Yes, absolutely continue claiming weeks while the appeal is processing! This is critical - if you win the appeal but haven't been claiming weeks, you won't receive backpay for unclaimed weeks. Make sure she completes all five work search activities each week and reports them accurately. One more tip: If it's been more than 72 hours since you filed the appeal and you don't see it reflected in CONNECT, call and ask for the Appeals Department specifically. Sometimes appeals get lost in the system, especially when filed online.

This happened to me but with a twist - I was deemed eligible then they reversed it later and wanted money back! The whole DEO system is just broken. Good luck getting anyone on the phone without spending your whole day trying.

I just called DEO and after waiting for 2 hours, they confirmed what everyone here said - the extra $300 ended in December. The agent told me there's no way to get a higher weekly amount than what's on my determination letter, even though it's so low. She suggested I check with CareerSource for job search help. I feel so discouraged right now.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. While the regular benefit amount can't be increased beyond your determination, make sure you're claiming all your weeks on time and completing the 5 required work searches per week so you don't miss any payments. Also, check if you qualify for partial benefits if you find part-time work - you can earn up to $69 per week without reducing your benefits.

Quick update on DEO hold times: Per their latest operations report, their current average hold time is 2 hours and 47 minutes, with peak times seeing 4+ hour waits. They're supposedly adding staff, but the training period is 6-8 weeks before agents can handle complex claim issues. If your claim is stuck in adjudication, calling repeatedly won't necessarily help - those issues follow a specific workflow and timeline. However, if you've been waiting more than 3 weeks, requesting an expedited review through your state representative is your best option. Be sure you're still claiming weeks on schedule, even while your claim is pending.

UPDATE: I GOT THROUGH!!!! Total wait time: 5 hours and 52 minutes. The agent was actually super nice (surprising after all this). My issue was an employer contestation that hadn't been properly processed. She said she expedited it and my claim should be resolved in 48-72 hours. I'm not celebrating yet, but at least I know what's happening now. For anyone still struggling - stay strong and keep trying. And definitely contact your state rep's office too, I'm doing that tomorrow as backup.

My roommate works for a staffing agency and she said its normal for it to take 2-3 months sometimes for adjudication stuff to clear. The system is super backed up right now

Update on your situation: With your fact finding status changing, it sounds like they're actually working on your case, which is a good sign. Since you mentioned you started a new job, here's what will likely happen: 1. If they approve your claim, you'll get retroactive payments for all the weeks you claimed while unemployed 2. For the weeks you're working, you'll either get partial benefits (if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount) or no benefits (if you earn more) 3. Your claim remains active for its benefit year, so if something happens with your new job, you can resume claiming Keep an eye on your CONNECT inbox for any new fact finding questions or determination letters.

This happened to my roomate last year and she had to do a whole new identity verification thing with ID.me before they would release the money. Might want to check if you got any notices about that in your CONNECT inbox.

Glad your payment came through! Just FYI - for anyone else reading this - DEO often does system maintenance on the last day of the month which can cause 24-48 hour payment delays. I've learned to expect it and budget accordingly each month.

DEO IS A COMPLETE DISASTER!!!! They did the SAME THING to me and thousands of others. They deliberately make it impossible to reach them so people eventually give up. I had to file a complaint with the Inspector General's office before I got my backpay from 2024. THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN BY DESIGN!!!!

UPDATE: I tried both suggestions! Called my state representative's office AND used Claimyr to get through to DEO. Figured I'd attack this from both angles. Got through to DEO first - the agent confirmed I have a separation issue where my employer didn't respond to their inquiry about my layoff. The agent sent a follow-up request to my employer and escalated my case. She said once that's resolved (hopefully within 2 weeks), all my eligible back weeks should process for payment! Thank you all for the help - will update again when/if I get my backpay!

One more thing that's important - make sure you're handling your taxes correctly too. Since you're self-employed, DEO isn't withholding taxes from your benefits AND you'll owe self-employment tax on your earnings. I'd recommend setting aside at least 25-30% of both your self-employment income and unemployment benefits for taxes. Many people get caught off guard by this come tax time.

After reading everyone's comments, I want to emphasize something: Florida's system is frustrating but the rules do work consistently if you follow them exactly. Report earnings when EARNED (not paid), keep claiming every week even when your income fluctuates, and be prepared that some weeks you might get $0 benefits while others you'll get partial. The most important thing is accurate reporting - being off by even a day in when you report income earned can trigger issues. Also, for the work search requirements, log into CONNECT and check if your work search requirement status has changed based on your specific claim. Some claimants are assigned different work search requirements.

The Florida unemployment system is DESIGNED to be difficult and frustrating!! They make it impossible to reach anyone on purpose so people give up. I spent TWO MONTHS trying to get my claim processed last year and only succeeded after contacting my state representative's office. Call your local state rep and tell them your situation - their office can often get through to DEO when regular people can't. This is all by design. Florida has one of the lowest rates of paying out unemployment benefits in the entire country. They're proud of this!!!! The system isn't broken - it's working EXACTLY how they want it to work. Making it so frustrating that people give up trying.

UPDATE: I finally got through this morning! Used the Pin Reset option like someone suggested and actually got a human after only being on hold for 25 minutes. The agent said my claim was pending because they were waiting on verification from my previous employer (who apparently never responded). She submitted an override to move my claim forward and said it should change from pending in the next 3-5 business days. Fingers crossed! Thank you all for your help and suggestions. This community has been more helpful than the actual unemployment office!

My sister works for child support enforcement (not in Florida though) and she says they always tell people to expect 30-45 days for the first payment to process when it comes from unemployment benefits. Something about how the systems interface or don't interface properly. Just FYI.

Update for anyone else finding this thread with the same issue: I checked with my case from last year, and the exact timing was 37 days from my first unemployment payment with child support withheld until it appeared in my ex's account. After that, it was consistently 12-14 days for each subsequent payment. The system is frustratingly slow, but it does eventually work. Also worth noting - when the payments finally started, they came individually (not as one lump sum), but several showed up on the same day since they were all backlogged in the system.

Just thought of something important to ask - have you been regularly claiming your weeks every two weeks without fail? If you miss even one biweekly claiming period, it can completely mess up the system. Also, are you on regular Reemployment Assistance or were you applying for one of the special programs? The requirements and processing are different.

Based on everything you've shared, I'm almost certain your claim is stuck in what's called "automated adjudication limbo" - it's a known issue in the CONNECT system where claims that trigger certain review flags never actually get assigned to human adjudicators. The good news is that once you manage to get a human to actually look at your claim, these are often resolved quickly. A few more specific suggestions: 1. When you contact your state representative, ask specifically for them to submit a "DEO Legislative Inquiry" on your behalf 2. When using the CONNECT message center, use the subject line "URGENT: Claim in Processing Status for 7 Months - Request for Immediate Determination" 3. If you do try calling, the best times are Tuesday-Thursday between 7:30-8:00am right when they open 4. Make sure to check your spam/junk folders regularly - sometimes DEO fact-finding questionnaires end up there, and not responding to them will keep your claim stuck Hang in there - this will eventually get resolved with persistence.