So happy to see this update! After 5 months of waiting, you definitely deserved some good news. I'm currently in week 3 of adjudication myself and posts like this give me hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel. The DEO system is absolutely broken but at least we have this community to help each other navigate through it. Enjoy finally having some financial relief!

This is such great news to see! I'm currently in week 6 of adjudication and stories like yours give me hope that the system does eventually work (even if painfully slowly). The 5-month wait you went through sounds absolutely brutal - I can't imagine the stress of borrowing money just to keep utilities on. For anyone else still waiting, it's encouraging to see the actual payment timeline once things finally get moving. The 2 business days from "issued" to deposit seems to be pretty consistent based on what others have shared here too. Congrats on finally getting through the DEO maze! Here's hoping the $300 federal portion shows up soon and you can start getting caught up on everything. This community has been so helpful for understanding what to expect during this whole nightmare process.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get this resolved? I'm curious if any of our suggestions helped. I've been seeing more posts about account locks lately and wonder if DEO is having a system-wide security issue they're not telling us about.

Wow, this is really concerning! I'm glad you got it resolved but it's scary that this is happening to so many people. I've been having some weird issues with my CONNECT account too - not lockouts but sometimes when I log in it says my last login was at a time I wasn't even online. Now I'm wondering if someone has been trying to access mine too. For anyone else dealing with this, it sounds like the key steps are: 1. Call the fraud department at 1-800-342-9909 (not regular customer service) 2. File the identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov 3. Consider switching to Way2Go card instead of direct deposit 4. Enable 2-factor authentication on your email I'm definitely going to be more vigilant about checking my account now. Thanks for sharing your experience and glad it worked out!

I work at a credit union and see this unfortunately happen to our members all the time. A few additional tips that might help: 1. Contact your apartment complex management office - many have hardship programs or can work out payment plans when you show proof of the theft (police report + USPS theft report) 2. Check if your renters insurance covers stolen mail - some policies do and can provide temporary assistance 3. When you get DEO on the phone, ask them to put a "priority flag" on your case since it's preventing you from paying rent. Sometimes this can speed up the 2-3 week timeline 4. Consider opening a new bank account at a different bank before setting up direct deposit - if someone has your stolen check, they might have enough info to attempt other fraud The Informed Delivery screenshot is definitely your strongest piece of evidence. Make sure to save multiple copies of it. I've seen DEO require it multiple times during the reissuance process. Stay strong - I know it's terrifying but this does get resolved. The system is frustrating but there are people who will help you navigate it.

I went through this exact nightmare 6 months ago! Here's what actually worked after weeks of frustration: The key is persistence and having the right documentation. Since you have the Informed Delivery screenshot, you're already ahead of where I was. Here's my step-by-step process that finally worked: 1. File the USPS theft report online (uspis.gov) - you'll get a case number within 24 hours 2. File a police report with your local PD - even if they seem uninterested, you need the report number for DEO 3. Call DEO at 8am sharp on Monday morning using the 1-800-204-2418 number - select option 1, then 5, then 2 for payment issues 4. When you get through (it took me 47 attempts), ask for the "Check Reissuance Specialist" - regular agents often don't know the full process The magic phrase that got me priority service: "This is my first unemployment payment, I have proof it was stolen via USPS Informed Delivery, and I'm facing homelessness." They have a separate queue for first-payment theft cases. You'll need to complete an affidavit (they'll email it) and fax it back with copies of your police report and USPS theft report. My replacement check was issued in 8 business days instead of the usual 3-4 weeks. Also - while waiting, apply for emergency rental assistance through your county's ERAP program. Many counties in Florida can provide immediate assistance for theft victims with proper documentation. Don't give up - you WILL get your money, it just takes knowing exactly how to navigate their system!

I'm currently going through this exact situation - laid off in January with a 15-week severance package and stuck in adjudication limbo for the past month! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring that I'm not alone in this frustrating process. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I discovered you can actually track your claim status more detailed by logging into CONNECT and checking the "View and Maintain Account Information" section - it sometimes shows additional details about what specific issues are being reviewed during adjudication that aren't visible on the main claim status page. Also, for anyone struggling with the financial gap during the severance waiting period, I found that some utility companies and creditors are willing to work with you if you explain you're waiting for unemployment benefits to start due to severance pay displacement. Many have hardship programs that can defer payments or reduce bills temporarily. It's not ideal having to wait so long for benefits we've paid into, but at least we can support each other through this broken system! Keep claiming those weeks everyone - we'll get through this!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation! Got laid off in December with 11 weeks severance pay and have been stuck in adjudication for over a month now. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea I needed to keep claiming weeks during the severance waiting period until I read Adrian's comment. I almost stopped claiming because I thought it was pointless! One thing I learned from calling my state representative's office (after getting nowhere with DEO directly) is that they can sometimes help expedite adjudication cases that have been pending for an unusually long time. It's worth a shot if you've been waiting more than 6-8 weeks. They told me that while the severance waiting period is mandatory, the adjudication review itself shouldn't take forever. Also, I've been using the EMPLOY Florida website to track my work search activities during this waiting period - it automatically logs into your DEO account so you don't have to manually enter everything later. Makes it way easier to stay compliant with the 5 activities per week requirement. Hang in there - from what everyone's saying, once that 13-week period ends, the benefits should start flowing as long as you've been consistently claiming. We're all in this frustrating boat together!

Just to clarify some information shared in this thread: 1) Regular Reemployment Assistance in Florida is capped at 12 weeks (can extend to 23 weeks if state unemployment exceeds 10.5%, which it currently doesn't) 2) Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available in some hurricane-affected counties but has specific eligibility requirements 3) The Florida Workforce Training Initiative is launching soon through CareerSource offices 4) All pandemic-specific federal programs (PUA, PEUC, FPUC) have permanently ended If you've exhausted regular benefits, I'd recommend: - Connect with CareerSource for free job search assistance and training opportunities - Check eligibility for other assistance programs (SNAP, Medicaid) through ACCESS Florida - Look into the new Workforce Training Initiative if you're interested in changing career fields - Keep claiming weeks in CONNECT (even with zero benefits) if you want to maintain an active claim status Hope this helps!

I'm in a similar situation - exhausted my benefits last month and have been scrambling to figure out what's available. Based on what I've learned from calling around, here's what I found: The CareerSource offices really are your best bet right now. They have job placement services, resume help, and some emergency assistance programs that vary by county. I went to the one in Pinellas and they were actually pretty helpful - got me signed up for some skills assessments and connected me with a few local employers who are actively hiring. Also check if your county has any local assistance programs. Some have utility assistance, food programs, or even short-term rental help while you're job searching. It's not unemployment, but it can help bridge the gap. The job market is tough right now but don't give up. I've had three interviews in the past two weeks after being more strategic about where I'm applying. Sometimes it helps to look at smaller companies that might not post on the big job boards.