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DEO RA balance of $3800 left but program ends in December - Will I lose my remaining benefits?
Hey all, just found out my Florida DEO unemployment ends in December but I'm confused about what happens to my remaining balance. I still have about $3800 showing in my account but I only get $125 per week. At this rate I won't use it all up before the end dates. Do I just lose all that money or can I get it somehow? Really worried because I was counting on that to last me through until I can find something stable. The job market in my field (hospitality) is still pretty tough around here. Any help is appreciated!
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Identity theft disaster - DEO account shows multiple fake jobs after ID.me verification
Finally got my DEO account unlocked after completing ID.me verification, but I'm in total shock at what I found! Apparently someone used my identity to work at THREE different jobs I've never even heard of and claimed unemployment benefits. I've worked at the same company for over 2 years (before and after COVID) and have all my paystubs to prove it. The system is showing income from places I've never worked and claims filed that I never submitted??!! I'm uploading all my legitimate paystubs and documentation now, but what else should I do? Has anyone dealt with identity theft in the CONNECT system before? Will this affect my legitimate claim? I'm freaking out!!
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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.
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?
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.
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.
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!
Found a way out of DEO pending status - 27 weeks stuck with no payments
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!
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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!
That's great news! Looking forward to hearing that your payments come through. The legislative route really seems to be the most effective solution when you're trapped in the DEO maze.
Taking legal action against DEO - contacted my Congressman about constant claim delays
I've officially reached my breaking point with Florida's DEO. After 4 months of my claim sitting in 'adjudication pending' with zero movement, I finally emailed my Congressman yesterday. To my surprise, they responded within hours and forwarded my info to my state representative, who I left a detailed voicemail for today. I made sure to mention the Facebook group I'm in where HUNDREDS of Florida voters are experiencing the same issues. I'm now seriously considering filing a pro se lawsuit against the state of Florida. Yes, it's complicated and time-consuming, but it would force discovery and expose the systemic failures plaguing our unemployment system. I've researched how unemployment works in other states - they process claims efficiently within DAYS, not MONTHS. Florida's system isn't broken because it can't function properly; it's broken by DESIGN. Has anyone else contacted their representatives or considered legal action? This feels like deliberate negligence and I'm ready to fight it. If our governor is involved in these delays or simply doesn't care about struggling Floridians, voters deserve to know.
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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!!
SAME!!! Had to move in with my parents at 42 years old because of DEO delays!!! Its HUMILIATING and NOBODY CARES!!!
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!
Thank you for sharing this! I hadn't thought about filing an IG complaint. I'm going to do that today. And you're right - we can't give up. That's exactly what they want us to do.
Do work search requirements apply to May 2025 claim weeks? DEO confused me
I just got off the phone with DEO and I'm totally confused about the work search requirements. The agent told me something about work search activities for May, but we had a bad connection and I couldn't understand everything. Do I need to document the 5 work search activities for all the weeks in May that I'm still claiming? Or does that only apply to new claims? I've been on Regular UC since February and I thought I was exempt from work search since my employer filed a mass layoff (retail store closing). Anyone know what the current rules are for May 2025? I don't want my payments to get held up because I'm not doing something I'm supposed to.
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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!
Glad you got it sorted out! Make sure you keep detailed records of all your job searches - company name, contact info, position, application date, method of contact, etc. DEO can request proof of your work searches up to 1 year after you claim benefits.
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.
Charlotte White
random but is anyone else's CONNECT site acting weird lately? keeps logging me out when i try to claim weeks
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Admin_Masters
That's happening to a lot of people right now. They're doing system updates on Wednesdays from 8pm-7am. Try claiming during regular business hours if possible.
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Ella Thompson
I'm confused about something. If you get $125/week and have $3800 left, isn't that like 30 more weeks of payments? But Florida only gives 12 weeks total right? So you wouldn't be able to use it all anyway? Or am I missing something?
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JacksonHarris
You've identified an important point. Florida currently provides a maximum of 12 weeks of benefits (this can go up to 23 weeks when state unemployment is very high, but we're at the minimum now). So even if the benefit year didn't end in December, OP would still be limited to 12 weeks total regardless of the monetary balance. The monetary balance is calculated based on previous wages, but doesn't guarantee you'll be eligible to claim that full amount.
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