@OP - were you able to get through to DEO yet? Any updates on your situation?

Let us know if you finally get paid!! fingers crossed for you!!

This is such a relief to see your update! I'm actually going through the exact same thing right now - got the ID verification request yesterday out of nowhere after months of smooth claims. Your post helped me understand this might be more common than I thought. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - does the re-verification affect your benefit year end date at all, or does it stay the same? I'm worried this might somehow reset my claim timeline.

I've been following this thread as someone who went through the same thing a few months ago. One thing I'd add is to make sure you complete the ID verification during normal business hours (8 AM - 5 PM) if possible. I noticed that when I did it late at night, it took longer to process. Also, if you're using a mobile device, sometimes the ID.me process works better on desktop - I had issues with the photo upload quality on my phone. Just wanted to share what worked for me in case it helps others dealing with this frustrating situation!

Just wanted to check in - were you able to find the application and start the process? The deadline is coming up soon.

Glad to hear you got your application submitted before the deadline! The "Pending" status is definitely a good sign - it means they received your application and it's in the review queue. From my experience, the transition from regular benefits to extended benefits usually takes about 1-2 weeks for processing if everything looks good on your application. Since you've been consistently claiming and doing your work searches, you should be in good shape. Keep claiming your weeks as usual while it's pending - the system will backpay you for any approved weeks once the new claim is processed. Just make sure to keep doing those 5 work searches per week and document them, since they tend to audit more closely during the extended benefits phase.

my sister had to wait 6 weeks b4 she got any money so ur lucky ur getting paid already lol

It sounds like you're in good shape! Getting that $600 payment while showing "pending" is actually pretty normal for first-time claimants. The CONNECT system has always been quirky about updating statuses - it'll often process and pay your claim before all the status indicators catch up. Since you mentioned you don't see any issues on the pending issues page and you got paid, that's usually a sign everything is moving along correctly. Just keep claiming your weeks as scheduled and the pending status should clear up in the next few days. Welcome to the unemployment club - it's confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it!

Thank you all for the advice! I passed everything along to my sister. She's applying today and her boss already wrote her a letter confirming the restaurant was destroyed by Milton. Fingers crossed she gets approved without all the problems some of you mentioned. I'll update once she hears anything.

Good luck to your sister! Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me - if she gets stuck in the system or has issues with her application, try calling the DEO customer service line first thing in the morning (like 7:30-8:00 AM) when they open. The wait times are usually shorter then. Also, keep detailed records of every call she makes, including date, time, and who she spoke with if she gets through. This documentation can be really helpful if there are any delays or denials later on. The restaurant being completely destroyed should definitely qualify her for DUA. Hope everything works out smoothly for her!