Florida Unemployment
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DEO agent deleted my employer during claim fix - now showing ineligible!
I'm completely panicking right now. Last week my CONNECT system kept saying I was employed when filing my weeks (I've been laid off since February 12th). After waiting on hold for 4 HOURS, I finally got through to a DEO agent who said she could fix it. She told me she was 'removing the system flag' that was causing the problem and assured me I could claim my weeks after 24 hours. Well I just checked this morning and now my status shows INELIGIBLE because apparently she DELETED MY ENTIRE EMPLOYER from my claim history! How is that even possible?? I had 6 weeks of pending payments that I desperately need for rent next month. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? Do I need to submit some kind of appeal or should I try calling again (dreading another 4-hour wait)?
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DEO account frozen after ID.me verification - CareerSource visit yielded nothing but more waiting
After months of trying to access my unemployment benefits, I'm at my wit's end with DEO! My account randomly locked up in March and I've been jumping through hoops ever since. Finally completed the ID.me verification process (what a nightmare that was - took me 3 attempts to get through the video call part). Thought that would solve everything but NOPE - account still locked! Drove 45 minutes to the nearest CareerSource office yesterday thinking they could help. Sat there for literally 3 HOURS only for them to access some internal website I don't have access to. They submitted something and told me to wait ANOTHER 4-5 business days before anything might happen. They gave me this number to call: 407-531-1222. Has anyone actually gotten through on this line? I've tried calling 8 times and either get disconnected or infinite hold. Is there ANY way to get my account unlocked faster? Bills piling up and I'm about to lose my mind with this broken system!
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Excellent news! Glad you got it resolved. This is unfortunately very common - the ID.me verification solves one security lock but not necessarily all of them. For future reference for anyone reading, there are actually three different types of security locks that can be placed on DEO accounts: 1. Identity verification lock (solved by ID.me) 2. Fraud prevention lock (requires agent intervention) 3. Multiple login attempt lock (automatically clears after 24 hours unless escalated) Sometimes you need all three addressed to fully regain access.
PUA expired in December - can I apply for regular DEO benefits now?
So my PUA benefits ran out completely in December. I was a gig worker (Uber/grocery delivery) for about 2 years before the economy tanked. I know PUA was a special pandemic program, but I'm still struggling to find consistent work. Has anyone successfully switched from PUA to regular Florida unemployment after their benefits expired? The DEO website is so confusing - it looks like I need to file a whole new claim but I'm not sure if I qualify for regular benefits since I was self-employed. Any help would be really appreciated!
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THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DENY YOU!!! don't expect any help from DEO. They terminated my PUA early claiming I didn't provide proper documentation when I DID and now I can't even get through to anyone. They owe me 3 weeks of payments I'll never see. Florida has THE WORST unemployment system in the entire country BY DESIGN.
this is so true! my friend in michigan got benefits so easily while Florida made everything impossible. took me 4 months to get my first payment when i was on PUA!
Regarding work search requirements - if you do qualify for regular benefits, be prepared that Florida now requires 5 work search contacts per week (it was waived during much of the pandemic). You need to keep detailed records of where you applied, contact information, etc. The DEO can audit your work searches at any time. Also, you must use the Employ Florida website (employflorida.com) to register and create a profile within 7 days of filing your new claim. A lot of people miss this step and end up having their benefits held up.
5 per week? That's a lot more than before. Do online applications count? And does applying for gig work count or does it have to be traditional employment?
Online applications definitely count! Each job application can be one work search activity. Applying to gig work is trickier - technically they want you applying for jobs similar to your previous work, but many people report that applying to any legitimate job opportunity counts. The important thing is documenting everything - date, company name, position, how you applied, contact info, etc.
DEO sending 'case closure warning' notices but their phones are ALWAYS busy - what options do I have?
