I'd also recommend documenting every attempt you make to contact DEO. Keep a log with dates, times, and what happened (busy signal, disconnected, etc.). If there are any issues with your claim later, this documentation shows you were proactively trying to correct the errors. Also, check if your local CareerSource office can help - sometimes they have direct lines to DEO staff.

Update: I finally got through to DEO! I used the Claimyr service that was suggested here and got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. The representative was super helpful and made all the corrections to my employment dates, earnings, and separation reason. She said it happens all the time and not to worry. My claim is now being processed correctly. Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions!

Professional advice here: If your claim has been in adjudication since January, there's likely a specific issue that needs resolution. The most common adjudication issues right now are: 1. Employment verification discrepancies 2. Work search requirement verification 3. Income reporting discrepancies 4. ID.me verification not properly linked to your CONNECT account 5. Former employer contesting your claim When you do reach someone (using any of the methods mentioned), ask them specifically which of these issues is causing your adjudication hold. Also request they add detailed notes to your file about your financial hardship situation. Under Florida law, they're required to process claims within 90 days, so you're approaching a timeframe where escalation should be considered a priority.

Any luck with getting through? I'm curious if any of these methods worked for you.

I think everyone here is missing something important. When your regular benefits exhaust, you SHOULD see a link in CONNECT that says "Apply for PEUC" or something similar for whatever the current extension program is called. If you don't see that link within 24-48 hours after your benefits exhaust, there's likely an issue with your account. At least that's how it worked for me back in November. The system is supposed to automatically determine eligibility, but sometimes you need to initiate the extension yourself through that link.

Based on my experience working with unemployment claims, here's what you should expect: 1. Continue claiming weeks exactly as you have been 2. The system takes 7-14 days to process extension eligibility after regular benefits exhaust 3. You will receive a determination notice in your CONNECT inbox once a decision is made 4. If approved, payments typically begin 1-2 weeks after approval 5. The first payment will include any eligible weeks that occurred during the processing period If you don't see any updates in your CONNECT account after 10 days, I strongly recommend contacting DEO directly. The mainline (1-800-204-2418) is often overwhelmed, but calling right when they open at 7:30am gives you the best chance of getting through. And as others have mentioned, absolutely continue completing and reporting your 5 work search activities each week during this transition period.

The DEO system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING to discourage people from collecting benefits. Sorry, but it's true. Florida has one of the worst unemployment systems in the country BY DESIGN. They make these vague emails, hide important notices in random sections of the website, and make the phone system practically impossible to navigate. Then they can say "well, we sent you a notice" when they deny your claim, even though the notice was impossible to find. The whole thing is a disgrace.

Just checking back - were you able to submit the missing information? Sometimes even after submitting, the system takes 24-48 hours to update and remove the warning message. And FYI, if your claim goes into adjudication after this, don't panic. That's normal processing and usually takes 3-5 business days (though sometimes longer if they're backlogged).

Quick update to my earlier comment - I forgot to mention that after the adjudication was resolved, I still had to go back into CONNECT and verify my identity one more time before the payments were released. Make sure you check if there are any pending actions in your account, even if it says it's inactive. Sometimes there's an extra step they don't tell you about.

If you found a pending action item, that's excellent news! Completing that might be the key to resolving your issue. For adjudication issues specifically, DEO is supposed to make a determination within 21 days, but during busy periods it can take 8-10 weeks as you've experienced. One more tip: if you do manage to reach someone by phone, be sure to ask them to document your call in the system notes. This creates a record of your attempts to resolve the issue and can sometimes help prioritize your claim for review. Also, request that they specifically tell you what the adjudication issue is about. Once you know that, you can provide targeted documentation to resolve it faster.

For housing assistance while waiting on DEO benefits, here's what worked for me: 1. Contact your County's Human Services department - they often have emergency assistance funds 2. Florida Housing Finance Corporation has resources: floridahousing.org 3. If you're in a larger city, many have their own emergency assistance programs 4. United Way's 211 service can connect you with local programs 5. Check if your area has a Community Action Agency Most importantly, get documentation from DEO showing your claim is in adjudication status. Screenshot your CONNECT account showing the pending claim. These agencies need proof you're waiting on unemployment benefits.

BTW dont forget to keep doing your work searches every week even while ur in adjudication!! I messed up and missed submitting them for 2 weeks during my wait time and almost lost benefits for those weeks. DEO is super strict about this.

just applied for food stamps while u wait thats what I did

UPDATE: I uploaded a statement to CONNECT explaining that I'm fully available for work and that my online class won't interfere with employment. Also used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually reach a human at DEO yesterday. The agent said my adjudication was flagged because I marked that I'm taking a class, but she submitted a request to expedite since I clarified it's flexible online coursework. She said it should be resolved within 7-10 days! Thanks everyone for your help!

Be super careful with remote jobs right now!!! I was desperate last month when my benefits went on hold and almost fell for a check cashing scam that looked like a legitimate data entry job. They sent me a check to "buy equipment" and wanted me to send part of it back. Classic scam! Legitimate employers never send you money upfront or ask you to purchase anything with their funds. Try checking with CareerSource Florida too - they sometimes have leads on remote work and can help update your resume.

While searching for remote work is certainly practical in your situation, I'd also recommend focusing on resolving your adjudication issue as quickly as possible. There are several common reasons claims go into adjudication: employment separation issues, income verification problems, work search compliance, or identity verification concerns. Check your CONNECT inbox and Determination/Pending Issue Summary section to see if there are any fact-finding questionnaires you need to complete. If there's nothing there, your best option is to speak directly with a DEO representative. Regarding remote work: besides the suggestions already mentioned, check USAJobs.gov for federal remote positions, VIPKid for teaching English online (if you have a bachelor's degree), and Lionbridge or Appen for flexible evaluation projects. Just remember that in Florida, you must report any earnings when claiming weeks, and your benefits will be reduced accordingly based on their formula.

Quick update on what's been happening with retroactive payments in Florida: DEO announced last month they're processing backdating requests in batches based on filing date. If your request was submitted in January, you're likely in the batch scheduled for processing in mid-April. They're severely understaffed in the department that handles backdating. One thing that might help - check your CONNECT inbox daily. Often they'll send a fact-finding questionnaire about your backdating request without any notification. If you miss responding to this within 7 days, they automatically deny the request and you have to start over.

btw dont bother with the contact form on the DEO website. complete blackhole - ive sent like 9 messages there about my backdating issue and never got ONE single response. total waste of time!!!

I'd recommend contacting your local state representative's office as well. My CONNECT account was locked for 3 weeks, and nothing worked until I reached out to my state rep. Their office has dedicated contacts at DEO who can escalate these issues. I had my password reset within 48 hours after their office got involved. This is especially important if you're about to miss your claiming deadline. Make sure to provide them with your claimant ID number, the date you first experienced the issue, and documentation of your attempts to resolve it (screenshots of error messages, dates you called DEO, etc.).

UPDATE: I tried the CareerSource office suggestion from @profile2 and it worked! I went to the one on North Monroe Street this morning, showed my ID, and they were able to reset my password on the spot. The whole thing took about 30 minutes including wait time. Now I can claim my weeks before the deadline. Thank you all for the suggestions!