Emails to employers can count as work search activities, but you need documentation. Each work search contact should include: 1. Date of contact 2. Method of contact (email, online application, in-person, etc.) 3. Company name, address, and phone number 4. Name of person contacted (if possible) 5. Type of work sought 6. Result of contact CareerSource workshops and job fairs also count toward your work search requirements. I recommend mixing different types of activities rather than just doing emails. And save everything - screenshots of applications, copies of emails, etc. DEO can request proof up to a year later.

Congratulations on getting through the system! Your success story gives me hope. I've been dealing with the same exact issues for the past week - constant freezing and logouts. I'm going to try your approach tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM with Chrome incognito mode. Quick question - when you say don't use autofill, does that include the browser asking to save passwords, or just the form completion stuff? I want to make sure I do this right on my first early morning attempt since getting up that early is going to be rough for me!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! I went through something very similar about 8 months ago - got hit with a $4,200 overpayment notice that completely blindsided me. Like you, I had been extremely careful about reporting every penny I earned from my part-time bookkeeping work. What really helped me was creating a detailed timeline showing exactly what I reported each week versus what I actually earned and when. I made a spreadsheet with columns for: certification week, amount I reported, actual pay stub amount, and deposit date in my bank account. This visual comparison made it crystal clear that I had reported everything correctly. The appeal process took about 10 weeks total for me, but I won! The hearing officer could see that any discrepancies were due to timing issues between when my employer reported wages versus when I actually received them, not because I was hiding income. One thing that really saved me was that I had kept email confirmations from CONNECT every time I submitted my bi-weekly certifications. Those timestamps proved exactly when and what I had reported. If you have any confirmation emails or screenshots from your certifications, definitely gather those up. Don't let the collection notices psych you out - they're automatically generated and can't actually do anything while your appeal is active. You've got this! The fact that you were conscientious about reporting from the beginning puts you in a strong position.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Got hit with a $3,800 overpayment notice last week and I've been losing sleep over it. Like you, I was super careful about reporting every dollar from my part-time work at a local café. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning that this happens way more often than I thought. I had no idea about the timing issues between quarterly employer reports and weekly certifications. That could definitely explain what happened in my case since my hours were all over the place. I'm filing my appeal tomorrow and definitely going to request all their documentation like the attorney suggested. It's such a relief to see so many people won their appeals when they had proper documentation. The collection notices are terrifying but I'm going to try to stay calm and focus on gathering all my pay stubs and certification screenshots. Thank you for starting this thread - knowing I'm not alone in this mess makes it feel way less overwhelming!

I went through the exact same situation last year with backdated claims from December to February. Three weeks is definitely frustrating but unfortunately pretty normal for backdated claims, especially when crossing quarters like yours. The good news is that 'PROCESSED' status with no pending determinations usually means you're in the system correctly and it's just working through their backlog. One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of all my claim weeks and when I submitted them - it made the conversation much smoother when I finally got through to a specialist. Also, don't panic if it takes another week or two. I know bills are stressful but the money will come once it processes, and it'll be retroactive to your original claim date. The 7:30am Monday call strategy that Kara mentioned really does work better than other times. I got through on my second try doing that. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with a similar backdated claim situation right now - filed in late February for weeks going back to December when I lost my restaurant job. It's been about 4 weeks and I'm still waiting on payments too. The crossing quarters thing Kara mentioned really explains a lot - I didn't realize that added extra time to the process. One thing I learned from my friend who works at a different unemployment office (not DEO) is that restaurant workers sometimes get flagged for additional review because of tip reporting issues, even if everything was reported correctly on your W-2s. They have to verify that your reported wages match what the employer submitted, and restaurants can be slower with their quarterly reports. I'm going to try the 7:30am Monday call strategy too. We should both update this thread when we finally get through - it might help other people in the same boat. Stay strong!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at Florida Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss

Not 3X" WBA typically means you'haven t earned at least 3 times your Weekly Benefit (Amount) WBA in wages during your base period. For Florida unemployment eligibility, you need to have earned wages totaling at least 3 times your calculated weekly benefit amount during the base (period usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you)filed . If'you re seeing this message, it might mean your wage history'doesn t meet this monetary requirement.'I d recommend calling DEO to review your wage records and clarify your specificsituation.

Just wanted to share my experience - I finally got through after 3 weeks of trying! What worked for me was calling right at 7:45 AM (15 minutes before they officially open) and staying on the line even when it said "all representatives are busy." I know it sounds crazy, but I literally called 47 times one day before getting through. The rep was actually really helpful once I got connected. For those still struggling, don't give up! Also, make sure you have your PIN, SSN, and claim confirmation number ready. The whole call took about 25 minutes once I got through. Hang in there everyone! 💪

Thanks for sharing this! I've been dealing with the same nightmare for about 10 days now. The automated system just hangs up on me half the time, and when it doesn't, I sit on hold for hours only to get disconnected. It's incredibly frustrating when you're already stressed about finances and then the system meant to help you is completely broken. I'm going to try some of the tips people have shared here - especially calling right when they open and having all my info ready beforehand. This thread is honestly more helpful than anything I've found on the official DEO website. Solidarity to everyone still fighting this system! 🤝