After PUD benefits ended - confused about DEO's letter about new eligibility

The letter is probably telling you that you're eligible for Regular Unemployment Assistance (RA) now that your PUD has expired. You don't need to file a new claim, but you DO need to go into your CONNECT account and acknowledge the new benefit type. Log in, go to your dashboard, and look for a section called 'Pending Actions' or 'Important Messages' - there should be something there about accepting the new determination. You'll need to continue claiming weeks as normal, but make sure you're doing your 5 work search activities each week since that's required for RA benefits. The benefit amount might be different too, so check that carefully.

Thank you so much! I'll check my CONNECT account tonight. I don't think I saw any pending actions last time I logged in, but maybe I missed it. Will the work search requirements start immediately? I've been applying to jobs but not keeping super detailed records since PUD didn't require as much documentation.

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT NIGHTMARE 2 MONTHS AGO!!! The DEO system is COMPLETELY BROKEN when it comes to transitioning between benefit types!!! That letter is super misleading and doesn't tell you what you actually need to do. I ended up with a 3 WEEK GAP in payments because of their confusing instructions!!!! In my case, I had to call them directly because there was nothing in my CONNECT account showing the new benefits. The online system didn't update for almost 10 days after I got the letter!!!

omg same! their letters never match whats in the system lol. took me 4 tries to get anyone on the phone too.

The transition from PUD to regular RA benefits can be confusing, but here's what you need to do:\n\n1. Log into CONNECT and check if there's a new determination in your Monetary Status section\n2. Accept the new benefit type if prompted\n3. Continue claiming weeks without interruption\n4. Start keeping detailed work search records (5 activities per week)\n5. Be aware your weekly benefit amount might change\n\nIf you don't see any updates in your CONNECT account within 48 hours of receiving that letter, you need to contact DEO directly. Their system sometimes has delays updating after sending physical letters.

This is really helpful, thank you! I just checked CONNECT again and still don't see anything new in my account. Guess I'll have to try calling them tomorrow. I'm worried about missing payments since I really need this income.

When I needed to reach DEO about my transition from one benefit type to another, I was getting nowhere with regular calls - busy signals for DAYS! I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual DEO agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj \n\nOnce I got through to DEO, they explained that I needed to accept the new determination in CONNECT, and the agent actually walked me through finding it since it was hidden in a weird place in the menu. Definitely worth getting an actual person to help with the transition.

Is that service legit??? I've seen it mentioned but was worried it might be a scam. Does it actually work? I need to call DEO about an issue with my work search form but I've been trying for 3 days with no luck getting through their phone system.

i transitioned from pud to regular unemployment last month. the letter is confusing but u dont need to do anything special except keep claiming ur weeks. the system will automatically switch u over. at least thats what happened 4 me. my benefit amount went down tho by like $40 a week which sucked

Did you have to wait for anything to update in CONNECT? Did you see the new benefit amount before you claimed your next weeks? I'm worried because I don't see any changes in my account yet.

My husband got the same letter last year when his benefits were transitioning. The whole process is unnecessarily confusing! We ended up having to drive to our local CareerSource office to get help because the online system wasn't updating and we couldn't get through on the phone. If you have a CareerSource near you, they can sometimes help with these DEO transition issues and can even call a special liaison number.

This is good advice. CareerSource offices have direct connections to DEO that regular claimants don't have access to. They can often resolve these transition issues much faster than trying to navigate the system yourself. Just make sure to bring your ID, claimant ID number, and a copy of that letter when you go.

when i got switched from one benefit to another last yr I had to upload more docs to prove my identity AGAIN even tho i already did it when i first filed! make sure u check the document upload section in CONNECT to see if they need anything new from u. might b why ur not seeing the new benefit yet

Thanks for the tip! I didn't even think to check if they needed more documents. Just checked and there's nothing in my

Based on all the responses, it sounds like you should:\n\n1. Check CONNECT daily for updates (especially Monetary Status and Pending Actions)\n2. Start collecting detailed work search records for 5 activities per week immediately\n3. Try calling DEO directly if nothing updates within 2-3 days\n4. Consider visiting a CareerSource office if you can't get through by phone\n\nThe transition between benefit types is unfortunately one of the most problematic areas in Florida's unemployment system. The important thing is to keep claiming weeks without interruption during this transition period.

Thank you for summarizing! I've been trying to call DEO all morning with no luck getting through. I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if I can't get through by tomorrow. I definitely don't want to miss any payments while this gets sorted out.

Quick update - I checked with a friend who works at CareerSource and she confirmed that you should see something called an 'RA Monetary Determination' in your CONNECT account within 5-7 days after receiving that letter. If you don't see it by then, definitely call DEO directly. The transition should be automatic in the system, but sometimes there are glitches that require manual intervention by a DEO agent.

That's so helpful! I really appreciate you checking with your friend. I'll give it a couple more days and then try to get through to a DEO agent if I don't see the new determination. Thanks again for the specific info!