I'm going through this exact same nightmare! My payment has been showing "paid" for 11 days now with absolutely nothing on my Way2Go card. This thread has been more helpful than anything I could find through official channels - thank you everyone for sharing real solutions. I'm definitely going to try the multi-pronged approach: filing the CFPB complaint tonight (that 6-hour response time @Niko Ramsey got is amazing compared to these endless phone loops!), attempting the 7:30am calling strategy tomorrow, and emailing that escalation address way2go.escalations@conduent.com that @Derek Olson provided. What's really infuriating is that I've been calling that useless automated system for over a week, just to get hung up on every single time. Meanwhile, there are all these workarounds that actually work but aren't posted anywhere official! We shouldn't need to become unemployment benefits detectives just to access our own approved money. Also really interested in that lawsuit @Jasmine Wood mentioned about the fees - those $0.50 charges are ridiculous when you're constantly checking to see if your stuck payment finally appeared. If there's a class action, I'd definitely want to join. This community support is literally keeping people from losing their homes when the official system is completely failing us. I'll definitely update if any of these methods work for me!

I'm experiencing this exact same nightmare right now! My payment has been showing "paid" in CONNECT for 6 days but my Way2Go card is still completely empty. This thread has been absolutely incredible - way more helpful than hours of calling that useless automated system that just hangs up on you. I'm definitely going to try the comprehensive approach everyone's recommending: filing the CFPB complaint tonight (that 6-hour response time @Niko Ramsey got is remarkable!), attempting the 7:30am calling strategy tomorrow morning, and sending an email to way2go.escalations@conduent.com that @Derek Olson shared. The most frustrating part is that I've wasted so much time assuming this was just my individual account having issues, when clearly this is a massive systemic problem affecting tons of people. The fact that DEO marks payments as "paid" the moment they send info to Conduent, but then Conduent holds everything for mysterious "security verification" without any communication, is absolutely unacceptable. Thank you to everyone sharing real solutions when the official system has completely failed us. It's ridiculous that we need a Reddit support group to access our own approved benefits, but this community is literally saving people's rent money. I'll definitely post an update if any of these methods work - crossing my fingers we all get our stuck payments released soon!

This thread is absolutely incredible - thank you everyone for sharing such detailed strategies! I've been lurking here while dealing with my own adjudication nightmare (week 5 now for a workplace injury separation issue) and finally feel like I have a real action plan. I'm going to combine the best tips from everyone: - Tuesday 7:30am call with *67 caller ID blocking - Use the 5-7-2 extension sequence to get into a different queue - Have all documents ready with proper naming format (CLAIMANTID_SEPARATION_DATE) - Ask specifically for Tier 2 support and request case notes - Email ra-deoCustomerService@deo.myflorida.com with urgent subject line - Contact my local CareerSource office for additional help What's really striking is how much institutional knowledge we've built up here just by sharing our experiences. It's frustrating that we have to become experts in gaming a broken system, but at least we're helping each other survive it. @Lucy Taylor your success story gives me so much hope! The fact that your issue was just documents sitting in the wrong department shows how many cases are probably just stuck due to administrative errors rather than actual eligibility problems. Will definitely report back with results - this community deserves to know what's working so we can keep helping people get through this mess!

I've been dealing with DEO for almost 2 years now helping family members navigate this system, and I wanted to add a few more resources that have worked recently: **New contact method that's been working:** Try texting "FLORIDA" to 67283 - it's DEO's new text service that sometimes connects you faster than calling. You can check claim status and sometimes get transferred to a live agent. **Weekend strategy:** Call the main line on Saturday mornings around 8am. I know they say they're closed, but sometimes you get connected to an overflow call center that can actually help with basic issues. **Document upload tip:** When uploading through CONNECT, try doing it between 11pm-1am. The system seems to process uploads faster during off-peak hours, and I've noticed adjudicators review overnight uploads first thing in the morning. **Local help:** Your state legislator's office can also intervene. I helped my sister contact her state representative's constituent services, and they got her adjudication resolved in 3 days after 8 weeks of waiting. Also want to mention - keep screenshots of everything! CONNECT has been glitchy lately and sometimes claim information disappears. Having screenshots saved me when an agent claimed there was no record of my nephew's previous calls. This thread is such a lifesaver - finally a place where we can share what actually works instead of DEO's useless generic advice!

