Contacting state rep got my boyfriend's DEO claim paid after 3 months stuck - share your success stories

YES! State reps can be lifesavers with DEO issues. When my CONNECT account was locked for 7 weeks after a system update, I spent weeks trying to get through on the phone. My state rep's office had it fixed in 4 days. They have direct contacts at DEO that can bypass the regular customer service channels. One tip though - make sure you include your claimant ID, the last 4 of your SSN, and a clear timeline of what's happened so far in your initial email to them. It speeds up the process significantly.

i tried contacting my state rep 3 times last month and they never got back to me AT ALL. left voice messages, emails, even filled out their web form. nothing. guess it depends on which district ur in and who your rep is. some actually care, others don't give a crap about unemploymnet issues. what county are u in if u dont mind me asking? maybe i should try a different rep?

I work for a non-profit that helps people navigate government benefits, and state representatives are absolutely one of the best resources for stuck DEO claims. The critical thing to understand is that DEO has dedicated staff who handle legislative inquiries - these staff members can often resolve issues that regular call center agents can't access or fix. Besides state reps, here are other effective strategies I've seen work: 1. Request a formal appeal if your claim has been denied (you have 20 days from determination date) 2. Contact your state senator as well as your house rep 3. Reach out to your local CareerSource office - they have DEO liaisons 4. File a complaint with the DEO Inspector General if there are serious delays One service that's been tremendously helpful for many clients is Claimyr (claimyr.com). They can get you connected to a DEO agent much faster than waiting on hold yourself. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj Whatever you do, don't give up - persistence is key with the DEO system!

So happy your bf got his money! 👏 Mine just got approved yesterday after being stuck since May! I didn't contact my rep though, I just kept calling DEO every single day until I finally got someone who knew what they were doing. Persistence pays off!

The whole DEO system is DELIBERATELY designed to be impossible to navigate!!! They WANT people to give up so they don't have to pay out benefits. I worked for the state (not DEO) for 8 years and trust me, the inefficiency is BY DESIGN. They could fix these problems if they wanted to. State reps only help because it makes them look good for re-election, not because they actually care about unemployed Floridians. Anyone who's dealt with the system knows this - how many times have you uploaded the same documents over and over? How many times have you been told to "just wait" for adjudication that never happens? It's all part of the plan to discourage claims.

I tried using that Claimyr service that someone mentioned and got through to DEO in 20 minutes after trying to call on my own for days. The agent was able to see that my claim was stuck because of an employer dispute that nobody had told me about. I don't think I would have ever figured that out on my own. They said I needed to wait for a fact-finding interview but were able to schedule it while I was on the phone instead of waiting for them to contact me "eventually." Worth checking out if you're still having issues or helping friends.

For anyone else reading this thread in the future, here's a systematic approach to resolving stuck DEO claims: 1. First tier: Call DEO directly (early morning, Tuesday-Thursday tends to have shorter wait times) 2. Second tier: Use resources like Claimyr to reach agents faster 3. Third tier: Contact your local CareerSource office for assistance 4. Fourth tier: Reach out to your state representative or senator 5. Fifth tier: File formal appeals for any determinations, even if just to get a hearing Document everything - dates of calls, names of representatives, confirmation numbers, etc. This documentation is invaluable if you need to escalate your case. Also, always continue claiming weeks even if your account is under review or has issues. You can't be paid for weeks you didn't claim, even if your claim is eventually approved.

ok but that website doesn't work it just goes to a map that doesnt load for me..can someone just tell me how to find my rep??

so after reading this thread i finally got the courage to contact my state senator instead of my rep (who ignored me). sent an email yesterday and his office already called me this morning!! they said they're sending an inquiry to their DEO contact person today. will update if anything happens but im actually hopeful for the first time in months!! my claim has been stuck since july so fingers crossed this works!!!!