Florida Unemployment
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Requested DEO backdated weeks 3+ weeks ago but links never showed up in CONNECT - anyone else?
Completely frustrated with the backdating process right now! I submitted a request for backdated weeks through DEO almost a month ago (March 15th) but the links to claim these weeks NEVER appeared in my CONNECT portal. Thank god I took screenshots of my backdating request with the confirmation number! I'm an independent contractor/gig worker and also still waiting for my $825 paper check for the waiting week that was supposedly processed. The CONNECT dashboard shows nothing about my backdated weeks request status - just silence. Has anyone successfully gotten their backdated weeks to appear after requesting them? How long did it take? Did you have to call someone specific? This is literally thousands of dollars I'm counting on.
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DEO unemployment claim issue or tax refund delay? Anyone else waiting on their 2025 tax return?
I filed my Florida unemployment claim back in January but now I'm worried about something completely different. Has anyone here received their 2025 tax refund yet? I filed in March but there was some confusion with my healthcare marketplace subsidy (apparently I reported something wrong). I fixed the error and resubmitted almost 8 weeks ago but still nothing! The IRS website just says it's 'processing'. I know this isn't directly DEO related, but I'm wondering if other unemployment claimants are experiencing similar delays? Between waiting on unemployment benefits and now this tax refund, my finances are stretched thin.
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DEO suddenly waived work search requirements until May 29th - is this legit?
Hey y'all, I just logged into CONNECT to claim my weeks and noticed something weird - there was a message saying work search activities have been waived until May 29th, 2025! Has anyone else seen this? I've been dutifully applying to 5 jobs per week and documenting everything, so this would be a huge relief if true. But I'm nervous it might be a glitch in the system or something I'm misunderstanding. I don't want to skip reporting my work search and then get hit with an overpayment notice later. Anyone have confirmation this waiver is actually real?
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UPDATE: Just claimed my weeks and confirmed the waiver is definitely showing in my account. When I got to the work search section, there was a message saying "Work search requirements temporarily waived through 05/29/2025 - no documentation required." So it seems legit! What a relief honestly, job hunting has been brutal lately.
nice! one less headache to deal with. DEO system is confusing enough as it is
Wait I'm confused... so if we're on regular unemployment (not pandemic or disaster) we don't have to do the 5 job applications? What about the appointments at CareerSource? I have one scheduled next week that took forever to set up
The waiver only applies to the weekly work search activities (job applications, etc.). If you have a mandatory CareerSource appointment as part of your Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), you still need to attend that appointment. Missing it could affect your benefits eligibility regardless of the work search waiver. I recommend calling CareerSource directly to confirm your specific appointment requirements.
DEO giving me the runaround since February - considering legal options?
I've been battling with DEO for FIVE MONTHS now and I'm at my breaking point. My claim has been bouncing between 'pending' and 'adjudication' since February 2025 with absolutely zero explanation. Every time I call, I either can't get through or the agent gives me some vague response about 'system processing' or 'waiting for employer verification.' I've submitted the same documents THREE times through CONNECT because they keep saying they never received them! I'm behind on rent, my car payment is 60 days late, and I'm about to lose my apartment. Has anyone had any success getting a lawyer involved? I've heard about legal aid but wasn't sure if they handle unemployment cases. At this point I'm willing to try anything because the DEO is completely failing me. Any advice would be appreciated!
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my cousin had same issue and finally got a lawyer after 8 months... the lawyer sent one letter and suddenly deo fixed everything and he got all his back pay. sometimes they just need to see ur serious
One final piece of advice: Request a copy of your claim file through a formal public records request. Under Florida law, you're entitled to see your complete file, which might reveal why your claim is stuck. Email DEO.PublicRecords@deo.myflorida.com with your request. Specifically ask for all notes, fact-finding results, and determination drafts related to your claim. This information can be incredibly valuable if you do end up needing legal assistance.
I had no idea this was even possible! I'm definitely going to do this as well. Thank you so much for this suggestion!
DEO appeal process for missed weeks due to system crashes - anyone got benefits back?
Has anyone successfully appealed to DEO for benefits from weeks you couldn't claim properly? My situation: back in February, I couldn't submit my 5 work searches for two weeks because the CONNECT system kept freezing or logging me out mid-entry. Called DEO literally 47 times but never got through. Finally got through last week and the agent said I need to file an appeal for those missed weeks (about $875 total). Just wondering if anyone's actually won one of these appeals based on the system being down? Do I need documentation that the system was crashing or will they have records of that? The form looks complicated and I don't want to waste time if nobody ever wins these.
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Why is everyone saying they won appeals?? Almost NOBODY wins against DEO - their whole process is designed to deny benefits and keep their numbers low. They literally don't care if their system causes problems, they'll still blame you!!
That's not entirely accurate. Appeals are actually handled by independent judges through the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission, not DEO directly. About 40% of appeals are successful, so it's definitely worth trying, especially when it's a system issue.
Thank you all for the input! I'm going to file the appeal online today and start gathering my evidence. Will try to get those system logs like @profile2 suggested and have all my job search activities documented clearly. Feeling a bit more optimistic now. I'll update this thread once I have my hearing scheduled!
Benjamin Johnson
Quick question - when you submitted your backdating request, did you get an email confirmation or just the confirmation number on the screen? I'm wondering if there's a way to check if the request was actually received properly in their system.
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Justin Evans
AuthorI only got the confirmation number on screen which is why I took screenshots. Never received an email confirmation. The whole process feels so insecure and unprofessional.
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Ezra Collins
Update from my experience: After talking with a DEO specialist yesterday about my backdating situation (similar to yours), I learned that sometimes your backdated weeks can be approved but still not show up if you have any open "fact-finding" investigations or "pending issues" on your account. The specialist I spoke with suggested checking the "Determination, Pending Issues and Decision Summary" section of CONNECT to see if there are any open items that might be holding up your backdated weeks. If there are, resolving those first can sometimes trigger the release of your backdated weeks. Hope this helps someone!
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Justin Evans
AuthorI just checked and I do have something under "Pending Issues" from months ago that I thought was resolved! I bet that's what's holding things up. Thank you so much for this tip.
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