqualify you. Just don't ignore it - that will definitely get your benefits cut off. But also don't stress too much about it. Show up prepared and on time and you'll be fine. The staff are professional and understanding. Good luck with your appointment!

I completely understand your concern about this being a potential scam - I had the exact same reaction when I got my RESEA appointment email about 6 weeks ago! With all the unemployment scams going around, it's totally reasonable to be suspicious of any official-looking emails. But I can confirm this is 100% legitimate. I called my local CareerSource office to verify before attending, and they were really helpful in explaining the process. The appointment itself was actually much more positive than I expected - it felt like getting free career counseling rather than being audited or interrogated. My counselor helped me refine my resume, showed me some job search resources I hadn't been using, and even connected me with a few local employers in my field. The whole thing took about an hour and was genuinely helpful for my job search efforts. Just make sure to bring your work search documentation (printed and organized), your resume, and photo ID. Also complete your EmployFlorida.com profile beforehand if you haven't already - they'll check that during the appointment. Don't stress too much about it, but definitely don't ignore it either. These appointments are a normal part of the system and the staff really are there to help you get back to work. If you're still worried about legitimacy, call your CareerSource office directly - they'll confirm it's real and can answer any questions you have about what to expect.

I'm really sorry you're going through this - it's such a stressful situation! Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like your best bet is to take action on multiple fronts immediately: 1. Contact CareerSource Florida ASAP about training programs that might extend benefits 2. Start applying for other assistance programs (SNAP, rental assistance, etc.) NOW since they take weeks to process 3. Consider expanding your job search to warehouses, distribution centers, and other industries you might not have considered 4. Look into gig work as a bridge once benefits end The 12-week limit is unfortunately real, but don't give up! Many people have gotten through this same situation. Document everything carefully for your remaining weeks and keep pushing forward with applications. You've got this - it's just a really tough system to navigate.

Reading through this entire thread as someone who went through the exact same situation in Florida last year, I'm both heartbroken for what you're going through and amazed at the incredible advice everyone has shared here. The 12-week limit really is brutal - I remember that same panic when I realized my weeks were running out. One thing I wanted to add that saved me: if you have ANY experience with kids (babysitting, tutoring, etc.), check out care.com and sittercity.com for immediate childcare gigs. Many parents need last-minute help and will pay cash same-day. It's not steady work but can help with bills while you pursue the other excellent suggestions here. Also, when you call CareerSource tomorrow, specifically ask if they have any "On-the-Job Training" programs where employers get incentives to hire you while you learn. Some companies will basically get paid to train you, which makes them much more likely to hire someone without specific experience. The fact that you're planning ahead instead of waiting until your last payment posts shows you're going to make it through this. With customer service experience and all these resources everyone shared, you have so many options to explore. This community has basically created a masterclass in surviving Florida's harsh unemployment system - you're in good hands!

I'm going through this exact same situation and it's been absolutely devastating. Filed my claim in late February and have been stuck with that "pending issues" message for over 6 weeks now with zero explanation of what's actually wrong. The stress of not being able to pay rent while being completely in the dark about my claim status has been overwhelming. Reading through all these responses has given me so much hope though - it's both validating to know this is a widespread systemic problem with Florida's DEO and incredibly encouraging to see all the real solutions people have found. Based on everyone's success stories, I'm definitely going to try the multi-pronged approach: contacting my state representative's office first thing Monday morning (so many people have had great results with that), and also looking into the Claimyr service that worked so well for @Asher Levin and others. It's absolutely criminal that Florida's unemployment system is designed to be this deliberately difficult and opaque. The fact that these "pending issues" often turn out to be simple things that could be fixed in minutes if they just told us what was wrong makes it even more infuriating. But I'm so grateful this community exists to share actual working solutions when the official system completely abandons us. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping hope alive - we'll get through this broken system together!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now - filed my claim in mid-March and have been stuck with that "pending issues" message for over a month with absolutely no explanation of what's wrong. The stress of watching my savings disappear while being completely unable to get any information about my own claim has been honestly devastating. This thread has been such a lifeline though! Reading everyone's experiences has been both validating (knowing this is Florida's broken system affecting thousands, not just me) and incredibly helpful for finding actual solutions. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm planning to try the multi-pronged approach that seems most effective: definitely calling my state representative's office first thing tomorrow morning since so many people have had great results with that route, and also looking into the Claimyr service that helped @Asher Levin and several others get through to actual DEO agents. It's absolutely infuriating that we have to resort to paid services and political contacts just to access benefits we've rightfully earned, but I'm grateful this community exists to share what actually works when the official system completely abandons us. The fact that these "pending issues" usually turn out to be simple administrative problems that could be fixed in 2 minutes if they just told us what was needed makes the whole situation even more maddening. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - knowing we're not alone in fighting this deliberately broken system makes all the difference. I'll definitely update here with what works for me!

has anyone actually gotten through to DEO lately?? I've been trying for 3 weeks straight!!

I went through something very similar last year! The "Hold in Excess" status drove me crazy for weeks. What helped me was calling and asking specifically about any "overpayment flags" on my account - turns out DEO had flagged my account for a potential overpayment from 2022 that was never actually resolved. Once they cleared that flag, my back pay processed within a week. The key is getting someone who can actually see what's causing the hold. Regular customer service reps can see the status but can't always see the underlying reason. For your benefit amount dropping from $275 to $143 - definitely challenge that if you think it's wrong. When they recalculate based on a new base period (which happens when you reapply), sometimes they miss wages or use incorrect quarters. I've seen people get thousands more in back pay once the calculation was corrected. Hang in there - I know it's frustrating but "Eligibility Redetermined" is actually a good sign that you're close to resolution!