UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO! I used Claimyr this morning and it connected me to an agent within 20 minutes. You were right @profile1 - there was a quarterly review flag on my account plus a security issue from too many login attempts. The agent removed both holds and helped me claim my missed weeks over the phone. My account is working again! Thank you everyone for the advice.

good 2 hear! thx for updating us. gonna try the same thing tomorrow

my cousin said there might be a new stimulus check coming but i dunno if thats true or just a rumor. anybody hear anything about that?

Thank you everyone for the quick responses! I really appreciate all the information. Definitely disappointed about the $600 being only during COVID times (and long gone now), but at least I understand the system better. Will focus on my work search activities and hope I find something soon because $306/week is going to be really tight. Florida really needs to update their maximum benefit amount!

When I had to change my effective date last year, I also had to send in proof of my last day worked - like my final pay stub. They might ask for that too, so have it ready when you finally get through to someone.

Just a heads-up that once they change your effective date, you may need to wait for another determination letter before you can claim weeks using the new date. This typically takes 3-5 business days after the change is processed. If you don't receive a new determination letter within a week after speaking with an agent, call back to check on the status of your request.

lucky you haha I'm still waiting on 3 weeks from april that are stuck in adjudication hell 😭

For anyone else finding this thread with a similar issue: ALWAYS contact DEO when you receive unexpected money. Document the call reference number and the name of the agent you speak with. Take screenshots of your CONNECT account showing the payment. If they later try to claim it was an overpayment, you'll have evidence you tried to verify. The burden of proof should be on them, not us!

I had one of these in January. It was actually pretty simple. They call you at the exact time, ask questions, let the employer talk, then you talk again. Mine took like 20 minutes total. Just stay calm and don't argue or get emotional even if the employer says things that aren't true. The people who decide these cases do this all day long and can usually tell who's being honest.

You won't get an immediate decision during the hearing. The appeals referee will review all testimony and evidence, then mail a written decision within 2-3 weeks. Your benefits should continue during this waiting period. If the decision is in your favor, nothing changes. If it's not, you'll receive information about any potential overpayment and further appeal options. Be sure to attend the hearing. If you miss it, the referee will likely rule based only on your employer's testimony and whatever documentation is available. Statistics show that claimants who actively participate in their hearings have much better outcomes than those who don't.

Has anyone had luck with getting partial unemployment? Like if you find a part-time job that pays less than your full benefit amount? Might be an option to at least get some income while looking for full-time work?

my cousin works at DEO (not saying this to brag lol) and she said they're not expecting ANY new extension programs this year. says theres actually talk of REDUCING the max weeks from 12 to 10 in florida. this state really hates helping people who are struggling.

Quick update for anyone reading this thread: The process OP described with CareerSource is legitimate and often works well. However, there's a difference between an "expedite request" and an "adjudication escalation." Make sure you specifically ask which one they're doing for you. The escalation is more powerful and gets routed to senior adjudicators, while expedite requests sometimes just get flagged in the system but stay in the same queue. If you've been waiting more than 4 weeks, you should qualify for an escalation.

UPDATE: My claim was just approved this morning!!! Only took 4 business days after the expedite request. All pending weeks changed to "PROCESSED" and payment status shows they'll be deposited tomorrow. I'm actually shocked it worked so fast after weeks of nothing happening. If anyone else is stuck in adjudication limbo, seriously try the CareerSource approach - it really worked for me!

Just an update on what's currently working in 2025 - I had to go through adjudication last month and I found that emailing DEO.Determinations@deo.myflorida.com with your claimant ID in the subject line can sometimes get attention. Make sure to explain that you've been waiting 6+ weeks. Also, the "escalation" email is still RA.Escalations@deo.myflorida.com - but only use that if you've already tried the determinations email first. Hope this helps!

UPDATE: I want to thank everyone for their help! I followed several suggestions: 1) Emailed my state rep with all my info, 2) Used Claimyr to actually reach a DEO agent (finally!), and 3) Uploaded the construction delay documentation from my employer to CONNECT. The agent I spoke with saw that my adjudication was assigned but sitting in a backlog. She escalated it, and my state rep's office also contacted DEO. Got my determination letter yesterday - APPROVED! Payments should be coming in the next few days including all the back weeks. Such a relief!

After dealing with the backdate nightmare myself, I'd recommend trying to speak directly with a DEO agent about your request. When I finally got through using Claimyr, the agent told me they could see my request was just sitting there without being assigned to an adjudicator. She escalated it while I was on the phone, and it was processed within a week. Sometimes these forms just need a little nudge from the inside.

you might wanna check ur way2go card balance if thats how u get paid sometimes they dont notify you when backdated payments go thru and the money just shows up

i had this happen and its so annoying!!! i think its because if you dont SAVE after each section it doesnt keep anything. like you have to hit save on resume, then hit save on job history, then hit save on applications. if you just hit next it doesn't save anything! the whole system is terrible, i started just taking pictures of everything with my phone so i have proof

After you manually enter your work searches in CONNECT for this week, I strongly recommend keeping separate records going forward. I've been using a simple Google Doc with columns for: - Date of application - Company name - Position title - Method of contact (online, email, in-person) - Contact person (if available) - Result/follow-up This way, even when DEO or EmployFlorida systems fail (which happens regularly), you're protected. Remember that DEO requires 5 work search activities per week for regular unemployment, and they must be completed and documented during the specific week you're claiming.