One more thing to consider - with your claim dating back to March, make sure you're aware of the "gap in filing" rules. If there was ever a period where you didn't claim weeks for more than 14 days, the system might have closed your benefit year and you'd need to reapply rather than waiting for adjudication. This wouldn't be obvious from your account, but could explain the lengthy delay. Also, for the "Able and Available" issue, if you don't already have a job offer that you're ready to accept, make sure you're very clear in your documentation that you're applying for jobs that match your skills and are immediately available to start work if offered a position.

When you call and ask for a Tier 2 agent, you need to specifically say "I need to speak with someone who can see adjudication notes on my claim." The regular agents will try to tell you they can help, but they really can't see the detailed notes or make changes. Be polite but firm that you need someone with higher access levels. Also, regarding the "Able and Available" issue - make sure you update your work search record to show you're applying to both in-person and remote jobs. Having only remote jobs in your work search can sometimes extend the adjudication time because they question your availability constraints.

Just checking back - did any of the suggestions work for you? Sometimes the CONNECT system also goes through maintenance periods where certain features aren't available. They usually do this overnight but occasionally during daytime hours.

The exact same thing happened to me!!! The email comes WAY before the system actually updates. DEO's left hand doesn't know what the right is doing half the time. The most annoying part is you only have a limited window to claim your weeks, but then they don't even make the option available when they say it will be. Classic Florida unemployment problems lol.

i got my first payment in 4 days second one took 9 days third one took 5 days its never consistent good luck

Update: Payment hit my account this morning! So that was exactly 3 business days after claiming. Thanks everyone for your help!

One important thing to know is that Florida law distinguishes between fraud and non-fraud overpayments. If they're alleging fraud (intentional misreporting), the penalties are much higher and can include a 15% penalty plus interest. Check your determination letter carefully - does it say anything about fraud or misrepresentation? If it's just a non-fraud overpayment, you might qualify for a waiver if repayment would cause extraordinary financial hardship. For your appeal, you'll need to focus on these specific issues: 1. Was the determination of overpayment correct? (dates, amounts, etc.) 2. If there was an error in reporting, was it unintentional? 3. If the overpayment determination is correct, do you qualify for a waiver? You can submit your appeal directly through CONNECT, and I recommend doing it that way so you have electronic confirmation of submission. Keep in mind that the appeals division is severely backlogged, so it might take 2-3 months before your hearing.

Update on my situation since I shared it above - I had my appeal hearing last month and WON! The referee agreed that I had correctly reported my income and that DEO made the error. My advice after going through this: 1. Be super organized with your documentation 2. Practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely 3. Answer only what the referee asks - don't volunteer extra information 4. Stay calm and professional even if you're frustrated I really think getting someone on the phone before the hearing made all the difference. I was able to understand exactly what they were claiming was wrong, which helped me prepare the right documentation for my case.

Just to add to my earlier comment - when you contact DEO about the reissuance, ask them about getting an emergency payment while you wait for the new check. In some cases, if it's your first payment and you have proof of pending eviction (like a notice from your landlord), they can issue an emergency direct deposit for a portion of your benefit amount. It's not guaranteed, but it's worth asking about if you're in a dire situation.

I want to emphasize something important: if your check was stolen, you need to report this to BOTH the USPS Inspection Service AND your local police department. The police report is crucial because if someone attempts to cash or has already cashed your check, it becomes a criminal case of identity theft and fraud. The report number will be needed by DEO in the reissuance process to show you've taken all proper steps. Also, with the police report, you can request a letter from them stating you're a victim of theft, which can sometimes help with your landlord if you need to negotiate a delayed payment arrangement.

my cousin had same issue and finally got a lawyer after 8 months... the lawyer sent one letter and suddenly deo fixed everything and he got all his back pay. sometimes they just need to see ur serious

One final piece of advice: Request a copy of your claim file through a formal public records request. Under Florida law, you're entitled to see your complete file, which might reveal why your claim is stuck. Email DEO.PublicRecords@deo.myflorida.com with your request. Specifically ask for all notes, fact-finding results, and determination drafts related to your claim. This information can be incredibly valuable if you do end up needing legal assistance.

I'm dealing with something similar right now but it's because of child support deductions. They take 40% off the top of my payments. Is there any chance you have a garnishment or child support order that might be causing the reduction?

Glad to see you got it figured out! For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues - always check your Determination Status for each week in question. The CONNECT system applies all these formulas automatically but does a terrible job showing the math. Always report your income accurately, and remember that even small amounts of earnings will reduce your weekly benefit once you cross that 25% threshold.

wait i'm confused about something else - are we supposed to do 5 job searches or 3? I thought it was 3 but someone at CareerSource told me 5???

Just a heads-up for everyone: I've been claiming benefits for several months now, and in my experience, the CONNECT system does occasionally have maintenance or slowdowns around holidays. Even though there's no official extension, I would recommend completing your work search reports at least 48 hours before your deadline if it falls on July 4th. This gives you buffer time in case of any technical issues. Also, take screenshots of your submission confirmation page as proof just in case questions come up later. Better to be prepared than have to deal with appeals!

You might also want to contact your state representative's office. When I had a similar issue last year and couldn't get anywhere with DEO directly, I reached out to my state rep and their constituent services person was amazing! They have special contacts at DEO who can often resolve issues faster than going through normal channels. Just Google "[your county] Florida state representative" to find yours. Their websites usually have a constituent services form you can fill out.

You'll need to provide your full name, contact info, claimant ID (from CONNECT), and a brief explanation of your issue. Also include the date of the overpayment notice and amount. They usually ask you to sign a privacy release form so they can legally discuss your case with DEO. My rep's office had mine resolved in about 2 weeks after I'd been getting nowhere for a month on my own!

Why is everyone saying they won appeals?? Almost NOBODY wins against DEO - their whole process is designed to deny benefits and keep their numbers low. They literally don't care if their system causes problems, they'll still blame you!!

Thank you all for the input! I'm going to file the appeal online today and start gathering my evidence. Will try to get those system logs like @profile2 suggested and have all my job search activities documented clearly. Feeling a bit more optimistic now. I'll update this thread once I have my hearing scheduled!