Hey there, I actually work in HR and deal with unemployment claims all the time. Here's what's happening: when a business closes and the owner isn't responding to DEO's requests for information, your claim gets flagged for manual review (adjudication). The good news is that Florida law has a "non-response default" provision - if the employer doesn't respond to DEO's inquiries within a certain timeframe, they have to process your claim based solely on your information. You need to get through to a DEO agent and specifically request that they note your file with "employer non-responsive due to business closure" and ask for escalation to an adjudicator. Also ask them to check if your former employer's DEO account is inactive, which would further support your case. In the meantime, gather any evidence of the closure - pictures of the closed location, news articles, social media announcements, final pay stubs, or statements from coworkers. You can upload these to your CONNECT account under "Documentation.

Update? Were you able to get your claim resolved? I'm curious if the Claimyr suggestion helped or if you found another way through.

anybody try calling the naples office? i heard they sometimes answer faster than the main line

I just wanted to follow up on this - the changing payment amounts issue is actually a known system problem DEO is working on fixing. I was at a CareerSource office yesterday and overheard a DEO representative telling someone that their IT department identified a bug affecting certain claims filed between March-May. The bug occurs when the system applies income deductions incorrectly. If you're experiencing this, they recommend: 1. Document all payment amounts received 2. File a formal appeal for each incorrect payment (this puts it in a different processing queue) 3. Submit all appeals together with a cover letter explaining the pattern 4. Request retroactive adjustment of all affected payments For the backpay issue, they're currently about 90-120 days behind on processing those requests, so you should hear something within the next 30 days hopefully.

im pretty sure if you miss answering any questions they wont process your payment. happened to my roommate. he had to call DEO and they fixed it for him but took like 3 weeks to get paid

Based on what you mentioned about reporting self-employment income, that's almost certainly why your payment is pending. DEO automatically flags claims with reported income for verification. They want to make sure you're reporting the correct amount and that you're still eligible for partial benefits. This is actually a good sign that you're doing things correctly - it's better to accurately report income and have a temporary delay than to not report it and potentially face an overpayment issue later. These income verifications usually resolve within 5-10 business days without you needing to do anything. If it goes longer than two weeks, then it might be worth contacting them directly to check on status.

Soooo I know this isn't exactly what you asked but have you looked into applying for disability? My cousin did that when she had to take extended medical leave and it helped her. Not sure how long your medical stuff will last but might be worth looking into?

Just to follow up on the Social Security Disability question - for short-term situations (8 weeks), you definitely won't qualify for SSDI. That's for long-term disabilities expected to last at least a year or result in death. The application process alone often takes 3-5 months for the initial decision. I think your best options are the emergency assistance programs others have mentioned: - 211 for local resources - County emergency assistance programs - Food banks and SNAP (food stamps) - Utility company hardship programs - Religious organizations often have emergency funds - Nonprofits specific to your medical condition might offer assistance Also, double-check with your HR - sometimes companies have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that can provide emergency loans or grants that aren't well advertised.

One thing that might help is looking at your Determination Status in CONNECT. Log in, go to your claim, and look for any issues listed there. Sometimes there are specific fact-finding questions they need answered, but the system doesn't notify you clearly. If you see any items with 'pending' status, click on them to see if there are additional questions or document upload requirements. Also check your inbox AND correspondence tabs every few days. DEO is notorious for sending requests for information that get buried in your inbox, then disqualifying claims when people don't respond in time because they never saw the message.

Based on what you've shared, you have a multiple employer verification issue, which unfortunately is one of the longer adjudication processes. The system has to verify your employment and wages with each employer separately, and if any employer is slow to respond, it holds up your entire claim. At this point, your best options are: 1. Contact an adjudication specialist directly (difficult but possible) 2. Reach out to your state representative's office for help - they have special channels to DEO 3. Submit a formal escalation request through the CONNECT system For option 3, go to your claim, look for the 'Request Assistance' option (sometimes under 'More Actions'), and specifically mention that you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay. Use the phrase 'economic emergency' if applicable - this can sometimes flag your claim for expedited review.