Can't reach Florida Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live DEO agent in minutes.
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
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I'm new to this community and just got hit with the "hold in excess" status on my 2 days ago. Reading through this entire thread has been both overwhelming and incredibly helpful - I had absolutely no clue what this status meant and was starting to really stress about it! Seeing so many people share similar experiences makes me realize this is unfortunately very common, but also that there's hope for getting it resolved. Tom, I'm definitely going to try your video method tomorrow morning right at 7:30 AM. All the success stories shared here - especially from Brooklyn, Zara, and Ezra - have given me a clear roadmap to follow. The false flag explanation really resonates with me since I've never received any duplicate payments either, so that's probably what's happening with my too. I'm amazed at how supportive and detailed everyone has been in sharing their strategies. The official system gives you absolutely nothing to work with when this status appears, so this community has been a godsend. I'm going to start sending those CONNECT messages every few days like everyone suggests and make sure to ask for escalation to the technical review team if I actually get through to someone. Thank you all for being so generous with your time and experiences. It's clear this community is way more valuable than any official resource! I'll definitely keep everyone updated on my progress and hopefully add another success story to the thread soon.
Aisha, welcome to the community! I'm also brand new here and just started dealing with this "hold in excess" status about a week ago. Like you, I was completely panicked when it first appeared because there's literally no explanation anywhere on the site about what it means or how to fix it. This thread has been an absolute lifesaver! Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has really helped me understand that while this situation is incredibly frustrating, it's definitely resolvable with the right approach. I'm planning to try Tom's calling method at 7:30 AM too - it seems like that early morning timing is crucial for actually getting through to a human. The false flag explanation makes so much sense since I haven't received any duplicate payments either. I've already started sending those regular CONNECT messages every few days like everyone suggested. It's amazing how much more helpful and supportive this community is compared to any official resources! Good luck with your call tomorrow - hopefully we'll both have some positive progress to share with everyone soon. Thanks for contributing to this incredibly valuable discussion!
I'm brand new to this community and just discovered this incredibly helpful thread after getting the dreaded "hold in excess" status on my 4 days ago. Like so many others here, I was completely confused and stressed because provides absolutely zero explanation of what this means or how to resolve it! Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has been such a relief - it's clear this is a widespread issue but also that it CAN be resolved with persistence. The false flag explanation makes perfect sense since I've never received any duplicate payments either. Tom, I'm definitely going to try your video method first thing tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM sharp. The success stories from Brooklyn, Zara, Ezra, and others have given me real hope and a clear strategy to follow. I'm also going to start sending those CONNECT messages every 3-4 days like everyone suggests, and I'll remember to ask for escalation directly to the technical review team if I get through. It's incredible how much more valuable this community is than any official resource. Thank you all for being so generous in sharing your experiences and strategies - it makes this stressful situation feel so much more manageable knowing we're not alone! I'll definitely update everyone on my progress and hopefully add another success story to this thread soon. This community support is truly a lifesaver when dealing with such a broken system!
Join the conversation
my cousin works for the unemployment office and she says the waiting week is a way they save money hoping people don't follow up on it lol
That's actually not accurate. The waiting week is a standard practice in unemployment systems across many states. In Florida, it's designed to be paid after several consecutive weeks of claiming, which serves as a verification mechanism. It's not intended to trick people out of payments.
Update: You guys were right! Just checked my account this morning and there was another $275 deposit for my waiting week. Took about 5 weeks total from when I first applied. Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance!
Great news! The DEO system works eventually, just not always efficiently. Glad you got what you were entitled to!
That's awesome to hear! This post will definitely help other people who are wondering about the same thing. It's good that you followed up with the update - shows the system does work, just takes patience.
