You won't get an immediate decision during the hearing. The appeals referee will review all testimony and evidence, then mail a written decision within 2-3 weeks. Your benefits should continue during this waiting period. If the decision is in your favor, nothing changes. If it's not, you'll receive information about any potential overpayment and further appeal options. Be sure to attend the hearing. If you miss it, the referee will likely rule based only on your employer's testimony and whatever documentation is available. Statistics show that claimants who actively participate in their hearings have much better outcomes than those who don't.

Don't panic - this is actually more common than you'd think! I went through the exact same thing last year. Got a hearing notice while still receiving benefits and freaked out thinking they were going to cut me off immediately. The key thing is that Florida law requires DEO to continue paying benefits during the appeals process if your initial claim was approved. Your employer probably waited until near the deadline to contest your claim. Since you found your hearing notice and it shows they're claiming excessive absences when you were actually laid off, you're in a good position. That layoff letter mentioning department elimination is gold - make sure you have multiple copies ready for the hearing. A few practical tips: - Answer the phone promptly when they call for the hearing - Have all your documents organized and ready to reference - Stay calm even if your employer makes false claims - The referee will give you time to present your side - use it I won my case and my benefits continued without any issues. You've got the documentation to back up your side, so try not to stress too much about it. Good luck!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what worked! I followed the advice about the ID.me trouble signing in process and was able to do the video verification to change my phone number. Once that was updated, I could get into my CONNECT account and download my tax documents! Thanks everyone for your help - especially the tip about the new ID.me recovery option, that was exactly what I needed.

So glad you were able to get this resolved! Your experience will definitely help others who find themselves in similar situations. Moving states while dealing with unemployment benefits and tax documents can be really stressful, especially when you're already dealing with difficult personal circumstances. Thanks for taking the time to update the thread with what worked - that ID.me video verification option seems to be the best solution for people who've lost access to their registered phone numbers.

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with a DEO agent (finally!) after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The agent confirmed I'll keep getting the federal payments as long as I keep claiming weeks properly. She also said my appeal is estimated to be scheduled in about 5 weeks. She recommended I upload any evidence of my job searches to my CONNECT account ASAP, even if the documentation isn't perfect. Just wanted to share this info in case anyone else is in the same boat!

I went through the exact same situation 3 months ago! Got disqualified for work search requirements that I honestly didn't fully understand either. Here's what I learned: 1) YES keep claiming your weeks during the appeal or you'll lose them forever, 2) Document EVERYTHING going forward - save confirmation emails, write down who you talked to, keep application receipts, 3) The federal payments will continue as long as you're claiming weeks properly, and 4) Use your appeal hearing to explain that you were genuinely searching for work but didn't understand the documentation requirements. I won my appeal by showing I had been applying to jobs consistently, just hadn't tracked it the way DEO wanted. Stay strong - the system is confusing but you can get through this!

mine just hit my way2go card!!! didnt even say it was processed yet in connect but the money is there! im literally crying right now 😭

Just wanted to share my experience for anyone still waiting - my payment hit my direct deposit account about 2 hours ago even though CONNECT still shows "processing"! I'm in the 4-6 digit group that was supposed to process tomorrow according to Zara's update, so it looks like they might be moving faster than expected. The amount was exactly $337.50 after taxes for all 3 weeks. For those still waiting, keep checking your actual bank/card accounts even if CONNECT hasn't updated yet!

BTW dont forget to keep doing your work searches every week even while ur in adjudication!! I messed up and missed submitting them for 2 weeks during my wait time and almost lost benefits for those weeks. DEO is super strict about this.

I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 5 weeks in adjudication and really starting to panic about rent. One thing that helped me was contacting my utility companies (electric, water, etc.) to explain the situation and ask for payment extensions. Most have hardship programs that can give you 30-60 days extra time to pay bills, which frees up what little money you have for rent. Also check if your county has a "one-time emergency assistance" program - mine had a fund specifically for people waiting on unemployment that could cover up to $1000 in rent. You usually can only use it once but it might buy you the time you need for DEO to get their act together.