Did you check if you qualify for PUA? That's what I got when my regular benefits expired.

I was in your situation in January. What I did was sign up for a vocational training program through CareerSource that qualified me for a small stipend while I learned new skills. It wasn't much money, but it helped bridge the gap and now I'm working in a completely different industry with better stability. Worth checking if they have any training programs related to construction or that could use your transferable skills. The key is that some of these programs are considered "approved training" which can sometimes extend benefit eligibility (but this varies by program and situation). I'd recommend making an in-person appointment at your local CareerSource office rather than just looking at their website. The staff there were much more helpful face-to-face and knew about programs that weren't obvious online.

One more crucial thing: If you get to a hearing, focus on the TECHNICAL ISSUES rather than how unfair the system is. Hearing officers are looking for specific regulatory reasons they can use to reverse a determination.\n\nFor example:\n- \

This is excellent advice. I tend to get emotional about this whole situation because it's been so stressful, but you're right - I need to focus on the technical and regulatory aspects. I'll practice making my points clearly before any hearing.

When I was on unemployment last year I had similar confusion. Once I finally found my payment history I printed it out and kept it in a folder along with all my job search records. Makes it so much easier at tax time too. The DEO website is really not user friendly at all.

Quick question - does anyone know if we can download that payment history as a spreadsheet or PDF? I tried looking but couldn't figure it out.

When I worked at the DEO call center (left in 2024), this was actually a common question. The tax withholding updates follow their own schedule separate from the regular payment processing. Here's what happens: 1. You make the change in CONNECT 2. The change gets queued for processing in the tax batch (runs weekly) 3. Once processed, it's applied to future payment calculations Depending on when you made the change relative to the tax batch schedule, it typically takes 1-2 payment cycles, but can occasionally take 3 cycles in worst-case scenarios. The withheld money isn't lost - you'll get it back when you file your taxes next year if you're due a refund. Unfortunately, there's no way to get it released sooner once it's been withheld. If it doesn't change after 2 more payments, you should call and ask them to verify the change was properly saved in their system.

my cousin had this problem too! he said he talked to someone at DEO who told him they process those changes on Thursdays so if you do it after Thursday it won't happen till the next week. dunno if thats true but might explain why its taking so long for you

I think some of you are confusing the payment processing system with CONNECT. They're not the same thing. CONNECT is just the claimant portal that shows a visual representation of your account status. The actual payment processing happens in a completely different DEO system that's much older. I worked for the state (not DEO) but have some knowledge of their systems. Your payment is probably fine, it just takes time for the two systems to sync up. Keep your confirmation number though - that's the most important thing.

Update: After reading all your responses, I decided to try calling DEO again this morning. After an hour of redialing, I actually got through! The agent confirmed they can see my $500 payment in their system, but said it can take 4-8 weeks to show in CONNECT. She put a note on my account about the call and told me not to worry. Thanks everyone for your help and sharing your experiences!

To answer your question @profile5 - the rep said they're reviewing cases individually and not automatically demanding repayments for this specific system error. She suggested I gather whatever documentation I can for previous job searches, even if it's incomplete, and be ready to provide it if requested. She also mentioned something about a "good faith" policy for system errors, but didn't go into details.

The most frustrating thing about Florida's unemployment system is how the requirements are enforced inconsistently. I know people who never did a single work search during their entire benefit period and had no issues, while others get flagged and investigated for the smallest discrepancy. The work search requirement has technically been in place since 2021, but the system enforcement varies wildly. My advice is always document EVERYTHING and take screenshots of every screen when you claim. Better safe than sorry with DEO.

Just wanted to add - make sure all your work searches are properly documented in CONNECT for these last few weeks. I've seen people get their final payments delayed because they messed up the work search requirements. You need 5 work searches per week, and if they audit you and find problems, it can hold up your last payments when you need them most!

I was in ur same situation back in janurary... It SUCKS! i ended up having to move in with my sister for 2 months til i found another job. one thing that helped me was doing gig work like instacart and doordash while i was looking for permanent work. not great money but kept some cash coming in after benefits stopped. better than nothing right?

DEO agent here. I can clarify this situation for everyone: 1. When quarters change, many claimants need to file a new application to determine continued eligibility - this is required by Florida law, not DEO policy. 2. However, weeks that were AVAILABLE TO CLAIM during the previous quarter that you were eligible for but didn't claim (for whatever reason) CAN be requested retroactively. This requires a supervisor override in most cases. 3. The confusion happens because regular agents often aren't trained on how to process these retroactive claims across quarter boundaries. It requires a specific process in the CONNECT system. 4. What you need to do: First, complete your new quarterly application. Once approved, call and specifically request to speak with a supervisor about "retroactive certification for eligible weeks from the previous quarter." Be persistent. 5. Make sure you have documentation showing why you were unable to claim those weeks on time (if applicable). Hope this helps clarify the situation!

Just an update for anyone who might face this issue in the future - the key details from this thread: 1. Quarter changes (end of March, June, September, December) can affect your ability to claim weeks 2. If you need to claim weeks from a previous quarter after a new quarter has started, you should: - Complete your new quarterly application first - After approval, call DEO and ask for a supervisor - Request "retroactive certification for eligible weeks from the previous quarter" - Be prepared to explain why you couldn't claim on time 3. Regular agents often don't know how to handle this situation, so supervisor involvement is crucial 4. Document everything - dates, times, names of representatives Hope this helps someone avoid losing their benefits!

Thanks for all the responses. Still think it's ridiculous they don't make this clearer when you apply. I definitely would have planned better if I knew I wouldn't get that first week. Do I still need to have done the 5 work searches for the waiting week even though I'm not getting paid for it?

when i had my claim last summer they still made me do the stupid work searches for the waiting week even tho they didnt pay me a cent... whole system is messed up lol

UPDATE: Just checked my account again and now there's a determination letter in my inbox saying I've been approved! The letter is dated yesterday but just showed up today. No payment scheduled yet but at least I know the adjudication was resolved positively. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

congratulations!! the payments should show up in a few days. make sure you keep claiming weeks