10 weeks of benefits stuck on HOLD status - still receiving $0 since February
I'm at my wit's end with the Florida DEO system! I filed and was approved for unemployment back in February 2025, but every single one of my 10 weekly claims is stuck on HOLD status. The determination letter clearly shows I'm eligible (even lists my weekly benefit amount of $335), but I haven't received a single payment. My CONNECT account just shows $0.00 for each week. No explanation whatsoever about why they're on hold. I've checked for any pending issues but there's nothing listed that needs addressing. Has anyone experienced this and actually got it resolved? I've called the DEO number at least 25 times but either get disconnected or told to just "wait for processing to complete." I can't wait forever - bills are piling up!
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Zara Mirza
This happened to me back in January! Mine was stuck for 8 weeks before finally releasing. There's likely a "pending issue" on your account that's not visible to you. Mine was something called "wage verification" but it never showed in my CONNECT portal. Do you have access to the Determination Details screen? Sometimes there are hidden flags there. Also, check if there's any Fact Finding questionnaires you might have missed - they don't always send notifications when those are added.
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Sean Flanagan
•Thanks for responding! I've checked the Determination Details and don't see anything unusual. I completed all the Fact Finding questionnaires right away. There's literally nothing indicating a problem. It's infuriating that they can just hold someone's benefits indefinitely with zero explanation!
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NebulaNinja
did u verify ur identity with id.me? that was my isue, even tho the conect system never told me i needed to do it. the weeks just sat there on hold until i did the verification
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Sean Flanagan
•Yes, I completed ID.me verification when I first applied. Got the confirmation email and everything. That's why this is so frustrating - I've done everything they've asked!
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Luca Russo
I'm a former DEO contractor, and I can tell you HOLDS without visible pending issues usually mean one of three things: 1. Employer dispute that's in adjudication (most common) 2. Quarterly wage review flag (happens automatically every quarter) 3. Random fraud prevention review Unfortunately, none of these will show up in your CONNECT portal as pending issues. The system is designed this way intentionally to prevent people from knowing exactly what's being investigated. Your best bet is speaking directly with a claims specialist who can see the internal notes on your account. Regular call center agents don't have access to this information.
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Sean Flanagan
•Thank you for this insight! My former employer did contest my initial claim, but I thought that was resolved when I got the determination letter saying I was eligible. Could it still be under review even after I received that?
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Luca Russo
•Yes, absolutely. The initial determination is just for basic eligibility. If your employer submitted additional information or appealed, that triggers a secondary review. The system will continue to let you claim weeks (and even show you as eligible) but places payments on hold until adjudication completes. It's a deeply flawed system.
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Nia Wilson
DONT WAIT!! 10 weeks is way too long! DEO has a rule that claims should be processed within 3-4 weeks tops. After that, you need to escalate. Call your state representative's office ASAP - they have special contacts at DEO and can push things along. I was stuck for 6 weeks, called my rep, and had my payments 3 days later.
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Sean Flanagan
•That's a great idea! Do you happen to know how to find my state representative's contact info?
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Nia Wilson
•Just Google "Florida find my representative" and use the official .gov website to search by your address. When you call, be super nice and tell them it's a hardship situation. They hear from unemployment people all day long.
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Mateo Sanchez
Have you tried reaching a DEO agent through Claimyr? Regular DEO lines are useless, but I used Claimyr last month when my account was locked and got through to a real agent in about 20 minutes who could actually see what was happening with my claim. The website is claimyr.com and they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj When I finally got through, the agent saw that I had an employer protest flag that wasn't visible on my account. They were able to expedite the review right then.
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Aisha Mahmood
•I second this! Used Claimyr when my benefits were stuck on hold for 7 weeks. Got through to someone who could actually help instead of the usual runaround. Worth every penny when you're waiting on thousands in benefits.
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Sean Flanagan
•I hadn't heard of this before. I'll check it out - at this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved. Did they tell you how much longer you'd have to wait after they expedited it?
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Ethan Clark
the deo is a COMPLETE JOKE!!!! they keep ppl waiting for MONTHS and expect us to somehow pay bills with NOTHING! my cousin waited 14 weeks last year. FOURTEEN!!!! and guess what? it was their mistake the whole time but nobody would tell him till he got a supervisor. the regular agents just read scripts and know NOTHING.
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NebulaNinja
•same here, they owe me backpay from december still. the left hand doesnt know what the right is doing over there
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Sean Flanagan
•That's what I'm afraid of - that it's just sitting in someone's queue and nobody's looking at it. Did your cousin do anything specific to get to a supervisor? I can never get past the front-line agents.
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AstroAce
This isn't directly about your hold issue, but while you're waiting, make sure you're still claiming weeks on time and completing all 5 work search activities. I've seen people get their holds resolved only to discover they messed up their work search requirements in the meantime and ended up disqualified. Also, when they do finally pay, they should include all back weeks at once.
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Sean Flanagan
•Thank you for this reminder! Yes, I've been religiously claiming every two weeks and keeping detailed records of my work searches (more than the 5 required). I'm worried they'll find some tiny reason to deny everything after making me wait so long.
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Luca Russo
One more thing to try - email DEO directly at DEO.Feedback@deo.myflorida.com with your claimant ID, last 4 of SSN, and a brief explanation of your situation. Put "URGENT - 10 WEEK HOLD WITHOUT RESOLUTION" in the subject line. This inbox is monitored by supervisors. Keep it short and factual - just the dates and that you've received no explanation for the hold despite being deemed eligible. Sometimes this works when calling fails.
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Sean Flanagan
•Thank you for this suggestion! I'll definitely email them today. Should I attach any documentation like my determination letter, or just keep it to text?
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Luca Russo
•Just text is better - their email system often blocks attachments. But do mention the exact date of your determination letter and the determination ID number if you have it. That helps them locate your specific case faster.
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Zara Mirza
Were you ever able to get this resolved? I'm facing something similar now, and wondering what eventually worked for you.
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Sean Flanagan
•UPDATE: Finally got this resolved! It took contacting my state representative AND using Claimyr to reach a senior DEO agent, but my payments started processing yesterday. Turns out there was an employer appeal that never got assigned to an adjudicator. The DEO agent manually assigned it to someone who reviewed and dismissed it within 24 hours. All 10 weeks have been approved for payment and should hit my account by Monday. If you're in the same situation, don't wait as long as I did to escalate!
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