So frustrated right now! Got a notice last week saying my unemployment case will be CLOSED if I don't respond to the DEO notices they supposedly sent me. Problem is, I never received any other notices before this warning! I've been trying to call them every single morning at 7:30am sharp when they open, but all I get is that stupid automated message about 'high call volume' and then it hangs up on me. Haven't been able to get through ONCE in 5 days of trying. I'm worried they're going to terminate my benefits over something I didn't even know about. My last payment was $247 and it's been pending for 9 days now. Has anyone else gotten these 'respond or we'll close your case' warnings? What am I supposed to do if their phones are CONSTANTLY busy and they don't answer emails either? This system is rigged against us I swear.
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By the way, if you do have a fact finding questionnaire in your inbox, complete it ASAP even if it's past the deadline. Sometimes their system will still accept late responses, especially if you call and explain that you never received notification. The key is to respond to SOMETHING rather than nothing at all. The system flags non-responsive claims for closure automatically.
That's a relief. I'm filling it out right now. It's asking about my work search activities from last month which I have documented but not in the exact format they want. Should I just do my best to remember the dates and details?
Yes, do your best with the work search info. They mainly want to see that you're making the required 5 work search contacts per week. Even if you get some details wrong, showing good faith effort to comply is what matters. Just be as accurate as you can and explain in the comments section if needed.
I wanted to add - if you're stuck in this situation, also try contacting your state representative's office. I had a similar issue where DEO was ignoring me for WEEKS and threatening to close my case, and my rep's office contacted them on my behalf. Had my issue resolved in 3 days after that. They have special liaisons at DEO who actually answer their phones!
That's a great idea and something I hadn't considered. How do I find out who my state representative is? I'm in Hillsborough County if that helps.
Just Google 'Florida find my state representative' and there's a website where you can enter your address. For Hillsborough you have several depending on exact location. Their offices deal with DEO issues ALL THE TIME so they know exactly who to contact.
Hired attorney after DEO disqualified my claims - can't reach anyone for explanation
After 3 months of my regular unemployment benefits suddenly getting disqualified with status 'disqualified-other', I finally broke down and contacted an attorney yesterday. I've made 43 calls to the DEO in the past month, sent 8 emails through the CONNECT portal, and even drove 2 hours to my local CareerSource office (who couldn't help with claim decisions). I'm missing $4,250 in benefits that I legitimately qualify for - I was laid off from my healthcare admin position due to department restructuring and have perfect work search records. The disqualification happened right after I submitted my quarterly wage certification. Has anyone here successfully used an attorney to get through to DEO's legal department? I have no idea if this is the right approach but I'm desperate and running out of savings. Will they even respond to an attorney when they won't respond to me?
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Based on your situation, I'd recommend trying these three steps before proceeding with the attorney (this is what worked for me with a similar disqualification issue): 1. Submit a formal appeal through CONNECT even without a specific determination letter - this creates a paper trail 2. Contact the DEO Reemployment Assistance Service Center directly at 833-FL-APPLY (833-352-7759) and specifically ask for a "claim escalation" to a supervisor - use those exact words 3. Send a detailed email to DEO.Appeals@deo.myflorida.com with your claimant ID, full name, last 4 of SSN, and a clear timeline of the issue The appeals email actually got me a call back within 3 days, which was faster than anything else I tried.
Thank you for these detailed steps. I've done #1 and #2 already (the appeal shows as "pending" for 5 weeks now), but I haven't tried that specific email address. I'll definitely send them an email today. Really appreciate the specific advice!
PLEASE update us on if the lawyer actually works!!! I bet we're not the only ones having this issue and if attorneys are the only way to get DEO to do their jobs, a lot of us need to know!
I definitely will! I have the first real meeting with the attorney tomorrow morning, so I'll update this thread once I know if they're able to make any progress. I hate that we're all struggling with this system that's supposed to help us.
Mei Wong
So happy for you! Did you happen to get the agent's name? It's always good to keep track of who actually helps vs who makes things worse.
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GalaxyGlider
Yes! Her name was Melissa and she gave me her ID number too. I wrote down everything this time. Lesson learned!
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