I just went through this exact same nightmare with DEO partial unemployment! Was working reduced hours at a medical office from February through April and the whole process was absolutely chaotic. Here's what finally worked for me after 7 weeks of getting nowhere: 1. Call and specifically ask if they've created a "backdate adjustment ticket" - most agents don't even know what this means, so ask for a supervisor immediately if they seem confused 2. Once they confirm the ticket exists, ask for the ticket number and estimated processing time. Write this down! 3. The backdated weeks won't appear in CONNECT until that ticket is fully processed (took 9 business days for mine) 4. That random $275 payment you got is definitely a "test payment" to verify your banking info works before they release the larger backpay amount The most important thing I learned: You MUST report your earnings as GROSS income (before taxes), not net. I made this mistake initially and it delayed everything by another 3 weeks while they "verified" my income with my employer. Also, keep calling every 3-4 days for status updates. I know it's exhausting but the squeaky wheel gets the grease with DEO. Once my backdated weeks finally appeared, I claimed them all in one day and got the full backpay within 2 weeks. Don't give up - you ARE entitled to that money if you qualify!

I'm going through something very similar right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! I've been on partial unemployment since late February (hours cut from 32 to 18 at my office job) and getting the runaround from DEO for weeks. Based on everyone's advice here, I called this morning at 8 AM sharp and specifically asked about my "backdate adjustment ticket status" - turns out they never created one despite three different agents telling me my backpay was "processing." The supervisor I spoke with finally created the ticket and gave me reference number DEO-2025-BD-847392. She said to expect the backdated weeks to appear in CONNECT within 7-10 business days. Also learned I've been reporting NET income instead of GROSS this whole time, which probably flagged my claim for manual review. Going to recalculate everything using gross pay amounts and be ready with exact figures when those backdated weeks show up. The Claimyr service someone mentioned actually worked - got through to a knowledgeable agent in 22 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. Definitely worth the small fee to avoid the phone tree nightmare. Keep pushing everyone - we're all entitled to these benefits if we qualify! Document everything and don't take "it's processing" as an answer without specific details.

I went through this exact same nightmare a few months ago! The key thing that saved me was realizing there are actually THREE different places you might need to upload documents depending on what DEO is asking for: 1) ID.me verification (which it sounds like you got sorted), 2) the regular document upload in your CONNECT inbox under "Correspondence", and 3) sometimes there's a separate link they email you for specific verifications. If you're still getting requests after completing ID.me, check your email for any direct links from DEO - sometimes they send a separate secure upload portal that bypasses CONNECT entirely. I missed one of these emails and it went to my spam folder! Also, when you do upload, the system is super slow to update - mine took almost 48 hours to show "received" even though it went through immediately. Don't panic if you don't see confirmation right away, just keep that screenshot like others mentioned!

One more tip that saved me when I was in a similar panic - if you're still having trouble with any uploads after trying all these suggestions, you can also try visiting a local library. I know it sounds weird, but their computers and internet connection sometimes work better with the DEO system than home internet. Plus, library staff are usually pretty good at helping with government websites. I spent hours failing at home, then got everything uploaded successfully in 15 minutes at the library. Sometimes it's just the browser/connection combo that makes the difference with CONNECT's finicky system.

One more thing to add - if you're getting nowhere with phone calls, try contacting DEO through their formal grievance process. You can file a grievance online at floridajobs.org under "File a Complaint" - this creates an official case number and forces them to respond within specific timeframes. In your grievance, explain that you're being asked to pay an overpayment that was already satisfied in 2017 and that DEO has failed to provide adequate payment history records despite multiple requests. This approach often gets routed to supervisors who have better system access than frontline agents. Also document every attempt you've made to resolve this (dates, times, who you spoke with) - this shows good faith effort on your part and strengthens your case if you need to escalate further.

Just wanted to add one more resource that helped me with a similar situation - if you have any old email accounts from 2017, check those thoroughly including spam/junk folders for ANY correspondence from DEO about your payment plan. I found confirmation emails I'd completely forgotten about that showed my payment schedule and final payment confirmation. Also check old cell phone backup files if you have them - sometimes people screenshot confirmation pages without thinking about it. Even partial documentation can help establish that you had an active payment plan during that time period. The more evidence you can gather from your own records, the stronger your case will be when you contact the BPC unit or file that formal grievance. It's worth spending a few hours digging through old digital records before you start the official process!

I've been following unemployment discussions across multiple states and wanted to add some perspective on the federal benefits question. The confusion might be coming from recent Congressional hearings about modernizing the unemployment system nationwide, but nothing has been passed into law yet. There are several proposals floating around - some for extending benefit duration, others for increasing federal funding to states - but they're all still in committee stages. Florida's system is particularly restrictive compared to most states, so even if something passes federally, implementation here could take months or even years given how slowly DEO moves on system changes. For now, your best bet is exactly what others have suggested: CareerSource, local assistance programs, and possibly exploring training opportunities that come with financial support. The reality is that Florida's 12-week limit leaves a lot of people in your exact situation, which is why these alternative resources become so important.

I've been reading through this thread and wanted to share my experience with navigating the post-unemployment phase. After my benefits ended in January, I was also confused about potential federal programs but learned the hard way that Florida really only has the basic RA system. What ended up helping me the most was combining several of the strategies mentioned here - I applied for SNAP immediately (took about 3 weeks to get approved), started attending CareerSource workshops which helped with work search documentation, and found a part-time gig through their job fair while continuing to look for full-time work in my field. The CareerSource counselor also told me about a local nonprofit that provides one-time emergency assistance for utilities, which bought me some breathing room. It's definitely not the federal safety net we had during COVID, but these local resources can really add up. The key is applying for everything at once rather than waiting to see what happens with each one individually.

I went through this same nightmare last year! DEO sent me an overpayment notice for $4,800 claiming I didn't report my part-time work correctly, but I had reported every penny. Here's what worked for me: First - breathe! You're going to get through this. The screenshots you saved are going to be your lifeline. I submitted both the appeal AND the waiver request simultaneously (like others mentioned, these are separate processes). For the financial hardship documentation, I included everything - rent receipts, grocery bills, childcare costs, medical expenses, utility bills. Don't be embarrassed about showing your financial struggles - it's literally what they need to see. What really helped me was writing a detailed timeline of exactly what I reported each week, with dates and amounts. I cross-referenced this with my bank statements and screenshots to show there were no discrepancies on my end. The whole process took about 2 months, but my waiver was approved and I didn't have to pay back a cent. The key is being thorough with your documentation and meeting every single deadline they give you. Start your appeal TODAY - don't wait even one more day. You've got a strong case since you were diligent about reporting and have proof!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got an overpayment notice for $3,200 last week and I'm terrified! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. I didn't even know about the waiver option until I saw this thread. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - when you upload your documentation to CONNECT, is there a file size limit? I have tons of screenshots and bank statements but I'm worried about hitting some kind of upload limit. Also, should I combine everything into one PDF or upload each document separately? The 20-day deadline is making me so anxious but seeing that people have successfully gotten through this is giving me hope. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this community is a lifesaver!