I had this same issue last year when I was laid off from my full-time marketing job but kept my weekend bartending gig! The CONNECT system is absolutely terrible for partial unemployment situations. What finally worked for me was using the Saturday date of the current benefit week as the "employment end date" - this is how DEO structures their claim periods. When you file your next claim weeks, you'll report the restaurant again with the new dates worked. A few things that saved me headaches: - Always report GROSS earnings including tips (even cash tips!) - Keep a detailed log of hours and earnings - I used a simple notebook - Screenshot everything in CONNECT in case you need proof later - The "end date" will seem weird but it's just a system workaround Also, make sure you understand how Florida's partial unemployment formula works. They'll reduce your weekly benefit by about 80% of what you earn at the restaurant. So if your weekly benefit amount is $300 and you earn $100 at the restaurant that week, you'd get around $220 in unemployment benefits. You're doing the right thing by reporting your part-time work honestly - that protects you from overpayment issues down the road. The initial application is definitely the hardest part!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got laid off from my main job but still have my part-time gig at a coffee shop. The CONNECT system is so poorly designed for people who are partially employed - it's like they never considered that someone might still be working somewhere else after getting laid off. What's been driving me crazy is that I've been trying to do everything correctly and honestly report my part-time work, but the system keeps throwing up these roadblocks. Reading through everyone's responses here, it sounds like using the Saturday date of the current benefit week as the "end date" is the way to go. I'm also keeping track of all my hours and tips in a small notebook - sounds like that documentation is going to be crucial if there are any issues later. It's frustrating that we have to work around the system's limitations, but at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this confusing process! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on the official DEO website!

This entire thread has been a lifesaver! I'm bookmarking this for future reference because it's basically become the unofficial "DEO Fact Finding Survival Guide" that should exist but doesn't. @Holly - congratulations on getting through what sounds like an incredibly frustrating maze! Your willingness to share the process step-by-step is going to help so many people who face this same confusing situation. What strikes me most about all these responses is how many different workarounds people have discovered - mobile app vs desktop, different browsers, early morning logins, checking multiple sections with different names. It really shows how broken the system is when users have to become IT specialists just to file basic paperwork. For anyone new to this thread: the consistent advice seems to be 1) don't panic when the fact finding doesn't appear immediately, 2) try multiple browsers and login times, 3) look in sections with completely different names than mentioned in the email, 4) keep responses simple and factual, and 5) save/screenshot everything for your records. It's honestly ridiculous that we need community forums to figure out how to use government services, but I'm grateful for everyone who took the time to share their hard-won knowledge here. This is what mutual aid looks like in practice!

This thread is pure gold! I'm currently in the same boat - got the cryptic "fact finding" email two days ago and have been going in circles trying to figure out what they actually want me to respond to. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been more helpful than anything on DEO's actual website. @Holly - massive respect for not giving up when the system was being so unhelpful! Your journey from confusion to completion gives me hope that I can figure this out too. It's absolutely ridiculous that something called "fact finding" gets hidden under completely different section names. I'm definitely going to try the mobile app approach and early morning login strategy that several people mentioned. The browser compatibility tips are also super useful - I've been struggling with Safari so I'll switch to Chrome or Firefox. One thing that really stands out reading all these responses is how DEO seems to systematically make this process harder than it needs to be. Whether it's intentional or just poor system design, the result is the same - people get stressed and confused when they're already dealing with job loss. Thank you to everyone who shared their workarounds and tips! This community support is what gets people through DEO's maze. I'll report back once I hopefully track down my own elusive fact finding questionnaire! 🤞

That's such great news that you got it resolved so quickly! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - accidentally clicked the wrong box on my certification yesterday. Your post gives me hope that DEO will be understanding when I call them. Did the agent ask you for any specific documentation of your job searches, or was it enough to just verbally explain what you had done that week? I have screenshots of my applications but wasn't sure if I'd need to email them or anything. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Just went through this exact same situation last month! I accidentally clicked "no" on work search and panicked. Called DEO the next morning and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent was super helpful - she added my job search activities to my claim and only delayed my payment by 2 days. Pro tip: have all your details ready before calling (company names, dates, how you applied). Also learned the hard way that Florida requires 5 work search activities per week, not just 3-4 like I was doing. Now I keep a detailed spreadsheet of everything just to be safe. Don't stress too much - honest mistakes happen and they can usually fix it if you call quickly!