CONNECT system prompted me to apply for PUA in 2025 - Is this legit or DEO glitch?

OMG this EXACT thing happened to me last month! That PUA prompt is definitely a glitch in the CONNECT system. DO NOT apply for it! I did and it totally messed up my claim - got a determination letter saying I was ineligible (obviously since PUA doesn't exist) and then my regular claim got flagged for review. Took me 3 weeks of calling to get it fixed. The DEO agent told me they're aware of the glitch but haven't fixed it yet.

That's 100% a system error. PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) was a federal program that ended in September 2021. Florida isn't offering any version of it in 2025. What you might qualify for after exhausting regular Reemployment Assistance is Extended Benefits (EB), but those only trigger on during periods of high unemployment, and Florida's current unemployment rate doesn't meet the threshold. I recommend calling DEO directly to have them properly close your claim since it's exhausted, and ask about any other programs you might qualify for. But definitely ignore that PUA prompt - it's a known CONNECT system issue that several people have reported.

happens alot with connect......the sytems a joke

I saw that same PUA thing back in January! I actually called DEO to ask about it (took 3 days of trying), and they said to completely ignore it. The rep told me they're aware of the issue but it's not a priority fix since it doesn't affect their current systems. Just close the prompt if you see it again and don't enter any info.

If you're trying to reach DEO about this issue or any others with your claim, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's the only way I was able to actually speak with a DEO agent about a similar glitch in my account. They have a system that gets you through the phone queue instead of getting disconnected. I wasted days trying to call directly before finding them. They have a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent I finally spoke with confirmed what others are saying - the PUA prompts are a system error and should be ignored. They also helped clear the error message from my account dashboard.

wait is pua back??? I thought that was only during covid??

Update to my earlier comment - after I applied for that fake PUA prompt, my account got locked and showed "PENDING ADJUDICATION" for almost a month. I had to upload all these identity documents again through ID.me even though I'd already done that for my regular claim. Such a headache! Definitely just ignore that prompt!

So typical of DEO to have these ridiculous system errors! I swear CONNECT is the most broken government website I've ever used. During my claim last year, it would randomly log me out mid-certification, make me re-verify my identity for NO reason, and once it even showed my claim as "monetarily ineligible" when I'd already been receiving payments for MONTHS! I called for three weeks straight trying to get that fixed. The whole system needs to be completely replaced, not just "updated."

Thank you everyone for the helpful feedback! I'm definitely going to ignore that PUA prompt. I was able to get through to DEO this morning using that Claimyr service someone recommended, and the agent confirmed it's just a system glitch. She put a note in my file about the error and told me to ignore any PUA-related screens or messages. She also checked if I qualify for any other benefits now that my regular RA is exhausted, but unfortunately I don't at this time. At least the issue is resolved and I won't accidentally apply for something that doesn't exist!