Can't get PUA backpay after waiting a month - need help changing effective date with DEO
I'm at my wit's end with this backpay situation! Applied for unemployment back in January and my effective date is wrong - it's showing February 15th when I've been out of work since January 3rd. I've been waiting over a month now and haven't received ANY of my backpay. Every time I call the regular DEO number (800-204-2418), I just get the automated message saying they're experiencing high call volumes and then it hangs up on me! Has anyone successfully gotten their PUA effective date changed? Who specifically should I be calling? Is there a direct line or extension for the backpay department? I'm behind on rent and really need those missing weeks paid out ASAP.
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Hannah Flores
Hey there! Just so you know, PUA doesn't exist anymore in 2025 - that was a pandemic-era program. What you're applying for now is regular Reemployment Assistance (RA). For changing your effective date, you need to speak with a claims specialist at DEO, but reaching them is definitely challenging right now. Have you tried submitting your request through the CONNECT message center? Go to your dashboard, click on 'I want to' and then 'Contact DEO' and specifically mention 'Effective Date Change' in your subject line.
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Dominic Green
•Omg thank you for clarifying!! I guess I'm still using the old terminology. I'll try the message center option you suggested, but when I tried that last week, I never got any response. Do you know how long they typically take to reply to those messages?
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Kayla Jacobson
the same thng happened 2 me... u gotta wait like 6-8 weeks for backpay they told me. the system is broken but they don't care bout people need 2 pay bills
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Dominic Green
•6-8 WEEKS?? That's insane! I can't wait that long. Did you ever get your effective date changed? Or are you still waiting too?
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William Rivera
I was in the exact same situation last month with my effective date being wrong by almost 6 weeks. You need to call the DEO Claims Resolution Center at 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) and specifically ask for a claims adjudicator who can modify effective dates. Regular agents can't help with this. Make sure you have documentation ready showing when you actually became unemployed (termination letter, last paystub, etc). They won't change the date without proof. And don't waste time with the CONNECT message center - they're taking 3-4 weeks to respond right now due to the seasonal hiring layoffs.
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Dominic Green
•Thank you! I'll definitely try that number. I do have my termination letter and final pay stub saved as PDFs. Did you have to call multiple times to get through? What time of day did you finally reach someone?
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Grace Lee
I had this same issue! It took me FOREVER to get through on the phone. I kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for like 45 minutes. So frustrating!
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Mia Roberts
•I know everyone hates this advice, but I finally got my effective date changed after using Claimyr to get through to an actual person at DEO. It was the only thing that worked after weeks of trying. I was skeptical but checked out their video demo (https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj) and decided to try it. The service connected me to a DEO agent in about 20 minutes and they fixed my effective date while I was on the phone. My backpay showed up in my account 3 days later. Their website is claimyr.com if you're desperate like I was.
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Hannah Flores
To answer your question about who to ask for - you need to speak with an adjudicator or claims specialist. Regular customer service reps don't have authority to change effective dates in the system. When you get through, immediately ask if the person you're speaking with can help with effective date modifications. If not, ask to be transferred to someone who can. Also, it's worth noting that backpay can take 2-3 weeks to process AFTER your effective date is corrected. The system doesn't automatically calculate and issue backpay immediately, so keep that in mind for your financial planning.
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Dominic Green
•That's really helpful info! I didn't realize there would be another delay even after getting the date fixed. I guess I need to figure out something else for immediate bills. Ugh, this system is so frustrating.
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The Boss
Has anyone here actually GOTTEN their effective date changed recently??? I've been trying since December and keep getting told different things by different representatives. One told me effective dates can't be changed at all anymore, another said I needed to file an appeal, and a third said I had to submit something called a "monetary reconsideration" through CONNECT. I JUST WANT A STRAIGHT ANSWER!!!
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William Rivera
•Yes, effective dates can absolutely still be changed as of February 2025. The key is getting to the right department. The person who told you to file a monetary reconsideration was partially correct - that's the official form needed, but you need to speak with an adjudicator to have them process it properly. Don't just submit it blind through CONNECT or it will sit in the queue for weeks.
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Mia Roberts
I called for weeks and could never get through to change my effective date. I finally tried using Claimyr and got connected to a DEO agent in about 25 minutes. The agent was able to submit my effective date change while I was on the phone. It might be worth checking out their website (claimyr.com) if you're struggling to get through. They have a video showing how it works that convinced me to try it: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj
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The Boss
•I just watched that video. Has anyone else used this service? Does it actually work or is this just advertising?
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Evan Kalinowski
This whole backpay mess is exactly why I told my brother to just take ANY job he could find instead of dealing with Florida's unemployment system. Been broken for years and they never fix it!!! My sister-in-law waited 4 months for backpay in 2023 and almost got evicted. The system is DESIGNED to make you give up.
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Dominic Green
•That's so discouraging to hear. I've been applying for jobs like crazy but the market in my field is really slow right now. I can't afford to wait 4 months though, that's for sure!
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William Rivera
Update for everyone following this thread: I just spoke with a DEO supervisor about effective date changes. As of February 10, 2025, they've updated their policy. You now need to: 1) Submit a monetary reconsideration request through CONNECT, 2) Upload documentation proving your actual unemployment date, and 3) Call to speak with an adjudicator who can flag your case for priority review. The standard processing time is currently 3-4 weeks unless you get an adjudicator to flag it (then it's about 7-10 days).
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Dominic Green
•Thank you SO much for this updated info! I'm going to upload my documentation right now through CONNECT. Really appreciate you sharing this with everyone!
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