Has anyone noticed any other changes to the CONNECT system lately? I feel like the payment processing is taking longer too since these updates started...

I can confirm this is happening! I claimed yesterday and had the same experience - no work search entry screen at all. Based on what others are saying here, it sounds like DEO is transitioning to a random audit system instead of requiring weekly entry. I'm going to keep doing my 5 work searches and documenting everything with dates, company names, positions applied for, and how I applied (online, email, in-person, etc.). Better safe than sorry with DEO - they love to hit people with overpayments for the smallest reasons. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it's really helpful to know we're not alone in this confusion!

I feel your pain - this is such a nightmare situation! I've been dealing with DEO issues on and off for the past year and here's what I've learned: definitely try calling right at 7:30am when they open, keep a detailed log of every time you call (date, time, how long you waited, what happened), and be persistent with that email to DEO.Firstreview@deo.myflorida.com. One thing that helped me was also reaching out to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on their Facebook page - sometimes they'll respond to public posts when other methods fail. It sounds desperate but when you're facing eviction, you use every tool available. Also, if you haven't already, document your financial hardship situation (overdue bills, rent notices, etc.) because this can help prioritize your case when you do get through to someone. The state rep option is definitely worth trying too - their constituent services staff deal with DEO issues regularly and know how to escalate properly. Keep claiming your weeks no matter what, and hang in there. The system is broken but most claims do eventually get resolved.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim on June 20th and it's been stuck in pending status for almost 3 weeks now. Reading through everyone's suggestions here has been really helpful! I'm going to try the email to DEO.Firstreview@deo.myflorida.com first thing tomorrow morning, and then attempt calling right at 7:30am like several people suggested. Has anyone had success with the Claimyr service that @Miguel Alvarez mentioned? I'm a bit hesitant about third-party services but if it actually works, it might be worth the cost given how much I'm losing by not getting my benefits. The stress of this whole situation is really getting to me - I never expected it to be this difficult to get unemployment benefits when you legitimately qualify for them. @Sofia Martinez, please keep us updated on what works for you! I think a lot of us are in the same boat right now and could benefit from knowing which approach actually gets results.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone who could help! I followed the advice here and: 1. Called at 7:31am Thursday morning 2. Asked specifically for a 'Tier 2 specialist callback' instead of just escalation 3. Mentioned I qualified for expedited hardship review after 3+ months The agent actually took me seriously and transferred me to someone with more authority (not sure if actual supervisor but definitely higher tier). They found the issue - apparently there was a mismatch between my reported wages and what my employer reported, which triggered an automatic hold. They cleared it on the spot and said my payments should process within 3 business days! Thank you all for the help. This forum literally saved me!

Congratulations on finally getting through! Your success story gives me hope. I've been dealing with a similar situation for about 6 weeks now - my claim has been stuck in "pending" status and every rep just tells me it's been escalated. I'm definitely going to try your approach tomorrow morning. Quick question - when you mentioned the expedited hardship review, did you have to provide any specific documentation or proof of hardship, or was the 3+ month wait time enough? Also, did the higher tier person you spoke with give you any kind of case number or reference for the resolution? Thanks for sharing what worked - this community is honestly more helpful than the actual DEO sometimes!

This is such a common situation and I really feel for everyone going through this! I just want to add one more piece of practical advice that helped me when I was in a similar spot last year. When you're gathering your job search documentation for the backdating request, don't just focus on applications and interviews. Also include any correspondence with your former employer about potential return dates, any temporary/gig work you might have done while job hunting, or even unemployment workshops you attended. DEO seems to look favorably on evidence that shows you were actively engaged in returning to work rather than just passively waiting. Also, if you're having trouble getting through to DEO by phone (and let's be honest, we all are), try calling right at 7:30 AM when they open - that's when I finally got through to someone who could actually help rather than just read from a script. The most important thing is don't give up after the first denial if it happens. I've seen too many people just accept that initial "no" when they actually had valid grounds for backdating. The appeals process exists for a reason, and having all this documentation ready makes a huge difference. Hang in there everyone - the system is frustrating but it's not impossible to navigate!

I'm currently going through this exact situation and wanted to share what I've learned so far from my experience with DEO backdating. Lost my job in hospitality in December but didn't file until three weeks ago because I genuinely thought I'd find something quickly (lesson learned!). The 12-week limit vs backdating confusion is SO real - I was panicking thinking I'd already lost those weeks by waiting to file. But after speaking with a claims specialist (took me calling at exactly 7:30 AM for three days straight to get through), I finally understand they're completely separate issues. Here's what the specialist told me: Florida's 12 weeks is your total benefit duration regardless of when you start receiving them. Backdating determines when those 12 weeks BEGIN counting from. So if approved for backdating to December, I'd get benefits December through March. If denied, I get benefits from my filing date forward for 12 weeks. For the "good cause" requirement, I submitted documentation of active job searches during those months I didn't file - email confirmations from applications, text messages from potential employers about "calling next week," even screenshots of Indeed applications. The specialist said this helps show I had reasonable belief I'd return to work soon rather than just ignoring my unemployment status. Still waiting on my backdating decision, but my regular weekly benefits started processing normally in the meantime. They run on separate timelines, so don't let the backdating request delay your current claim maintenance. Keep fighting for it if you get initially denied - the appeals process seems to be where many people actually succeed. Good luck everyone!

This login loop issue is incredibly frustrating and unfortunately seems to be a recurring problem with CONNECT. I experienced something similar about 6 months ago during one of their "system improvements." Back then it took them almost a week to fully resolve it, and like many others have mentioned, they provided zero communication until people started flooding their social media. For anyone still having trouble, here are a few additional things that helped me in the past: - Try logging in from an incognito/private window AND turn off any VPN if you're using one - Sometimes their system gets confused if you have multiple tabs open to the CONNECT site - If you get in but then get kicked out when clicking something, try waiting 30-60 seconds between page clicks (their session management seems buggy) The automatic 7-day extension mentioned by Isabella is definitely a relief, but I'd still recommend calling if you can get through just to have documentation on your account. DEO has a history of "forgetting" about their own extension policies when it comes time to process payments. Really hoping they invest in proper system testing before pushing these updates. We shouldn't have to become IT troubleshooters just to claim our benefits!

I'm dealing with this same login loop nightmare too! Started for me Thursday evening and I've been pulling my hair out ever since. I've tried literally everything mentioned in this thread - different browsers, clearing cache, incognito mode, different devices, even tried from my work computer. Nothing works! I get to the login page, enter my credentials, it accepts them, shows my dashboard for like 2 seconds, then BOOM - right back to login again. It's like being stuck in some kind of digital purgatory. What's really stressing me out is that this is my first time dealing with unemployment benefits, so I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong or if it was actually a system issue. Reading everyone's experiences here is both reassuring (it's not just me!) and terrifying (DEO has a history of these problems??). I tried calling yesterday but gave up after 2 hours of busy signals. Going to try the early morning approach some of you mentioned, and maybe look into that Claimyr service Omar recommended if I can't get through. Really hoping this gets resolved soon - the stress of not being able to access the system when you depend on these benefits is unreal. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and workarounds, this community is a lifesaver!