To summarize for everyone who has questions about what to report to DEO when claiming weeks: 1. Report: Wages/earnings from work (even part-time or gig work), severance pay, vacation pay, retirement pay if you just started receiving it, self-employment income 2. Don't report: LIHEAP, SNAP/food stamps, Medicaid, housing assistance, charity assistance, church help, friend/family loans or gifts The key distinction is whether you performed work to receive the money. If you didn't work for it, it's generally not reportable for unemployment purposes. However, there are exceptions like severance and vacation pay which are considered delayed compensation for work already performed.

I had a similar confusion last year about my son giving me money to help with bills while I was on unemployment. I called DEO (waited forever) and they confirmed that gifts and financial help from family members don't need to be reported when claiming weeks. They're only looking for earnings from work. LIHEAP definitely falls under assistance, not earnings.

UPDATE: I took everyone's advice and tried multiple approaches simultaneously. I messaged through CONNECT with an urgent subject line, started contacting my state rep, AND tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The Claimyr thing actually worked - got me through to a DEO agent in about 30 minutes! Turns out there was a simple flag on my account because my employer reported my last day as 1/15/25 but I put 1/14/25 (I thought my last day was when I was told about the layoff, not my final physical day). The agent fixed it immediately and said my payments should process in 24-48 hours. She also said without the call, this could have sat in the queue for "several more weeks" because they're so backed up. Will update again when/if I actually see the money. Thanks everyone for the help!

FINAL UPDATE: Money hit my account this morning! All 8 weeks of back pay came through at once. Such a relief. For anyone else stuck in adjudication - don't give up, and definitely find a way to speak with a real person at DEO. Thanks again for all the advice!

One more important tip - if your claim is stuck in adjudication specifically, ask for a "status lift" when you do reach someone. Many regular DEO agents can't actually clear adjudication holds, but they CAN submit a request to the adjudication department to review your case within 48 hours. Make sure they give you a confirmation number for this request. Also, while you're waiting, double-check that your identity verification through ID.me is complete and properly linked to your CONNECT account. Sometimes the systems don't communicate properly, and your ID.me verification doesn't register in CONNECT even though you completed it. This is a very common cause of adjudication holds.

my sister works for the state (not DEO) but she said DEO agents are quitting like crazy & they're super understaffed. not making excuses for them but explains why its so hard to get thru. good luck!

Just to clarify for everyone - Florida requires 5 work search activities per week, even for partial unemployment. The only way you're exempt is if your employer has given you a specific return date within 8 weeks or you're in an approved training program. And remember that Florida calculates benefits on a weekly basis, so some weeks you might get partial benefits and other weeks you might not qualify if you earn too much. Just be consistent with claiming weeks and accurate with your reporting.

Just to add some clarification since there's been some confusion in this thread: 1. Florida's current minimum wage in 2025 is actually $12.50/hr, not $8.65 (that was the old rate). So the earnings disregard is now $100 (8 × $12.50). 2. With a WBA of $271, you can earn up to $371 ($271 + $100) before losing all benefits for that week. 3. Your benefits reduce dollar-for-dollar for earnings above the $100 disregard. Example: If you earn $200 in a week with a $271 WBA: - First $100 is disregarded - Next $100 reduces your benefit by $100 - You would receive $171 in benefits that week ($271 - $100) Hope this helps clarify things!

UPDATE: I got my account unlocked finally! I ended up using that Claimyr service the other person mentioned and it actually worked. Got through to DEO in about 25 minutes (after trying for two days on my own with no luck). The agent said this is happening because of a security patch they installed recently and it's affecting accounts that haven't been accessed in 7+ days. She reset my security questions and unlocked the account right away.

I want to add some helpful information: If you get your account unlocked, make sure you immediately update your PIN and security questions. Also, set a calendar reminder to log into your CONNECT account at least once every 5-7 days (even if you don't need to claim that week) to prevent this from happening again. The system updates typically happen near the end of each month, so that's when accounts are most likely to get locked.

When does everyone report their work search contacts? On the same day every week or do you wait until the last day?

One more thing to consider: if you think you might continue getting 1099 work, remember that unemployment benefits don't have taxes withheld unless you request it, but you'll owe self-employment taxes (15.3%) plus income tax on your 1099 earnings. Setting aside about 25-30% of your 1099 income for taxes is a good idea to avoid surprises at tax time.

Just wanted to say hang in there! My interstate claim between Florida and another state took 7 weeks to process last year, but I did eventually get all my backpay. The waiting is horrible but keep pushing and documenting everything.

One more thing - check if PA has an unemployment office you can visit IN PERSON. I finally resolved my interstate claim when I went in person and refused to leave until someone helped me. Phone calls and online messages get ignored but when you're sitting in their office they sometimes magically find solutions!!

when did u last contact them about this? cuz i thought there was like a 1yr limit to dispute claims or something??

As a follow-up: when you contact your state representative, be sure to specifically request that they ask DEO for a "Final Determination" on your claim. This forces them to make a decision one way or another, which then gives you appeal rights if necessary. Without a determination, your claim can theoretically remain "pending" forever. Also, if you were approved for PUA but payments were never released, that's a specific technical issue that was common during the pandemic. It's called a "payment hold" status, and it requires a supervisor override in the CONNECT system. This is exactly the kind of issue a legislative office can help resolve, as they can speak directly to supervisors at DEO.

I tried calling that number and it just kept me on hold for TWO HOURS before disconnecting me!!! This is RIDICULOUS!! My rent is due next week and I NEED to know if my payment is coming!!!!

UPDATE: DEO just posted on their Twitter that they're aware of the widespread 'request blocked' error affecting many users. They're working on a fix and recommend trying again after 2pm today when they complete some server maintenance. For anyone with deadlines this week, they're automatically extending them by 7 days. Hope this helps everyone!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Just as an update - I FINALLY got through to someone at DEO after trying for 2 days straight. Turns out it was a combination of things: 1. They initially denied my first claimed week due to "insufficient work search activities" but after review approved it ($275) 2. They found additional wages from a job I had that pushed my weekly benefit amount up by $25 per week 3. That higher amount was retroactively applied to my previous approved week ($25) 4. They also added a one-time adjustment for some technical reason the agent couldn't really explain clearly ($275) So it all adds up to $600! The agent confirmed I can keep it all, so I'm relieved. Really appreciate everyone's help here!

Don't forget to maintain your work search requirements going forward! Now that they're requiring 5 work search activities per week, they're getting really strict about verifying them. I had a week denied last month for only having 4 activities logged, and it took forever to appeal.