To answer your follow-up question - correct, once your regular 12 weeks run out, there are currently no extensions available unless Florida's unemployment rate triggers the Extended Benefits program (which it currently does not). The extensions people sometimes refer to were pandemic-specific federal programs (like PEUC, PUA, etc.) that have ended. Florida's system has returned to pre-pandemic rules. If you're approaching benefit exhaustion, I recommend: 1. Contact your local CareerSource office right away for job search assistance 2. Check if you qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP (food assistance) or TANF (temporary cash assistance) 3. Continue your work search efforts (5 per week) and document everything 4. If your benefit year ends and you've had some work since your initial claim, file a new claim immediately Think of it this way - the 12-week clock and the 12-month benefit year are separate timers. The weeks can run out before the year ends, but you can't reset the week counter until the year timer completes.

@OP regarding your question about part-time work - yes, that could potentially help you qualify for a new claim when your benefit year ends. To qualify for a new claim, you need to have earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period (which will be the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you apply). You also need to have earned at least $3,800 total during your base period. Keep all your pay stubs and employment information - you'll need it when filing a new claim. And for what it's worth, while Florida's system is frustrating, the DEO website has improved a bit since 2020-2021. The information is there, just not always easy to find. Always check both the main CONNECT dashboard AND your inbox for important updates about your claim status and remaining benefits.

UPDATE: I tried everything everyone suggested here but NOTHING worked. I ended up using Claimyr this morning (claimyr.com) and got through to a DEO agent in about 25 minutes. The agent told me my account was stuck in a "partial verification state" exactly like someone mentioned above. She reset something on their end, and I immediately got a text with a link to complete the 2FA setup properly. I'm now able to access my CONNECT account again! For anyone else dealing with this - you HAVE to talk to a DEO agent to fix it. The online self-service options won't work once you're stuck in this state.

SOLVED!!! Thank you to everyone who helped! I used Claimyr this morning and got through to a DEO agent in about 30 minutes. Turns out my account was stuck in exactly that "partial verification" state that was mentioned. The agent reset my 2FA settings completely, and I got a text message with a link to properly set up authentication. Now I can log in with no problems and I was able to claim my weeks! Such a relief! For anyone else with this problem - don't waste days trying to figure it out yourself like I did. You need to talk to a DEO agent to fix it since it's a problem on their end.

After reading through all the advice here, I just wanted to add one more thing that worked for me: when I finally got through to DEO using Claimyr, I very calmly but clearly explained that I had documented every single contact attempt, had followed all procedures correctly, and was planning to reach out to local news stations about my experience if my case couldn't be resolved. The agent immediately transferred me to a supervisor who was suddenly able to push my claim through. Sometimes you have to be the squeaky wheel (while remaining respectful).

Have you been answering all the fact-finding questions? Sometimes they send those and if you miss them, your claim gets stuck. Also, are you checking your CONNECT inbox and not just your email? Sometimes notifications don't get sent properly. So frustrating they make this process so difficult!!! 😡

I used Claimyr too after being stuck for 2 months and it worked! Once I got someone on the phone, my claim was sorted out within a week. My case was similar - stuck in review with no explanation. Turns out there was a discrepancy between what I reported as my last day of work and what my employer reported. The DEO agent was able to fix it right away once I actually reached someone. Hope it works out for you!

UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO!!! The Claimyr service actually worked - took about 35 minutes but I finally spoke to a real person. Turns out my employer had contested my claim saying I was fired for misconduct (absolutely not true - I was laid off with 15 other people). The agent was able to see that no one had contacted me for my side of the story, which is why it was stuck. She's sending it to an adjudicator today and said they should contact me within 48 hours for a fact-finding interview. She also noted the hardship with my utilities about to be shut off. Finally some progress! Will update again when I hear more.

Important tip if you decide to apply: Create a detailed log of your hours worked before and after the reduction. Include dates, scheduled hours, actual hours worked, and any communications from management about the reduction. Take screenshots of work schedules if available. This documentation will be extremely valuable if your claim gets flagged for review or if there's any dispute with your employer about the circumstances. Also, when you file, you'll need to know your employment history for the past 18 months including all employers, addresses, phone numbers, and employment dates. Having this information organized before you start the application will make the process much smoother.

One more thing about partial unemployment - DONT get tripped up on the question about WHY you're not working full hours. Make sure you select "Hours reduced by employer" and NOT "Not enough work available" or "Business slow." Those other options can trigger different review processes!! The exact wording matters SO MUCH with DEO applications.

Here's what the DEO doesn't want you to know - supervisors and claim specialists actually have QUOTAS for how many cases they resolve each day. That's why they make it so hard to reach them. I worked in a similar government system (not FL) and this is how it operates. Your best bet is: 1. Call early morning (7:30-8:30am) 2. Ask for "Tier 2 support" specifically - this is internal language they understand 3. If they say no supervisors are available, ask them to create a "call back request ticket" - these are tracked and supervisors have to respond to them 4. Get the ticket number and the agent's ID number 5. Call back the next day if you don't hear anything and reference the ticket Be extremely polite but persistent. The system is designed to wear you down so you'll give up.

OP - any luck getting through to a supervisor? I'm in the same boat and getting NOWHERE after 3 weeks!!!

Quick update for anyone in this situation - DEO just announced yesterday they're implementing a new callback system starting next week. Instead of waiting on hold, you'll be able to enter your number for a callback when an agent is available. This should help with the disconnection issues many are experiencing. It's not live yet, but worth checking for next week if you're still unable to reach someone.

UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO!!! Used Claimyr and got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. Turns out there was an employer dispute on my claim that I knew nothing about! My former employer apparently contested the reason for separation. The agent was able to complete the adjudication while I was on the phone and said my payments should process within 48 hours. SUCH A RELIEF! Thank you all for the suggestions and support!

Update: It's been 8 days now and still no change to my effective date in CONNECT. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow morning. This is so frustrating - I feel like they're just hoping I'll give up on getting my backpay.

SUCCESS!!! After 12 days, my CONNECT account finally updated this morning! The effective date is now correct and my monetary determination increased. All the missing weeks are now showing in my payment history as "processed" but not paid yet. The rep I spoke to yesterday said payments should hit my account within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

your supposed to do FIVE work searches????? i thought it was three per week? have i been doing it wrong this whole time?????

UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO after using that Claimyr service someone suggested below. The agent was actually really understanding about my transportation situation. She told me that online applications absolutely count as work searches and removed the work search issue from my account! She also said to document in the notes section when I claim weeks that I'm limited to online applications due to lack of transportation. My payment that was pending just switched to processed! Such a relief.

the DEO website is such garbage too, half the time I try to login it says my account is locked even tho I KNOW im using the right password!! anyone else have that problem??

FINAL UPDATE: My claim was approved today!!! All 10 weeks will be paid this Friday according to the determination letter I received. The DEO rep I spoke with said the fact-finding form was indeed what was holding everything up. For anyone else stuck in adjudication - definitely check for any pending items in your CONNECT inbox, and don't believe it when they tell you these extreme delays are "normal" for everyone. Thank you all for the support and advice!