I'm dealing with this same exact situation right now and honestly, it's such a relief to find this thread! I filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and have been staring at "Waiting Week: 10/15/2025 - 10/21/2025" on my CONNECT account, completely baffled about what it meant. Like so many others here, I kept thinking it was some kind of processing delay or technical issue. The fact that DEO just throws this term out there with zero explanation is honestly infuriating - especially when you're already stressed about finances and counting on every dollar. I wish someone had warned me about this policy before I applied. I had to dip into my emergency savings to cover the gap, which defeats the whole purpose of having unemployment benefits as a safety net. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though. It's clear this is a widespread communication problem with DEO, not just individual confusion. They really need to overhaul how they present this information to new claimants!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's so frustrating! I just filed my claim last week and have been staring at "Waiting Week: 11/18/2025 - 11/24/2025" on my account, completely confused about what it meant. I kept thinking there was some kind of processing error or that DEO was still reviewing my application. Reading through all these comments has been such a huge help - at least now I know I'm not alone in being blindsided by this policy! It's honestly ridiculous that DEO doesn't clearly explain this anywhere during the application process. I spent so much time worrying that I had done something wrong or that my claim was stuck in some kind of limbo. The term "waiting week" is so misleading - it really should be called "unpaid eligibility week" like others have suggested. I'm definitely going to have to adjust my budget now that I know that first week's payment isn't coming. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's made this whole confusing process feel way less overwhelming knowing so many others have dealt with the same shock and frustration!

Just to add some clarity: "Adjudication" means there's an issue with your claim that needs to be resolved by a DEO adjudicator. Common reasons include: 1. Employment separation issues (they're verifying why you're no longer employed) 2. Wage discrepancies 3. Work search requirement verification 4. Availability for work questions While waiting, make sure you continue claiming your weeks on time and completing your work searches. Missing a week can restart the whole process. And whatever you do, don't engage with anyone contacting you outside of official DEO channels.

This is such an important warning! I've seen these scams targeting unemployment claimants across multiple states. The scammers are getting really sophisticated - they often know you've filed for unemployment because they scrape public job boards and social media posts. A few red flags to watch for: - ANY contact through social media/messaging apps (Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger) - Promises to "expedite" or "fast-track" your claim - Requests for photos of documents or account numbers - Claims that you need to "verify" through their special link The only legitimate identity verification DEO uses is ID.me, which you access through your official CONNECT portal. Never click links sent via text or social media. Stay strong - I know the wait is brutal but don't let desperation make you vulnerable to these predators!

Hey OP, what reason did they give for the adjudication? Sometimes certain issues take longer to resolve.

I'm going through something similar - 3 months in adjudication here. One thing that helped me was filing a formal complaint with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's ombudsman office. You can do this online or by phone. It doesn't guarantee faster processing, but it creates a paper trail and sometimes gets your case reviewed by a different team. Also, make sure you're continuing to claim your weeks even while in adjudication - you don't want to lose out on back pay when it finally gets resolved. The whole system is overwhelmed right now, but don't give up!

This entire thread should be pinned or turned into a guide! I've been dealing with DEO for about 8 months now and I STILL learn something new about their system every time I read these discussions. The fact that so many people have had this exact same experience with the "check your inbox" emails that lead nowhere shows this isn't user error - it's a fundamental design flaw in their system. What really gets me is that this kind of confusion can literally cost people their benefits through no fault of their own. Missing a fact-finding deadline because you couldn't find the request shouldn't happen when you're actively trying to comply. For anyone new to this system, please don't feel stupid if you can't find things - CONNECT was clearly designed by people who never had to actually use it as claimants. The community knowledge in threads like this is honestly more valuable than DEO's official help resources. Keep asking questions and sharing experiences - we're all figuring this out together! Nora, huge relief that you got it submitted! Stories like yours really highlight why we need to keep pushing for better system transparency.

Just wanted to add one more tip that saved me recently - if you're having trouble finding something that DEO says they sent, try using the search function in CONNECT (if it's working that day 🙄). Sometimes typing keywords like "fact finding" or "work search" will pull up stuff that's buried in weird sections. Also, for anyone dealing with tight deadlines like Nora was, don't forget you can submit documents even if the upload is being glitchy by faxing them to DEO with your claimant ID clearly written on every page. It's old school but sometimes more reliable than their web portal. The fax number should be in your claimant handbook or you can find it on their website. This community is seriously a lifesaver - I've learned more practical tips here than from hours of trying to navigate DEO's official help resources. We shouldn't have to crowdsource basic system navigation, but I'm grateful we have each other! 💪

I'm in a very similar situation! My payment just showed as "issued" this morning and I also have Chase. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like 1-2 business days is pretty typical, especially for first unemployment payments. I was starting to get anxious when I didn't see anything pending yet, but it seems like that's completely normal. The financial stress while waiting is definitely real when you're running on fumes! I'm going to try to be patient until Thursday like others suggested before I start worrying. Thanks so much for posting this question - all these responses are giving me (and clearly others in the same boat) so much peace of mind about the timing!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! My payment just changed to "issued" this afternoon and I'm also banking with Chase. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - it sounds like the 1-2 business day timeframe is pretty standard, especially for first payments. I was starting to panic when I checked my account and didn't see anything pending yet, but clearly that's totally normal. The stress of constantly refreshing your banking app when you're down to your last few dollars is so real! I'm going to try to follow everyone's advice and wait until Thursday before getting too worried. Thanks for posting this - it's amazing how many of us are in the exact same situation with the same bank!