After 5 months, this definitely needs escalation beyond regular channels. While you're trying the other suggestions, also submit a complaint through the Florida CFO's Division of Consumer Services: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/ They have a specific category for DEO issues, and in my experience, filing a complaint there often gets faster action than going through DEO directly. They're required to respond to these complaints within a certain timeframe. Also, be sure to have all this information ready when you do reach someone: - Your claimant ID number - The exact date you filed your initial claim - Names and contact info for all employers in your base period - Any confirmation numbers from communications you've sent - Screenshot showing your claim status Good luck - keep us posted!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - 5 months is absolutely ridiculous! I went through something similar last year where my claim was stuck for 3 months. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: 1. I called the DEO executive escalation line at (850) 245-7105 - this bypasses the regular customer service queue 2. Filed a complaint with my local state representative AND senator (not just one) 3. Submitted a written complaint to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director's office via certified mail The key thing that seemed to get attention was when I mentioned in all my communications that I was documenting everything for potential legal action due to the unreasonable delay. Within 2 weeks of doing all three things, my claim suddenly moved forward. Also, don't just rely on the chat feature - it's basically useless. The responses are supposed to show up in your CONNECT inbox under "Correspondence" but most people report never getting replies anyway. Keep claiming your weeks no matter what! When this gets resolved (and it will), you'll get all the back pay you're owed. Hang in there!

This thread is incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions! I'm in a similar situation with my claim stuck in adjudication since June. Reading through all these suggestions, I'm going to try the multi-pronged approach: contacting my state rep with specific details, using that Florida Statute citation in a certified letter, and looking into Claimyr if the other methods don't work quickly enough. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops for a basic government service, but at least now I have a roadmap thanks to this community. Will update if any of these approaches work for my situation!

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! My claim has been stuck in adjudication since May 2025 - over 7 months now. I was laid off from my accounting firm due to downsizing, have all the proper documentation, but DEO just keeps giving me the runaround. The "pending issue" status with zero explanation is infuriating. I've called probably 200+ times, been promised callbacks that never happen, and I'm drowning in bills while they sit on my claim. Reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm going to try the multi-pronged approach: contacting my state rep with specific claim details, sending that certified letter citing Florida Statute 443.151(3)(a), and potentially using Claimyr if needed. It's absolutely outrageous that we need to become legal experts and hire third-party services just to access benefits we're entitled to! This system is completely broken and designed to exhaust people into giving up. Thank you all for sharing your strategies - at least we're not suffering through this alone.

anybody know if there are any extra programs we can apply for? $362 a week is literally impossible to survive on. my car payment alone is $410 😩

Just wanted to add my experience - I was also getting those confusing notifications about LWA updates. Turns out it was exactly what Omar mentioned - a system glitch sending alerts to everyone. I called using that Claimyr service Diego recommended and got through to a DEO rep who confirmed it's just the audit process for old 2020-2021 claims. If you weren't on unemployment during the pandemic, you can safely ignore the notification. Really wish DEO would be more transparent about these technical issues instead of leaving everyone confused!

That's awesome news! So glad you got your federal payments! For anyone still waiting - this is exactly how it usually works. The regular unemployment comes first, then the $300 FPUC payments follow within a few days to a week. The key thing is that if your claim weeks were during the time the federal program was active, you'll get those payments regardless of when DEO actually processes everything. Their system is slow but they do eventually pay what's owed.

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else waiting - I had a similar backpay situation last month and the federal $300 payments came through exactly 6 days after my regular benefits. The key thing I learned is that DEO processes them in batches, so don't panic if yours takes a few extra days compared to others. Also, if you're using the Way2Go debit card instead of direct deposit, it can add an extra 1-2 days for the money to actually be available on the card even after it shows as "paid" in CONNECT. So glad to see you got yours sorted out!

I'm in a similar situation and have been waiting 6 weeks now for my backdating request. Filed in June but was laid off in March - that's about $4,200 I'm missing. The waiting is killing me financially but reading these success stories gives me hope! One thing I learned from calling multiple times is that they can't give you much info while it's "under review" but they can at least confirm your request is in the system. The last agent I spoke to said my case was in adjudication, which according to the timeline here means I should hopefully see something soon. Has anyone had their backdating request denied? I'm curious what reasons they typically give for rejections.

I successfully got my claim backdated last year but it was a nerve-wracking process. Filed in July but was eligible from April - ended up getting about $2,800 in backdated benefits after a 7-week wait. A few things that helped me: First, I documented EVERYTHING - saved screenshots of my layoff paperwork, emails about the termination, even notes from when I called DEO initially but couldn't get through. Second, when they sent the fact-finding questionnaire asking why I filed late, I was very detailed in my response explaining that I thought unemployment was only for people fired for cause (I was laid off due to budget cuts). The key is patience and staying on top of your CONNECT account. Check it daily because sometimes they'll request additional info with short deadlines. Also, like others mentioned, I proactively entered work search activities for those backdated weeks even before they asked - I think it showed I was serious about the process. Don't lose hope! The fact that you were actually laid off in March gives you solid good cause for the late filing. Just be prepared for the long wait - it's frustrating but most legitimate requests do get approved eventually.