One thing I recommend doing immediately: make sure you're registered with EVERY staffing agency in your area. Tell them you're available for temp work while you continue your job search. It won't pay as well as your marketing job, but it can help bridge the gap. Also, consider reaching out to your previous employer's HR department - sometimes they can connect you with industry-specific resources or other companies that might be hiring.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the 12-week limit is absolutely brutal. I just wanted to add that you might also want to check if you qualify for any local assistance programs in Tampa Bay. Places like the Salvation Army, United Way, and local churches often have emergency assistance funds for rent/utilities while you're job searching. Also, have you tried expanding your search to remote marketing positions? With your experience, you might have better luck with companies outside of Florida that offer remote work. The marketing job market is tough everywhere right now, but casting a wider net geographically could help. Hang in there - you're not alone in this struggle.

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience! Filed in late December 2024 for only 5 weeks after my seasonal retail position ended, found a new job in early February, but I'm STILL waiting on adjudication after 8+ weeks. The $950 I'm owed would have really helped with credit card payments during that employment gap. What's driving me crazy is that this was a completely normal seasonal layoff - happens every January at my old store, totally routine, and my manager even provided a letter confirming it was standard post-holiday workforce reduction. Yet the DEO acts like they need to investigate some major fraud case for my simple 5-week claim! Reading through all these comments has been both helpful and infuriating. It's clear this is a widespread problem affecting tons of people who just needed a small bridge between jobs. I'm definitely going to try the inspector general complaint and state representative contact based on the success stories shared here. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to go to these lengths for such straightforward claims, but if that's what it takes to get the DEO to actually do their job, I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies - at least we're not suffering through this broken system alone!

I'm experiencing the EXACT same situation and it's driving me insane! Filed in January 2025 for only 6 weeks after my nonprofit contract position ended, landed a new job in early March, but I'm still stuck in adjudication hell after 2+ months. The $1,080 I'm owed would have covered rent during that gap period. What makes this even more frustrating is that my case is completely straightforward - contract ended as scheduled, nonprofit provided confirmation letter, I reported new employment immediately. Yet somehow my simple 6-week claim needs the same extensive "investigation" as someone filing for months of ongoing benefits. The logic is completely backwards! Reading all these comments has been both reassuring and infuriating. It's clear the DEO is failing massive numbers of people who just needed small bridge payments between jobs. Based on everyone's success stories, I'm going to contact my state representative AND file an inspector general complaint this week. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need political intervention for such basic claims, but if that's what breaks through this bureaucratic nightmare, I'm all for it. Thanks to everyone sharing their strategies and updates - knowing we're not alone in this broken system helps keep me sane while fighting for what we're rightfully owed!

FINAL UPDATE: All my payments just hit my account this morning!!! All 9 weeks at once. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. If anyone else is stuck with identity verification issues, definitely try to speak directly with an agent - it made all the difference.

Congratulations Harper! So glad you finally got your payments sorted out. Your experience is a perfect example of how broken the DEO system can be, but also shows that persistence pays off. For anyone else reading this thread dealing with similar identity verification issues - Harper's story proves that getting through to an actual agent is usually the only way to resolve these problems. The automated system just can't handle the complexity of these verification mismatches. Thanks for sharing your updates throughout the process - it's really helpful for others going through the same nightmare!

Welcome to the club, buddy. I've been in the same boat for 2 months now. The system is totally broken.

I went through the exact same thing last year - stuck in pending adjudication for 6 weeks with zero communication. Here's what finally worked for me: I contacted my state representative's office and they have a constituent services team that can actually get through to DEO on your behalf. It took about a week after I contacted them, but they were able to get my claim moving again. Also, make sure you're checking the CONNECT system daily because sometimes they'll request additional documents without sending you an email notification. Don't lose hope - I know it's incredibly stressful when bills are piling up, but keep fighting for what you're entitled to!

This happened to me too when I first started claiming! The $600 for two weeks sounds right - that's $300 per week which is pretty typical for Florida unemployment benefits. The "pending" status is just the system being slow to catch up with itself. Since you got paid and don't see any issues on the pending issues page, you're probably all set. The status should update to "paid" or "processed" within a few days. Just make sure to keep doing your work search activities and claim your weeks on time. The CONNECT system is notorious for being confusing but you're doing everything right!

I'm new to this whole unemployment process too and your situation sounds very similar to what I just went through! I filed my first claim about 3 weeks ago and had the exact same thing - got paid but everything still showed "pending" for almost a week. It was so nerve-wracking! From what I've learned, the DEO system is just really slow to update all the different pages. If you got your money and your monetary determination says "Eligible" then you're golden. The pending status will eventually catch up. Just don't stress about it like I did - keep claiming your weeks and doing your work searches. The whole system is confusing but once you get the rhythm down it gets easier. Congrats on getting through the initial hurdle!