did you quit your New Jersey job to move to Florida? Because that might be considered voluntary and affect your eligibility. I had to show that my spouse got a job offer here as proof of good cause for relocating.

To answer your previous question about timeframes - yes, interstate claims typically take 4-6 weeks longer than regular claims. You'll need to be vigilant about checking your CONNECT account for fact-finding questionnaires and adjudication notices. They won't always call you - many communications happen through the CONNECT portal. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date so you don't miss any communications. And as others have mentioned, continue claiming your weeks even while waiting for the interstate verification process. You'll be paid retroactively for eligible weeks once approved.

To clarify what others have said, here's the technical explanation: When your claim shows "Exhausted Active," it means you've used all available benefits but are still within your benefit year. The "Eligible Redetermined" status indicates DEO has reviewed your case and confirmed your eligibility. The questions about employment are part of what's called a "Monetary Redetermination" process. This happens when: 1. Your claim approaches the end of its benefit year 2. You've exhausted regular benefits and may qualify for extensions 3. There's been a potential change in your employment status You should NOT resubmit wages from periods already properly reported. This verification step is to: - Confirm existing information is accurate - Add any employment not previously reported - Remove any incorrect employment information After completing this process, DEO will determine if you qualify for any additional benefits based on your specific work history and current program availability. One important note: Florida requires you to continue claiming weeks during this review process. Failure to claim weeks during this time can result in those weeks being permanently unavailable even if your benefits are later approved.

Just wanted to follow up - did you get this resolved? Did keeping the existing wage info work for you?

when i was on unemployment last winter i just made up my work searches lol. nobody ever checked them. its not like the deo has time to verify everyones job contacts 🤷‍♀️

To directly answer your question about the age exemption - Florida did have a provision for claimants 55+ that reduced the work search requirement from 5 to 3 activities per week, but this was suspended in 2023 and hasn't been reinstated with the current extension. Your neighbor might be thinking of this previous policy. If your employer is seriously considering bringing you back, I'd recommend getting something in writing from them with a specific return date. Then you can apply for standby status in your CONNECT account under the "Request Waiver of Work Search Requirements" section. Without this documentation, you'll need to continue with all 5 work searches weekly until either September 5th or until you return to work.

If you're able to get through to a DEO representative, ask them to check these specific things: 1. Is there a specific document they're waiting on from you or your employer 2. Is there a fact-finding questionnaire you need to complete that might not be showing properly in your CONNECT account 3. Request that they escalate your claim to a supervisor due to the extended timeframe (over 8 weeks is definitely excessive) Documenting everything is crucial. If you get different answers from different representatives, ask for their ID numbers and keep detailed notes. Sometimes just mentioning that you're documenting all communication can help get things moving faster.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at DEO this morning! Turns out my former employer disputed my layoff and claimed I was fired for performance issues (which is completely untrue). The DEO agent escalated my claim and said I should receive a determination within 5 business days. She also said once approved, all my back weeks will be paid in one lump sum. Thank you all for the advice - especially about Claimyr, which got me through to an actual person in about 20 minutes after weeks of trying.

september 17th seems like a really specific date. did the agent actually check something or just making it up to get you off the phone? when i had this problem they just kept saying "a few more weeks" every time i called 🙄

One important thing to note - even after the employer response deadline passes, DEO still has to process that information and make a determination. So while September 18th is when you can start pushing harder, don't be surprised if there's still a few days of processing time needed after that. Also, make sure you continue claiming weeks without interruption, even while waiting for the issue to resolve. If you're eligible, you'll receive all back weeks once the determination is made.

my cosin won appeal last month and they sent mony to her account in like 2 days but she already had the conect card thing setup soooo maybe check that?? idk i havent done unemployent before but thats what she said

Just to add one more important detail - make sure you're still claiming your weeks on schedule even while waiting for the appeal payment. Some people stop claiming because they're waiting for the appeal result, but you need to keep claiming to maintain eligibility for any current and future weeks. The back pay from your appeal is separate from your ongoing claims.

Has anyone tried the Florida Senate office for help with DEO issues? My coworker said they resolved her 3-month stuck claim in less than a week after she contacted her state senator's office. Might be worth a shot if the state rep doesn't help.

Update: I tried calling at 7:29am today and actually got through after being on hold for about 45 minutes! The agent confirmed my claim WAS assigned to an adjudicator on February 1st, but said they're currently working on claims from mid-January. She estimated it would be another 2-3 weeks before mine is reviewed. I also emailed the urgent address and plan to contact my state rep tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your advice - at least I have some actual information now instead of being completely in the dark.

i was homeless too waiting for deo!!! slept in my sisters garage for 2 months. the system is broken!!!! when i finally got my money they shorted me by like $3000 and never explained why. i tried calling but gave up after waiting 2 hours and getting hung up on. twice.

Just want to add - when you're filing your appeal, be VERY specific about why you believe you're entitled to the additional months of backpay. Include dates, your work history, and reference any communications you've had with DEO about this issue. The more specific you are, the better chance you have of success. Also, keep claiming weeks (if your benefit year is still active) while you wait for the appeal to be processed. Appeals can take 30-60 days to be scheduled, but backpay issues are often resolved faster than other types of appeals. And don't forget - if your first-level appeal is denied, you can appeal to the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission (RAAC) for a second review.

Update: I took everyone's advice and 1) made sure my phone accepts unknown numbers, 2) double-checked my work search activities are properly logged, and 3) used the Claimyr service that someone recommended. I FINALLY got through to DEO! Turns out they needed additional verification of my last day worked because my employer submitted conflicting information. The adjudicator was able to process it while I was on the phone. My pending weeks should be released in 24-48 hours! Thank you all for your help - this forum saved my sanity.

awesome! glad it worked out 4 u. the system is so frustrating but atleast u got it fixed b4 ur next claim date!

any update? did u get in yet?

Great news! Thanks for updating. For future reference (or for others reading this thread), this issue typically happens because of one of three things: 1. The ID.me verification happened under a slightly different name than what's in CONNECT (even a middle initial can cause problems) 2. There was a device or browser compatibility issue during verification 3. The automatic sync between systems failed due to high volume The DEO is supposedly implementing a fix for this in their next system update in July 2025, but for now, manual intervention is unfortunately required in about 30% of ID.me verifications.