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My DEO claim shows only one payment left before my balance hits $0. I'm currently on regular unemployment benefits, and my benefit year is active until May 2025. Once my balance is completely depleted, can I apply for any type of extension? I understand the PEUC extensions from COVID aren't available anymore, but is there anything else I can qualify for if I'm still job hunting when my regular benefits run out? My industry (hospitality management) is still pretty rough in my area. Any advice on what to do next would be really appreciated!
Just got hit with the worst news... My DEO benefits were denied because my ex-employer contested the claim. They're claiming I was terminated for misconduct (complete BS - I was let go during a company restructuring). I've been waiting 5 weeks for this determination, and now I'm back to square one with bills piling up. Has anyone successfully appealed after an employer contested their claim? I'm wondering if it's even worth the stress and time to fight this, or if appeals are just a waste of energy. The determination letter gives me 20 days to appeal but I'm not sure what evidence I should submit. This whole situation feels hopeless right now. ๐ฉ
UPDATE: I just wanted to follow up with something important for anyone going through appeals. Make sure you're very specific about reviewing your Notice of Hearing document when it arrives. It will list what issues are being addressed in the hearing, and you want to prepare evidence SPECIFICALLY for those issues. Also, if you can't make the scheduled hearing date, contact the Office of Appeals immediately to request a reschedule. Missing the hearing almost always results in losing the appeal automatically.
Okay I'm really confused and starting to panic. I just requested my benefits yesterday (Wednesday) through CONNECT, but I know from experience that I usually don't see the money hit my account until the following week because of weekend processing delays. My question is: since the federal unemployment benefit ($300 extra) is set to expire on 7/25, will I still get that money with this claim? Or am I going to lose out on the federal portion because the actual payment won't process until after the expiration date? I really need that extra $300 to cover my electric bill this month. Has anyone dealt with this timing issue before?
To directly answer your question: You will receive the federal enhancement for any week you claim that ended before the program expiration date. The date you request payment or when the money actually arrives in your account doesn't affect your eligibility. Something else to be aware of: Make sure you're also prepared for the transition back to regular state benefits only. This means: 1. Your weekly benefit amount will decrease by $300 2. You'll still need to complete 5 work search activities each week 3. Regular state benefits (RA) will continue until you exhaust your balance or benefit year ends If you anticipate financial hardship after the federal enhancement ends, Florida has various assistance programs for utilities, housing, and food that you may qualify for. Check the DEO website for resources or contact your local CareerSource office for guidance on additional support programs.
Filed my claim a week ago and just got my first payment today, but I'm confused because it's only $310 instead of what I expected. Looks like I only got the state benefit amount and not the federal portion I thought I was eligible for. My CONNECT account shows payment issued but there's nothing about federal benefits. Is there something else I need to do to get the federal money? Did anyone else have this problem where they only received state benefits? I thought both would come together in one payment.
Remember to keep up with your work search requirements (5 per week) and claim your weeks on time. The CONNECT system will lock you out if you miss claiming weeks, and you'll need to contact DEO to reactivate your claim. While the benefit amount is lower without federal supplements, you can maximize your chances of receiving all eligible state benefits by staying on top of the requirements.
Thanks for the reminder. I've been documenting all my job applications and interviews. Quick question - do LinkedIn job applications count as work search activities?
Yes, LinkedIn applications count as work search activities as long as you document them properly with the employer name, job title, date of application, and method of contact. Any reasonable job application effort counts, whether it's through LinkedIn, Indeed, company websites, or in-person applications.
I'm at my wit's end with this situation! My DEO overpayment of $4,200 was officially satisfied back in May (paid in full), but it's now July and I STILL haven't received any of my regular unemployment benefits. The system shows my claim as active but payments remain 'pending' with no explanation. The main problem is I can't get through to anyone who can actually help. I've been calling 1-833-352-7759 almost daily for the past 2 months, but I only ever reach these outside contractors who literally tell me, "Sorry, I don't have access to that information in your file." When I ask to be transferred to a supervisor or someone in the claims department, they say it's not possible. I've tried emailing, sending messages through CONNECT, and even visited my local CareerSource office, but they all say the same thing - only someone in the actual DEO claims department can fix this issue. Does ANYONE have a direct number to reach the real DEO claims representatives? Or a special extension? Or even a specific time when it's easier to get through? I'm behind on rent and utilities now because I've been counting on these benefits. Any advice would be so appreciated!
My neighbor works at DEO (not in claims but in IT) and she says the system is SUPER backed up right now because they did some kind of software update in June that messed up a lot of things. Apparently they're going through and fixing accounts manually but there's a huge backlog. Might be why you're still waiting even though you paid the overpayment.
This is accurate. The CONNECT system underwent a major update on June 8-10, and there have been numerous issues with payment processing since then. They're working through a backlog of accounts that need manual review, particularly ones with overpayment history. If you can get through to a claims specialist, ask them to check if your account is flagged for the "post-update payment review queue" - that's apparently what they're calling it internally.
UPDATE: I finally got through! Used the 7:30am trick and asked specifically for a Tier 2 representative who could access the BPC system. Had to be firm but polite. The claims specialist confirmed exactly what was mentioned here - my overpayment showed as satisfied in BPC but there was a hold in CONNECT that needed manual removal. She processed it while I was on the phone and said I should see payments in 2-3 business days for all my back weeks! Thank you all so much for the advice - especially about using their internal terminology and calling right when they open.
Ravi Sharma
Have you considered career retraining since you mentioned hospitality is still struggling? When my benefits were running out, I used my last few weeks to enroll in a short-term certification program through CareerSource. They have something called the WIOA program that can even pay for certain types of training. I switched from retail to healthcare administration with a 6-week medical office certification, and it made a huge difference in my job prospects.
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Oliver Zimmermann
AuthorThat's actually a really good idea. I've been in hospitality for 10+ years, but maybe it's time for a change. Did CareerSource help you identify which programs would be most marketable?
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Javier Torres
i heard somewhere that if u work part time they extend ur benefits cuz u don't use them as fast? anyone know if thats true or just a rumor?
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Isabella Ferreira
That's partially correct. If you work part-time while on unemployment, you may still receive partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount. This can effectively stretch your benefits over a longer period, since you're not claiming your full amount each week. You still need to report all earnings and continue your work search activities.
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