Join the conversation
I'm dealing with this same situation right now - got hit with a $2,950 overpayment notice three weeks ago and I was absolutely panicking at first. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I wanted to share what I've learned so far. The biggest thing that helped me was realizing that DEO makes A LOT of mistakes with these determinations. I spent hours going through my records and found that they were double-counting income from a two-week pay period where my employer paid me for the previous week and current week together. It showed up as unreported income because of how the dates lined up. For anyone just getting started with this process: 1. Don't panic (easier said than done, I know!) 2. Gather EVERYTHING - pay stubs, bank statements, screenshots of your weekly certs if you have them 3. Create a timeline matching your actual pay dates to the weeks you certified 4. File your appeal immediately through CONNECT - don't wait I'm still waiting for my hearing date (filed appeal 2 weeks ago), but getting organized and understanding exactly what they're claiming has made me feel so much more confident about fighting this. The people in this community who've won their appeals all seem to have one thing in common - they had solid documentation and didn't give up. Hang in there everyone - sounds like we have a real fighting chance if we stay organized and persistent!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Isla! Your point about double-counting income is really helpful - I'm wondering if something similar happened in my case. I had a few pay periods where my part-time job paid me for multiple weeks at once due to their payroll schedule being off. It's reassuring to hear that you're feeling more confident after getting organized. I think the hardest part is that initial panic when you see that huge dollar amount they claim you owe. But reading everyone's stories here is making me realize this might be more manageable than I initially thought. Did you use any specific format for your timeline, or just a basic spreadsheet? I'm trying to figure out the clearest way to present my documentation for the appeal hearing. And good luck with your case - sounds like you're well prepared!
I just went through this exact situation and won my appeal! Got hit with a $3,800 overpayment in October and was absolutely devastated. Here's what I learned that might help you: The most important thing is to request your complete file from DEO before your hearing. You can do this by calling and asking for all documents they used to make their determination. In my case, I discovered they had used wage records from my employer that showed different dates than what I actually reported - it was a data entry error on their end. For your appeal documentation, I created a simple 3-column spreadsheet: "Week Ending Date" | "Amount I Reported" | "Actual Income Received" with supporting documents for each row. This made it crystal clear during my hearing that I had reported correctly. Also, don't be intimidated by the hearing process. The appeals referee was actually pretty fair and patient. They want to get to the truth, not just collect money. I had my hearing by phone in January (took about 2.5 months from filing) and got the decision overturned completely. The key is being super specific about dates and amounts. Don't let DEO give you vague explanations - make them show you exactly which weeks and which dollars they think were misreported. You've got this!
Join the conversation
Dylan, congratulations on your first payment! I see everyone has given you great advice already. Just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who's been through this process recently. The waiting week confusion is totally normal - I think every first-time filer gets confused about this. You're correct that you won't get paid for that first week (6/30-7/4 in your case), and yes, you just move forward from here. Don't stress about it! One thing I wish someone had told me early on: set up a simple system NOW to track everything. I use a basic notebook where I write down: - Each work search with full details (date, company, contact method, result) - Screenshots of my biweekly claims - Any correspondence with DEO - My claim schedule dates It seems like overkill at first, but trust me, if you ever get selected for an audit or have any issues, you'll be SO glad you kept detailed records from day one. The people who run into trouble are usually the ones who tried to recreate their records months later. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions here! This community has been super helpful, and there's no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to navigating Florida's unemployment system. We've all been where you are now. You're off to a great start - just stay organized and you'll be fine!
This is such solid advice, Malik! I'm definitely going to start that notebook system right away. I've been taking some screenshots but not being very organized about it. Better to start good habits now than scramble later if there's an audit. One quick follow-up question - when you say "any correspondence with DEO," does that include like confirmation emails when I submit my claims? Or are you talking more about if they send me letters or messages about issues? I want to make sure I'm saving the right stuff. Thanks for the encouragement too - this whole process felt so overwhelming at first but everyone here has been incredibly helpful!
Yes, definitely save those confirmation emails from your claims! I keep everything - claim confirmations, any automated emails from DEO about my claim status, password reset emails, even those annoying "reminder to claim" emails (when they actually send them). The main things you want to focus on are: - Confirmation emails/screenshots after each biweekly claim - Any letters or messages about eligibility determinations - Correspondence about work search audits or fact-finding - Payment confirmations or direct deposit notifications - Any technical error messages or screenshots if CONNECT glitches I created a simple folder on my phone and email just for unemployment stuff. Takes 2 seconds to save things as they happen, but could save you hours of headaches later if DEO ever questions anything about your claim. The fact that you're thinking about organization this early tells me you're going to do just fine with this process! Most people don't think about record-keeping until they're already in trouble.
