I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation right now! Been stuck in "pending adjudication" for 3 weeks with absolutely no explanation from DEO - it's like they just randomly select people to put in bureaucratic limbo. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea that employers could contest legitimate layoffs or that there might be questionnaires sent to them that we're completely unaware of. That could totally explain what's happening since I was also laid off during company restructuring but apparently that documentation doesn't matter until you can get through to the right person. The 7:30am calling strategy sounds promising - I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow along with that specific phrasing about needing to speak with an adjudicator. The tip about checking with my former employer's HR about any DEO questionnaires is brilliant too - never would have thought of that angle. What's really frustrating is how this system treats all of us like we're trying to defraud them when we're just people who lost our jobs through no fault of our own. The lack of transparency about what the actual issue is makes the whole process 10x more stressful than it needs to be. Thanks everyone for sharing your strategies and experiences - this community support means everything when you're fighting this broken system alone. We shouldn't have to become unemployment detectives just to access benefits we earned!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! Been stuck in "pending adjudication" for almost 5 weeks now with absolutely zero explanation from DEO. Like everyone else here, I've called dozens of times just to get disconnected or told "it's being reviewed" without any specifics about what the actual issue is. What's really helped me is reading through all these strategies people have shared. I finally got through last week using the 7:30am calling method and that specific phrasing about needing to speak with an adjudicator. Turns out my employer had disputed my separation reason even though I was clearly laid off! The adjudicator was able to see the specific issue and walked me through uploading additional documentation to resolve it. For anyone still stuck in this mess - definitely check with your former employer's HR department about any DEO questionnaires they might have received. In my case, they had gotten a fact-finding form weeks ago but never mentioned it to me. Once they responded to that, my claim started moving again. Also want to mention that I tried that Claimyr service someone recommended earlier in this thread and it actually worked - got connected to DEO in about an hour instead of spending days redialing myself. Sometimes it's worth paying a small fee to save your sanity when you're dealing with this broken system. Keep fighting everyone and don't give up! The system is designed to wear us down but we're entitled to these benefits. Document everything and keep claiming your weeks while you wait!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Remote worker from New Jersey for a Florida company, filed with NJ unemployment 7 weeks ago and it's been complete radio silence. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and absolutely terrifying. What I've discovered so far that might help others: - NJ unemployment told me 3 weeks ago they were "waiting for wage information from Florida" but when I finally got through to FL DEO yesterday, they had no record of any request - My former employer's HR department had no idea they were supposed to respond to verification requests - they never got anything - The NJ online portal still just says "claim under review" with no useful details Based on all the advice in this thread, I'm starting today with: 1. Daily calls to BOTH states until I get humans who can give me specific case numbers and reference IDs 2. Having my former employer proactively send wage/tax info to both states to bypass the broken communication 3. Starting that documentation spreadsheet (wish I'd done this 7 weeks ago!) 4. Looking into my state representative's office if nothing moves in the next week The most frustrating part is realizing I've probably been waiting all this time for wage information that was never actually requested! At least knowing others have eventually gotten their backpay (even after 11+ weeks) gives me hope to keep fighting this broken system. Thanks to everyone sharing their stories - this thread is incredibly valuable for anyone dealing with interstate unemployment claims!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation! Remote worker from Illinois for a Florida company, just filed with IL unemployment 2 weeks ago. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea interstate claims were this complicated and broken. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I need to be much more proactive. IL unemployment just told me to "wait for processing" but based on what everyone's shared here, that probably means nothing is actually happening behind the scenes. Starting tomorrow I'm going to: - Call FL DEO directly to see if they've received any wage verification request from Illinois - Contact my former employer's payroll department to make sure they're ready to respond quickly to any requests - Start that documentation spreadsheet that several people mentioned - Stop trusting the online portal and demand specifics when I call The most eye-opening thing from this thread is realizing that the states often aren't actually communicating even when they claim they are. It sounds like we basically have to manage the coordination ourselves, which is absolutely ridiculous for a government system. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and advice! At least knowing that persistence eventually pays off (even if it takes 2-3 months) gives me hope. I'm bookmarking this thread to refer back to as I navigate this nightmare. For anyone just starting this process - definitely read through all these comments and be prepared to become your own case manager!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! My account got locked yesterday with the "too many attempts" message even though I haven't logged in for over a week. It's absolutely ridiculous that DEO's system punishes us for NOT constantly checking our accounts - like we're supposed to be refreshing the page 24/7 or something? I've been reading through everyone's experiences here and it sounds like this is happening to tons of people because of some "security update" they did. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy at 7:30 AM tomorrow since that seems to be when people have the most success getting through. Really appreciate everyone sharing their solutions - at least now I know there's hope of getting this resolved! Will definitely update once I (hopefully) get through to someone. This whole system is such a mess but glad we have this community to help each other navigate it.

This is such a widespread issue! I'm going through the exact same thing right now - got locked out two days ago after not logging in for about 10 days, and like everyone else here, I got that ridiculous "too many attempts" message when I literally haven't attempted to log in at all! It's beyond frustrating that DEO's system treats normal users like potential hackers just for not obsessively checking our accounts daily. I've been trying to call since yesterday with zero success - just endless busy signals and disconnects. Based on all the great advice in this thread, I'm definitely going to try the 7:30 AM strategy tomorrow morning and keep redialing until I get through. It's insane that we have to go through all this just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing their experiences and solutions. Will update if I manage to get my account unlocked! Thanks everyone for making me feel less crazy about this whole mess.

I went through something similar when I moved here from Ohio last year. Florida's system is definitely different - much more restrictive than most states. One thing that helped me was registering with CareerSource Florida (it's free) since they have connections with local employers and sometimes know about job openings before they're posted publicly. They also offer resume help and interview prep if you need it. Also, if you have any skills that could translate to gig work or freelance stuff, now might be a good time to explore those options as a bridge while you're job hunting. The hospitality industry here does pick up seasonally, so keep that in mind for your search timing. Hang in there!

Just wanted to add that when your balance hits $0, make sure to keep all your documentation organized - pay stubs from any temporary work, job search logs, interview confirmations, etc. Even though you won't be getting payments, DEO can still audit your claim retroactively. I learned this the hard way when they asked for documentation months later. Also, don't forget that unemployment income is taxable, so if you haven't been having taxes withheld from your weekly benefits, you might want to set aside some money for tax season. Good luck with those interviews - the hospitality industry in Florida does have more opportunities during peak season!

Great to hear you got it resolved! For anyone else reading this thread, I'd recommend doing exactly what Sophia did - use multiple approaches since the DEO system can be unpredictable. The key is creating a paper trail through CONNECT, getting employer documentation, AND having a live agent add notes to your file. Don't rely on just one method. Also, keep claiming your weeks even if you're unsure about the status - it's much easier to sort things out while benefits are continuing than to try to get them restarted later.

As someone who just went through a similar situation last month, I can confirm that the multi-step approach really works. I had to extend my return date by 8 weeks due to a workplace injury, and I was terrified my benefits would get cut off. I did exactly what others have suggested here: filed the change request in CONNECT, got written documentation from HR, and then used a callback service to speak with a DEO representative. The whole process took about 10 days to fully process, but my benefits continued without interruption. One thing I'd add - when you do get through to an agent, ask them to read back the notes they're adding to your file so you know exactly what was recorded. This saved me when there was a small discrepancy later. Also, screenshot everything you submit online and keep copies of all employer correspondence. The peace of mind is worth the extra documentation effort!