Alternative DEO contact number for federal back payments - desperate after weeks of no response
I've been trying to reach DEO for 3 weeks straight about my missing federal back payments from January to March 2025. I can't get through on the main number (800-297-0586) - either constant busy signals or being placed on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. I've sent 5 emails through the CONNECT portal and they're all just sitting there with no response. It's now affecting my ability to pay rent. Does anyone know a different number to call or method to actually reach a human at DEO who can help with federal payment issues? Starting to feel like they're deliberately avoiding us...
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Adaline Wong
try pressing 5 then 7 then 2 when the auto message starts, that worked for me last wk but still had to wait 45min
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Tate Jensen
•Thanks, I'll try that combination tomorrow morning. Did you happen to get through to someone who could actually help with federal payment issues specifically? Last time I finally got through they just transferred me to another dept that never picked up.
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Gabriel Ruiz
If you're specifically looking for help with federal back payments, you need to speak with someone in the Benefits Payment Control unit, not just any representative. The regular agents often can't help with this. I was in a similar situation last month and wasted a lot of time talking to the wrong people. Try calling the DEO at 833-352-7759 instead of the main number. Call exactly at 7:30 AM when they open - I mean literally be dialing at 7:29:55. When prompted, choose options for 'existing claim' and then 'payment issues' and specifically mention 'federal payment adjustments' when you get a person. Also, for documentation purposes, make sure you've uploaded any supporting evidence for your federal payment claims to your CONNECT account under 'Document Upload' with clear labeling like 'Federal Back Payment Documentation' so they can easily find it when reviewing your case.
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Tate Jensen
•This is extremely helpful! I didn't know about the Benefits Payment Control unit being the right department. I'll set my alarm for 7:20am tomorrow and try that number with those exact options. Should I mention anything specific about the type of federal payments to get to the right person?
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Misterclamation Skyblue
everyone says to call early but ive actually had better luck calling at like 3:15pm on tuesdays and thursdays for some reason. less people calling during that time i guess??
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Peyton Clarke
•That's actually a smart strategy! I noticed something similar with Tuesday afternoons being better too. I think it's because most people try calling first thing in the morning or during lunch breaks.
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Vince Eh
I was in the EXACT same situation two weeks ago with my federal back payments missing! Regular DEO agents were useless and I wasted SO MUCH TIME trying to get through. I finally gave up on calling and tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they got me connected to a DEO agent in about 12 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. FIXED my federal payment issue on that first call once I got to the right person!!!! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj Make sure when you talk to the agent you specifically ask about the "Federal Payment Adjustment Review" process - that's what finally got my back payments released. Good luck!!
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Tate Jensen
•Thanks for the suggestion! I'm definitely getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. Did they connect you directly to the Benefits Payment Control unit that someone mentioned above, or just to a regular agent? And what's this Federal Payment Adjustment Review process? No one ever mentioned that to me.
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Vince Eh
•They connected me to a regular agent first, but I specifically asked for the Benefits Payment Control unit for federal payment issues, and they transferred me. The Federal Payment Adjustment Review is basically where they manually review your federal benefit eligibility and payment history to identify missing payments. The regular agents don't always know about this process - you have to specifically request it. Make sure you have all your claim weeks and payment history ready to reference when you call!
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Sophia Gabriel
you should just drive to your local CareerSource office and ask to speak to a DEO rep in person. thats what i did after 3 months of getting nowhere with calls. got my missing payments sorted out in 20 minutes face to face.
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Gabriel Ruiz
•This is actually very good advice in some areas, but just to clarify - not all CareerSource offices have on-site DEO representatives anymore. Since 2024, only certain regional headquarters locations offer in-person DEO assistance. You should call your local CareerSource office first to confirm if they have DEO staff on-site before making the trip. The Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville locations usually have DEO representatives available on specific days.
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Tobias Lancaster
I had issues with federal back payments too. The key is documentation. Before you call again, make sure you've done these things: 1. Download all your payment transaction history from CONNECT and highlight the missing federal payments 2. Check your Monetary Determination letter for the federal benefit amount you're entitled to 3. Take screenshots of any weeks where federal supplements should have been applied but weren't 4. File a formal appeal through CONNECT specifically for the missing federal payments (this creates a paper trail) Then when you call, immediately ask for a supervisor who specializes in federal payment adjustments. Regular reps often don't have the system access needed to fix these issues. Also, contact your state representative's office - they have DEO liaisons who can escalate your case. This worked for me after 5 weeks of getting nowhere directly with DEO.
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Tate Jensen
•Thank you for this detailed advice! I haven't filed a formal appeal yet - is there a specific section in CONNECT where I should do that for federal payment issues? And great suggestion about contacting my state rep - I wouldn't have thought of that. Does their office usually respond quickly?
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Tobias Lancaster
•Yes, in CONNECT go to "Determination, Pending Issues and Decision Summary" and look for any determination related to your payment amounts. Even if there's no determination specifically about the federal portion, you can appeal the overall benefit amount determination. In the appeal, clearly specify you're appealing the absence of federal supplement payments for weeks [x] through [y]. As for state reps, their response time varies, but they're generally much faster than DEO. My state rep's office contacted me within 2 days, and they had already reached out to their DEO liaison. They can't guarantee a particular outcome, but they can definitely get your case prioritized for review.
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Peyton Clarke
Has anyone else noticed that DEO seems to be especially bad with federal payment issues specifically? I had no problems with my regular benefits but the federal portion was a NIGHTMARE to get sorted out. It's like they're two completely different systems that don't talk to each other properly.
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Sophia Gabriel
•YES!!! regular florida benefits = no problem. federal stuff = total disaster. took me 11 weeks to get my federal backpay. ridiculous!
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Gabriel Ruiz
•You're absolutely right about this. The systems are indeed separate. The federal supplements are administered through Florida's system, but they follow different rules and funding sources. The CONNECT system wasn't originally designed to handle these federal supplements, which is why they often require manual processing and verification. This is also why speaking to someone in the Benefits Payment Control unit is so important - they have specialized training on reconciling the two systems.
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Tate Jensen
UPDATE: I tried the 833-352-7759 number this morning at exactly 7:30am, and after about 35 minutes on hold, I finally got through to someone! I asked specifically for the Benefits Payment Control unit for federal payment issues as suggested here. They transferred me, and I had to wait another 20 minutes, but finally spoke to someone who could actually help! They found that my federal payments were held up because of a "program integrity hold" that no one had ever told me about. Apparently, they needed additional verification of my employment history from 2024. I've now uploaded the documents they requested, and they said the federal payments should be processed within 5-7 business days. Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Will update again when/if I actually receive the payments.
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Gabriel Ruiz
•That's great news! The "program integrity hold" is actually quite common with federal payment components. It's part of the enhanced verification measures implemented in late 2024. Make sure you follow up if you don't see the payments within 7 business days. Sometimes you need to call back and specifically request a "payment release review" after the documentation has been reviewed. Glad you made progress!
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Adaline Wong
•awesome! hope u get paid soon!!
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