Dylan, congratulations on getting your first payment! That's always such a relief when you're dealing with Florida's unemployment system for the first time. Everyone has given you excellent advice already, but I wanted to add one small tip that helped me when I was starting out: if you're ever unsure about anything related to your claim, check the "Messages" section in CONNECT regularly. Sometimes DEO sends important notifications through the system that don't always trigger email alerts. Also, regarding your work search activities - since you're just getting started, consider registering with your local CareerSource center if you haven't already. They offer free resources like resume help, job search assistance, and networking events. Plus, attending their workshops counts as valid work search activities, and they can provide documentation if you need it for an audit later. The learning curve is steep at first, but once you get into the routine of claiming every two weeks and keeping track of your work searches, it becomes much more manageable. You're asking all the right questions, which shows you're taking this seriously - that's going to serve you well throughout the process. Keep doing what you're doing, stay organized, and don't hesitate to ask more questions as they come up. This community is really helpful for navigating all the quirks of the Florida DEO system!
This is great advice about checking the Messages section in CONNECT! I didn't even know that existed. I just logged in and found it - there's actually a message there about my claim that I never saw before. Thanks for the tip about CareerSource too. I looked them up and there's one pretty close to me. Do you know if I need to make an appointment or can I just walk in? I'm thinking it would be good to get some professional help with my resume since I've been out of work for a bit now.
Paolo Rizzo
I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with my own DEO nightmare right now. Your situation sounds absolutely devastating - facing utility shutoffs and potential eviction while DEO agents keep giving you false promises is completely unacceptable. Reading through all the incredible advice in this thread has been a real eye-opener. I had no idea about checking for hidden adjudication issues in CONNECT or that there were specific terms like "Level 2 adjudicator" that could help get you transferred to someone who can actually resolve problems. The fact that you found a pending employment separation issue that none of the agents mentioned despite multiple calls is just inexcusable. What really stands out to me is how many different successful strategies people have shared: contacting your state representative, using specific terminology when calling, following up directly with your former employer, and that 10-day employer response rule. Roger's suggestion about bypassing DEO entirely and calling your former employer's HR department directly is particularly brilliant - sometimes the simplest solutions are the ones we don't think of. The combination approach everyone's outlined gives you a really comprehensive action plan instead of just hoping DEO gets their act together. I'm taking notes on all of this for my own situation too. It's ridiculous that we have to become DEO policy experts just to get basic unemployment benefits, but this community seems to be the only place to get strategies that actually work. Really hoping the multi-pronged approach breaks through for you soon and you get all your back pay. Please keep us posted on what finally works - your experience could be the key that helps so many others stuck in this same bureaucratic nightmare!
0 coins
Ravi Choudhury
I'm brand new to this community and unfortunately joining because I'm facing my own DEO nightmare. Your story is absolutely heartbreaking - 2+ months of waiting with repeated false promises while you're facing utility shutoffs and potential eviction is completely unacceptable. The fact that agents keep telling you they've "fixed" your issue when clearly nothing has been resolved is just inexcusable. Reading through all the amazing advice in this thread has been incredibly educational. I had no idea about hidden adjudication issues that can be buried in the CONNECT system or that there are specific terms like "Level 2 adjudicator" that can help get you connected to someone who can actually resolve problems rather than just submit requests that disappear into the void. What gives me the most hope for your situation is how many different successful strategies people have shared here - contacting your state representative, using specific DEO terminology when calling, following up directly with your former employer's HR department, and leveraging that 10-day employer response rule. Roger's suggestion about bypassing DEO entirely and calling your employer directly is particularly smart since the delay might be on their end rather than DEO's. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become experts in DEO's own policies and procedures just to get the unemployment benefits we're legally entitled to, but this community seems to be the only place to get real, actionable strategies that actually work. The comprehensive multi-pronged approach everyone has outlined gives you the best chance of breaking through this bureaucratic nightmare. Really hoping these strategies work quickly for you and you get all your back pay soon. Please keep us updated on what finally breaks through - your experience and the solutions that work for you could be exactly what helps so many others who are stuck in similar situations!
0 coins