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Just saw a news report claiming DEO has 'caught up' and paid 97% of unemployment claims. Meanwhile, I've been stuck in pending status for 8 WEEKS! Anyone else feeling gaslighted right now? I've submitted all required docs, completed ID.me verification, and filed my claim weeks religiously with 5 work search activities each time. My CONNECT account just says 'pending' with no explanation. I've called at least 40 times and either get disconnected or told 'it's in process.' How can they claim 97% success when forums like this are full of desperate people? Is there some secret trick to getting your claim processed that I'm missing?
Hoping someone can help me figure this out! I work as a paid family caregiver for my brother-in-law who has Down syndrome. I'm paid through a company that gets funding from state Medicaid. I just found out there's going to be a gap in my pay from this Monday until July 1st (about 3 weeks) due to some funding/paperwork issue on their end. They assured me everything will be back to normal on July 1st and I can continue working then. I get a 1099 from this company, not a W-2. Would I qualify for any kind of temporary unemployment during this 3-week gap since I'm essentially being temporarily laid off through no fault of my own? Has anyone dealt with something similar as a Medicaid-funded caregiver? I'm really stressing about how to cover bills during this unexpected gap.
i think home health aides and caregivers should be REGULAR EMPLOYEES not 1099 anyway!!! your probly misclassified which is illegal. my friend got backpay when her agency got in truble for this
This is actually a great point. The IRS and Department of Labor have been cracking down on worker misclassification. Home health and caregiving positions almost always meet the criteria for W-2 employment, not independent contractors. The company might be using 1099s to avoid paying employment taxes and benefits.
One more tip - when you file, under "reason for separation" select "temporary layoff" or "reduction in hours" rather than "quit" or "fired." This accurately reflects your situation as a temporary work gap with a planned return date. Also, be prepared that if approved, you'll still need to complete five work search activities per week unless they specifically exempt you due to the temporary nature of your layoff with a return date. Document all applications, contacts with employers, etc. while you're waiting for July 1st. Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
Update: I submitted my application and selected "temporary layoff" as suggested. They've scheduled a phone interview for next week to discuss my employment situation. I've gathered my 1099s, payment records, and a letter from the agency explaining the temporary funding gap. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for your help!
Been STUCK with no payments since April 24th!! I've called the DEO probably 30+ times but keep getting disconnected or stuck in that stupid automated system. Anyone else dealing with this nightmare? I received my back weeks in one lump sum payment, then got one regular payment after that, but NOTHING for the past 6 weeks! My CONNECT account just says 'pending' with no explanation. What makes it worse is I don't qualify for federal benefits so this is literally my only income source right now. The bills are piling up and I'm about to lose my mind with this confusing system. Does anyone know what's happening or how to actually talk to a real person??
Quick update - I just saw your comment about not seeing anything in your CONNECT inbox. That could actually be part of the problem. Sometimes the DEO system glitches and doesn't display messages even though they're in the system. When you finally reach a representative, ask them specifically to check if there are any pending fact-finding questionnaires or requests for information assigned to your account that aren't visible to you. Also, make sure you're still claiming weeks even while waiting for this to resolve! Many people stop claiming thinking there's no point since they're not getting paid, but once the issue is fixed, they can only pay you for properly claimed weeks.
Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to anyone? The Claimyr service I mentioned earlier helped me connect within 35 minutes today when I needed to ask about a new issue. The DEO agent was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim - turned out to be something completely different than what I thought. Hope you get answers soon!
I actually tried the Claimyr service this morning! Got through to someone in about 50 minutes. The agent told me my account had been flagged for "income verification" because I had reported some small gig work on one of my weekly claims. They said they've cleared the flag and my payments should resume within 3-5 business days. SUCH a relief! Worth every penny to finally get an actual explanation.
I'm getting seriously confused about the weekly claim process with DEO. I thought I understood it - you just answer all those questions each week and if everything checks out, you get your payment. But now I'm second-guessing myself. Last week I claimed my weeks but I think I might have accidentally skipped one of the work search questions (clicked next too fast). My payment status is now showing 'pending' instead of the usual processing. Does this mean I won't get paid because I missed answering one question? Or will someone from DEO contact me to complete the missing info? Also, am I right that as long as you answer everything correctly each week, you should automatically get approved? Or is there always some review process happening behind the scenes even if you fill everything out? This is my first time on unemployment and I'm stressing about making sure I do everything right to keep my benefits flowing.
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.
I'm at my wit's end with Florida DEO! I've been receiving benefits but two MAJOR issues are driving me crazy. First, I filed for backpay in March 2025 (over 3 months ago!) and haven't heard a single word about it. Second, my weekly benefit amount keeps randomly changing?! One week I get $275, then the next claim it drops to $225, then back up to $250! How can they just change the amount without explanation? I've called literally EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past 6 weeks. Either get busy signals, disconnected, or stuck on hold until the system kicks me out at 5pm. I've left messages in CONNECT, emailed the general help address, and even tried the chat feature (useless). Does ANYONE have a direct line to an actual human being at DEO who can explain these payment fluctuations and tell me what's happening with my backpay claim? Starting to feel like they're just hoping I'll give up...
The Naples office won't be able to help with claim-specific issues - they can only provide general information. All claim adjustments have to go through the main DEO claims department. Your local CareerSource office might be able to escalate issues though - they have special liaison contacts at DEO.
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.
CosmicCruiser
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.
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Luca Romano
AuthorThank you! I just checked the Determination Status section and found an item labeled 'Adjudication in Progress - Multiple Employer Verification' that I hadn't noticed before. At least now I know what the specific issue is. I don't see any way to upload additional info though - does that mean I just have to wait?
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Nia Jackson
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.
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Luca Romano
AuthorThank you so much! I just submitted an assistance request through CONNECT using your suggested wording. I'll also try contacting my state rep's office tomorrow. I really appreciate everyone's help here - at least now I understand what's happening and have some action steps instead of just waiting blindly.
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