I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - 5 months is absolutely ridiculous! I went through something similar last year where my claim was stuck for 3 months. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: 1. I called the DEO executive escalation line at (850) 245-7105 - this bypasses the regular customer service queue 2. Filed a complaint with my local state representative AND senator (not just one) 3. Submitted a written complaint to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director's office via certified mail The key thing that seemed to get attention was when I mentioned in all my communications that I was documenting everything for potential legal action due to the unreasonable delay. Within 2 weeks of doing all three things, my claim suddenly moved forward. Also, don't just rely on the chat feature - it's basically useless. The responses are supposed to show up in your CONNECT inbox under "Correspondence" but most people report never getting replies anyway. Keep claiming your weeks no matter what! When this gets resolved (and it will), you'll get all the back pay you're owed. Hang in there!

I feel for you - this system is absolutely broken and 5 months is unacceptable. I've been helping people navigate DEO issues for years and here's what I'd recommend trying immediately: 1. Call the DEO Reemployment Assistance Program at (833) 352-7759 at exactly 7:30 AM when they open - don't wait until 8 AM 2. If you can't get through by phone, try the online virtual queue system at floridajobs.org - sometimes this works better than calling 3. Contact your state legislature representatives - both House and Senate. Their constituent services can often get DEO to respond within days 4. File a complaint with the Florida Department of Management Services Ombudsman Program For the chat responses - they're supposed to appear in your CONNECT inbox under "Correspondence" but honestly, most people never get replies. The chat feature is basically abandoned. One thing that's helped others: when you do reach someone, ask them to check for "system flags" or "automation holds" on your account. Sometimes claims get stuck in automated loops that only a specialist can clear manually. Document everything - dates, times, confirmation numbers, who you spoke with. If this drags on much longer, you may want to consider consulting with an unemployment attorney. Some work on contingency for cases involving unreasonable delays. Keep claiming your weeks and don't give up! You will eventually get your back pay.

This is why I HATE the DEO system. They NEVER update anything properly and leave misleading info everywhere. I wasted 6 weeks waiting for benefits I was never going to get because of outdated questions in CONNECT. They should be sued for this garbage.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As others have mentioned, the DEO really needs to clean up their system - it's incredibly misleading to have outdated COVID questions still active. For what it's worth, you might also want to check if you qualify for any local emergency assistance programs in your area. Many counties in Florida have small business relief funds or emergency assistance programs that help self-employed individuals during tough times. Your local United Way (dial 2-1-1) can connect you with resources in your specific area. Also, since you're in the wedding industry, have you looked into any photographer or creative industry associations that might offer emergency grants or assistance? Sometimes professional organizations have resources that aren't widely advertised. Hang in there!

I went through this exact same nightmare last month! The ID.me verification took me 16 days and I was losing my mind. Here's what I learned that might help: 1) Try calling DEO at exactly 7:30 AM when they open - I finally got through on my 4th try doing this. 2) Make sure ALL your documents have the exact same name format - even periods after middle initials matter. 3) Clear your browser cache completely before trying ID.me again. 4) If you have a local career center, sometimes they can help escalate cases. The whole system is absolutely broken but don't give up! You WILL get through this eventually. Hang in there!

I feel your pain so much! I'm currently on day 8 of ID.me verification hell myself and it's absolutely maddening. What's really helping me stay sane is keeping a detailed log of everything I've tried - every phone call, every document uploaded, every email sent. It helps me feel like I'm making progress even when nothing seems to be happening. Also, if you haven't already, try logging into ID.me at different times of day - I noticed their system seems less glitchy in the early morning hours (like 6-8 AM). The whole thing is a nightmare but reading these comments gives me hope that we'll all get through this eventually. Sending you good vibes that your verification goes through soon! 🤞

UPDATE: I finally got through!! Used a combination of the early morning call (tried at 7:28am exactly) + the key sequence that @helpful_guidance suggested. Had to wait 47 minutes on hold, but eventually spoke with someone who could help! Turns out there was a "fact finding" request buried in my account that I never received notification about. The agent helped me complete it right over the phone, and said my backpay should be processed within 5-7 business days. THANK YOU everyone for all your suggestions!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. @Emily Sanjay so glad you finally got through and found that hidden fact-finding issue - that's exactly the kind of thing that keeps people stuck in limbo for months. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Call early (7:28-7:29am), 2) Use the bypass sequence (5-2-1-6), 3) Enter your ID very slowly, 4) Ask specifically for "Retroactive Payment Unit", and 5) Always check the Fact Finding section separately from your inbox. DEO really needs to fix their notification system - it's ridiculous that people can have pending requirements they never even know about!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Been on PEUC since January and suddenly no weeks available since 3/21. The frustrating part is that CONNECT still shows my claim as "active" but there's literally nothing to claim. I've been calling every day this week with no luck - either busy signals or I get disconnected after waiting for hours. It's so stressful when you're depending on these payments to survive. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions here - at least now I know I'm not alone and it's not something I did wrong. Going to try the Claimyr service tomorrow since calling directly hasn't worked for me.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions here! I've been lurking on this subreddit for months but never posted until now. I'm also dealing with this PEUC issue - no weeks available since 3/17 despite having an "active" claim. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief because I was starting to think I somehow messed up my claim or got disqualified without knowing it. The fact that this is a known system glitch gives me hope that it can actually be fixed. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy and also look into Claimyr. It's absolutely ridiculous that DEO can just update their system and break people's benefits without any notice or communication. These are real people with real bills depending on these payments! Anyway, thank you all for creating such a helpful community where we can support each other through these bureaucratic nightmares.