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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.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and suggestions! I hadn't thought about reaching out to local assistance programs - that's really helpful. I have been applying to some remote positions but you're right that I should expand that search even more. The geographic flexibility of remote work could definitely open up more opportunities. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this, even though I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone. Thanks for taking the time to share those resources!
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!
This is such a relief to read! Harper's journey really highlights how many people are probably stuck in the same situation without knowing the identity verification issue is the culprit. The fact that it took 9 weeks and required a third-party service just to talk to someone who could fix it in minutes is absolutely ridiculous. The DEO system desperately needs an overhaul - people shouldn't have to become detectives just to get their rightful benefits. Hopefully this thread helps others who are dealing with similar "pending" payment nightmares!
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!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I was getting so anxious seeing "pending" everywhere but then getting the money. You're right about the $300 per week - that matches what I calculated based on my previous wages. I've been doing my work searches through the state website already so I should be good there. It's such a relief to know this is normal system behavior and not something I messed up. Thanks for taking the time to explain it so clearly!
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!
Amina Diop
any update? did u get ur money?
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Yara Elias
•Yes! Finally got through this morning using the Claimyr service someone suggested. The DEO agent found the issue - apparently the second payment was flagged for "manual review" because I had reported some part-time income on one of my weeks. Even though it was approved, it got stuck in their system. They released the payment while I was on the phone and said it should hit my account in 1-2 business days. Such a relief!
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Freya Christensen
So glad you got it sorted out! The manual review flag for part-time income is such a common issue that trips people up. DEO really needs to do a better job of notifying people when payments get stuck like that instead of just showing everything as "paid" in CONNECT. Thanks for updating us - it's helpful to know what the actual issue was in case others run into the same thing.
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