


Ask the community...
I'm at my wits end dealing with this DEO nightmare. Applied back in January and have been stuck in some kind of limbo since then. My account was completely locked until mid-March (no explanation why), and now I've got 27 WEEKS worth of claims all sitting in pending status! They suddenly asked for my 2019 W2 even though I successfully claimed benefits in 2020 without any issues. I've called hundreds of times but either get disconnected or can't get through at all. FINALLY found a solution yesterday that might help others trapped in 'pending purgatory' like me. Contact your local legislative representative! I reached out to mine and she's actually going to speak directly with the HEAD of DEO about my case. Apparently there's a DEO policy they don't advertise - if you haven't seen payment or account changes in 30+ days, they're required to escalate and resolve within 2 weeks. My rep said documentation helps - save all email confirmations, screenshot call logs, etc. If you're stuck in pending hell, here's where you find your representative: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/findyourrepresentative. Still waiting but at least something is happening now!
anyone know if this works for overpayment issues too? deo saying i owe $4200 but it was their mistake
Yes, legislative representatives can assist with overpayment issues as well. Make sure you've already filed an appeal through the CONNECT system (you only have 20 days from the date of the overpayment notice to appeal). Provide your representative with a copy of your appeal confirmation and any evidence you have that the overpayment was due to DEO error rather than claimant error. If the overpayment was truly due to a DEO mistake, your representative can request a waiver review, which could result in the overpayment being forgiven. Document-heavy cases like overpayments sometimes take longer to resolve than simple pending payment issues.
UPDATE: My representative's office just called me back! They submitted my case to their DEO contact yesterday and said I should see movement within 7-10 business days. The assistant specifically mentioned that 27 weeks of pending payments is "way outside the acceptable timeframe" and they're marking it as urgent. She also said they've had dozens of similar cases in recent months, so everyone is right about this being a widespread issue. Will update again when (hopefully) payments start moving!
I'm in that same Facebook group!!! It's crazy how many people are in the exact same situation. The group grew by like 300 people just last month! I think a class action lawsuit is the only way to force them to fix this mess. I've been waiting since February with a "pending adjudication" status and zero explanation. Meanwhile my electricity got shut off and I had to borrow money from family just to keep a roof over my head. This is NOT how a government should treat its citizens!!
Update on my situation - after contacting my state rep AND filing a formal complaint with the Inspector General's office (https://www.floridajobs.org/department-directory/office-of-the-inspector-general/contact-the-inspector-general), my claim was suddenly approved last week. The IG complaint seems to light a fire under them because they have to formally investigate. Also worth noting - I found out that DEO is severely understaffed in their adjudication department. An agent told me they have thousands of claims but only dozens of adjudicators. The system is designed to be slow and frustrating, hoping people will just give up. Don't give up!
Update: I managed to get through to DEO this morning. The agent confirmed my mass layoff exemption expired three weeks ago! I'm supposed to be doing 5 work search activities for each week I claim now. She said I need to start immediately for this coming claim, but they might go back and review my previous weeks too. I'm going to start applying for jobs right away. Thanks everyone for the help!
Wait I got confused reading this thread. I thought we only needed to do 3 work searches? When did it change to 5?
Florida has required 5 work search activities per week for regular unemployment since late 2023. It used to be 3 during the pandemic, and some other states still only require 3, which causes confusion. But Florida DEO specifically requires 5 per week unless you have an exemption or are using the CareerSource center option.
I spoke with a DEO agent yesterday (finally got through after using Claimyr), and they confirmed that the system automatically suspends regular benefits when you apply for extended benefits prematurely. The agent needs to: 1) Cancel your extended benefits application 2) Remove the suspension flag from your account 3) Reinstate your regular benefits Once they do this, your account should return to normal within 24-48 hours. Make sure they also check if there are any outstanding fact-finding questions or identity verification issues that might be complicating things.
Thank you for this information! I just used Claimyr and got through to a rep who said they're fixing it now. They told me it should be back to normal by Monday. What a relief!
Just as a follow-up for anyone reading this thread in the future: To avoid this issue, you should wait until your regular benefits are completely exhausted before applying for any extended benefits programs. The CONNECT system will actually notify you when you're eligible to apply for extensions through your message inbox. Always check for these notifications rather than applying proactively. Also, remember that extended benefit programs are not always available - they depend on federal funding and state unemployment rates. The DEO website should have the most current information about which programs are active.
Sofia Morales
Just an update on my situation I mentioned earlier - it took almost 10 weeks, but DEO finally cleared the fraudulent claims from my account. Had to submit the SAME documents FOUR different times because they kept "losing" them. The system is completely BROKEN but it does eventually get resolved if you're persistent enough. Just prepare for a long battle with bureaucracy.
0 coins
NebulaNinja
•10 weeks is better than 4 months at least... Thanks for sharing your experience. Did they make you go through fact-finding interviews for each fake job, or did they handle it all at once?
0 coins
Sofia Morales
•They scheduled THREE separate fact-finding interviews, then canceled two of them without telling me. I just kept checking my CONNECT inbox daily. The one interview that actually happened was with someone who clearly had no idea how to handle identity theft cases. The whole system is a JOKE.
0 coins
Ava Garcia
While you're waiting for DEO to resolve this, make sure you keep claiming your weeks as normal (if you're eligible). Document each time you claim weeks with screenshots. Also, check your CONNECT inbox daily for any fact-finding questionnaires or requests for additional information - these often have strict deadlines. If your legitimate claim gets denied during this process, remember you have the right to appeal within 20 days of the determination. Many identity theft victims have to go through the appeal process to get their legitimate benefits. Lastly, if more than 3-4 weeks pass without any updates on your fraud report, contact your state representative's office. They often have dedicated staff who can help expedite DEO issues.
0 coins
NebulaNinja
•Thank you! I've been claiming my weeks but wasn't taking screenshots - I'll start doing that now. Good tip about contacting my state rep if this drags on too long. I appreciate all the help everyone's provided!
0 coins