Thanks for sharing this information about exhausted benefits - I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about the 211 service that Carmen mentioned. For anyone else struggling with the gap between benefits ending and new employment, I'd also suggest checking if your local food banks have emergency assistance programs beyond just food. Some offer small emergency cash grants or help with utilities. Also, if you're a parent, don't forget about WIC and other family assistance programs that might help stretch your budget. The whole system is definitely frustrating, but at least we can help each other navigate it. Good luck to everyone dealing with this!

As someone who recently went through this exact situation, I can confirm what others have said - there are no federal extensions available in 2025. It's heartbreaking because 12 weeks really isn't enough time, especially in today's job market. One thing that helped me was checking with my county's social services department - they had a small emergency assistance program I didn't know about that helped with one month of rent. Also, if you have any gig work options like Uber, DoorDash, or TaskRabbit, even doing that part-time can help bridge the gap until your new job starts. I know it's not ideal, but it kept some money coming in during those final weeks. Really glad you found that last week of benefits - sometimes those small wins mean everything when you're stressed about finances. Hang in there, and congratulations on landing the new job! The timing will work out.

I just went through this same process a few months ago and wanted to share something that really helped me that hasn't been mentioned yet - check if your county has a "Rapid Re-employment" or "Back to Work" program. Mine had emergency cash assistance (like $500-1000) specifically for people who just exhausted unemployment benefits. You had to apply within 30 days of your benefits ending, so don't wait too long. Also, if you have any skills in construction, some temp agencies specialize in short-term construction gigs that can help bridge the gap while you're looking for permanent work. The pay isn't great but it's something. I found mine through Indeed by searching "construction temp" and "day labor." Another tip - if you're really desperate, some plasma donation centers pay decent money (like $50-100 per donation) and you can donate twice a week. I know it's not ideal but when you're facing eviction, every bit helps. Hang in there, the system definitely failed you but there are still ways to survive this.

I'm in the same boat right now - just exhausted my 12 weeks last Friday and I'm honestly panicking. Had no clue Florida was this stingy compared to other states. This thread has been a goldmine of information though. I'm making a checklist from all the suggestions here: calling 211, visiting CareerSource in person (not just online), checking for county rapid re-employment programs within the 30-day window, applying for SNAP immediately, and looking into those WIOA training programs with stipends. The construction temp work idea is brilliant too since that's my background. It's frustrating that none of this information is easily available when your benefits run out - they just cut you off with no guidance. But seeing how many people have navigated this and found resources gives me hope. Going to start making calls tomorrow and will report back on what I find in my county. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!

I've been lurking in this community for months but finally decided to join after reading this thread - you all have given me hope that there's actually a solution to this nightmare! I'm dealing with the exact same missing claim weeks button issue. Been approved since February, got my monetary determination ($285/week), claim shows active, but I've only been able to claim 2 out of 7 weeks because the button just vanishes randomly. What's really frustrating is that I work in IT, so I know this isn't just a "glitch" - there's clearly some backend flag or hold that's triggering this behavior. The fact that multiple people are experiencing identical symptoms tells me this is a systemic issue with how CONNECT handles certain account states. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and request an appeal hearing to get access to someone who can actually see what's going on behind the scenes. The regular reps have been absolutely useless - I've gotten answers ranging from "try clearing your browser cache" to "the system is just slow today." Meanwhile my rent is due and I'm rationing groceries. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions. This community is literally a lifeline when the actual government system fails us so badly.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been dealing with the exact same issue for the past month - my claim weeks button keeps disappearing even though my claim is active and I have a monetary determination. I've been approved since mid-February but have only been able to claim 4 out of 9 weeks because the system is so unreliable. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about these "hidden flags" or backend adjudication issues that regular reps can't see. I've called DEO probably 15 times and gotten completely different explanations each time - everything from "technical maintenance" to "your employer hasn't responded yet" (even though my separation was clearly voluntary resignation). @Beatrice Marshall - I'm really hoping your claim button comes back after completing that fact-finding questionnaire! Your update about the appeal hearing finding the hidden issue gives me so much hope. I think I need to request an appeal hearing myself just to get someone who can actually see what's wrong with my account. This whole situation is absolutely maddening. We're not asking for anything unreasonable - just access to benefits we've already been approved for! The fact that a simple button disappearing can block us from our money for months is completely unacceptable. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and keeping each other updated. This community support means everything when the actual system fails us so badly.

When I was on unemployment last year I had sooooo many problems with the payments being wrong. My advice - screenshot EVERYTHING, keep a detailed record of all your work hours, and call them immediately when something seems off. The DEO system is a mess and sometimes the only way to get things fixed is to be super persistent. Also make sure you're documenting your 5 work searches every week!

Hey Miguel! I went through this exact same confusion when I first started getting unemployment with part-time work. The math can be really tricky to figure out at first. Based on what you've described, it sounds like Zainab nailed it - you're dealing with both the earnings deduction AND tax withholding. Here's what likely happened: - Your $275 WBA - Minus $70 (your $128 earnings minus the $58 disregard) - Equals $205 before taxes - Minus federal tax withholding (probably around $30-31 to get you to $174) The good news is this is all working as it should! You're still getting a decent benefit even with the part-time work. Just make sure you keep reporting those hours accurately each week. And definitely try to get those held weeks sorted out - that's where your real money is waiting!

I just wanted to add my experience to help others dealing with this "hold in excess" nightmare. I was stuck with this status for about 3 weeks and finally got it resolved last Friday! Like many of you, it turned out to be a false overpayment flag - the system somehow thought I had received duplicate payments that never actually happened. What worked for me: I used Tom's video method and called at exactly 7:30 AM on a Tuesday morning. Got through after only 45 minutes on hold! The rep was actually very helpful once I explained the situation. She said these false flags have been happening more frequently due to system updates they did a few months ago. Key things I learned: 1) Don't stop calling - persistence really works, 2) Early morning calls (7:30-8:00 AM) have the best success rate, 3) Send a CONNECT message every 3-4 days asking for updates, and 4) When you do get someone on the phone, ask them to escalate to the technical review team immediately rather than just logging a note. The whole process from getting through to resolution took about 10 business days, and I received all my back payments in one lump sum. Don't give up - this community's advice really works! Tom's shortcuts are a game changer for actually reaching a human.

I'm a newcomer to this community and just discovered this incredibly helpful thread! I've been dealing with the "hold in excess" status for about a week now and was completely lost until I found all of your shared experiences. Reading through everyone's stories has been both eye-opening and reassuring - it's clear this is a widespread issue that many of us are facing. Tom, I'm definitely going to try your video method for calling tomorrow morning right at 7:30 AM. The success stories from Brooklyn, Zara, and Ezra give me real hope that this can actually be resolved with persistence. It sounds like the false overpayment flag is a common culprit, which makes sense since I've never received any duplicate payments either. I really appreciate how supportive everyone has been in sharing their experiences and strategies. The official DEO system provides zero helpful information about what this status means or how to fix it, so this community has been invaluable. I'm going to follow the advice about sending regular CONNECT messages every few days and being persistent with early morning calls. Thank you all for creating such a helpful resource for those of us navigating this frustrating system. I'll make sure to update everyone once I make progress with my claim!