Florida Unemployment
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Can't reach Florida Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DEO
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DEO drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
DEO benefit extension vote today? Worried my payments will stop July 31
I'm so confused and starting to panic. I thought I heard from someone at CareerSource that today was the day Congress was voting on extending Florida unemployment benefits past July 31? My claim still has like 9 weeks left on it but my neighbor said all payments will stop at the end of July unless Congress votes to extend it. I can't find anything on the DEO website about this. Has anyone heard anything? Will my benefits just suddenly stop even though I was approved for more weeks?
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DEO phone keeps disconnecting after hours on hold! Waiting 5+ weeks for claim - need direct contact method!
Is anyone else going CRAZY trying to reach DEO?? I've been trying to call the Florida unemployment office every day for the past 5 weeks about my claim status and it's driving me INSANE! I sit on hold for like 90 minutes or even 2 hours listening to that stupid music, then suddenly CLICK - disconnected without talking to ANYONE!!! I've tried morning calls, afternoon calls, even right when they open at 7:30am. NOTHING WORKS! My CONNECT account just shows 'pending' with no explanation. I've sent messages through the portal. I've emailed the general inbox. I've tried the different numbers they list. I need someone to look at my case ASAP because rent is coming up and I'm seriously panicking about money. Do any of you know a secret number or email or ANYTHING to get a real human at DEO?? I'm desperate at this point!!!
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Quick update for anyone in this situation - DEO just announced yesterday they're implementing a new callback system starting next week. Instead of waiting on hold, you'll be able to enter your number for a callback when an agent is available. This should help with the disconnection issues many are experiencing. It's not live yet, but worth checking for next week if you're still unable to reach someone.
I'll believe it when I see it. They've promised callback systems before and nothing ever changed. But I guess we can hope!
UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO!!! Used Claimyr and got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. Turns out there was an employer dispute on my claim that I knew nothing about! My former employer apparently contested the reason for separation. The agent was able to complete the adjudication while I was on the phone and said my payments should process within 48 hours. SUCH A RELIEF! Thank you all for the suggestions and support!
That's fantastic news! So glad you got it resolved. And good to know what was actually causing the hold up - that's the most frustrating part, when you don't even know why your claim is stuck.
DEO changed my claim effective date over phone but CONNECT not updated - how long to fix?
I'm so confused about my DEO effective date issue. I noticed my benefits were being calculated incorrectly because the effective date on my claim is wrong by almost 2 months! I finally got through to someone at DEO last Tuesday after calling for days, and the rep said they fixed it right on the spot. They told me my backpay would be processed soon and everything was corrected. But I just checked my CONNECT account again today and NOTHING has changed!!! The effective date is still showing the wrong date and my benefit amount is still calculated wrong. Has anyone experienced getting their effective date changed? How long does it actually take for these changes to show up in the system? I'm missing out on about $4,200 in backpay because of this error and bills are piling up fast. Getting anxious since I can't get through to anyone again...
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Update: It's been 8 days now and still no change to my effective date in CONNECT. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow morning. This is so frustrating - I feel like they're just hoping I'll give up on getting my backpay.
Don't give up! Keep detailed notes of every conversation - date, time, rep name if possible, and what they tell you. If you have to escalate later, this documentation will be crucial.
SUCCESS!!! After 12 days, my CONNECT account finally updated this morning! The effective date is now correct and my monetary determination increased. All the missing weeks are now showing in my payment history as "processed" but not paid yet. The rep I spoke to yesterday said payments should hit my account within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
Great news! This is exactly how the process is supposed to work. The "processed" status means the payments are queued in the system and should be released soon. Glad it worked out!
DEO benefits stopped after car broke down - can't do work search without transportation
I've been on unemployment for 2 months and my car just died completely. Mechanic says it'll cost $2700 to fix (more than it's worth). I'm supposed to be doing 5 work searches per week, but I live in a rural area with NO public transportation. My last benefits payment is pending and now there's a 'work search issue' on my CONNECT account. I'm literally stranded at home and can't get to interviews. Everyone in my life comes to ME for help, but I've got nobody to turn to right now. I'm afraid DEO is going to cut off my benefits completely. Has anyone dealt with transportation issues affecting their claim? What happens if I can't physically get to places for work search?
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your supposed to do FIVE work searches????? i thought it was three per week? have i been doing it wrong this whole time?????
Yes, Florida requires 5 work search activities per week for regular unemployment (called Reemployment Assistance in Florida). It used to be 3 during parts of the pandemic period, but it's been back to 5 for quite a while now. You might want to update your work search logs if you've been submitting less than required.
oh no!!! im gonna get in trouble arent i? i've been claiming 3 each week for like 2 months now! what should i do???
UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO after using that Claimyr service someone suggested below. The agent was actually really understanding about my transportation situation. She told me that online applications absolutely count as work searches and removed the work search issue from my account! She also said to document in the notes section when I claim weeks that I'm limited to online applications due to lack of transportation. My payment that was pending just switched to processed! Such a relief.
congrats!! DEO agents can actually be helpful when you finally reach a human being lol. glad it worked out for you!
DEO 'terminated employee verification' holding up all 10 weeks of my benefits - normal wait time?
I was let go from my sales position back in February and immediately filed for unemployment. Since then, I've claimed 10 weeks of my 12 allowed weeks and HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SINGLE PAYMENT! My claim status shows 'pending-adjudication' this whole time. When I finally got through to a DEO rep yesterday (after 17 call attempts), they told me that 'everyone' who claims they were terminated has to go through this verification process and long wait. Is this actually true?? I'm checking my bank account literally every morning and it's crushing my spirit. I've burned through all my savings and am borrowing money from family just to keep my lights on. How is this even legal to make people wait this long?
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the DEO website is such garbage too, half the time I try to login it says my account is locked even tho I KNOW im using the right password!! anyone else have that problem??
That's usually an ID.me verification issue. Your CONNECT account might not be fully linked to your ID.me account. Try going through the ID.me verification process again from the main DEO login page. Florida's system is notorious for these random disconnections between the two systems.
FINAL UPDATE: My claim was approved today!!! All 10 weeks will be paid this Friday according to the determination letter I received. The DEO rep I spoke with said the fact-finding form was indeed what was holding everything up. For anyone else stuck in adjudication - definitely check for any pending items in your CONNECT inbox, and don't believe it when they tell you these extreme delays are "normal" for everyone. Thank you all for the support and advice!
congrats!! u must feel so relieved. glad u got it sorted out!
Emma Wilson
back in 2020-2021 we had all those federal extensions that congress had to keep voting on... maybe thats what ur thinking of? but those r long gone now
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Javier Torres
Update: I called my CareerSource office back and spoke to a different person. Turns out the July 31 thing they mentioned was about some workshop deadline for certain claimants, not about benefits ending! Totally not what I thought they said. So relieved my benefits will continue normally. Thanks everyone for clearing this up!
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QuantumLeap
Glad you got it sorted out! That makes sense - CareerSource often has workshops and program deadlines that are separate from your actual unemployment benefits. Always good to double-check these things.
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