DEO CONNECT not allowing weekly claims until 9/11 - is this normal?

You're not wrong about how confusing the system is, but I can explain what's happening. Florida has what's called a "waiting week" - your first week of eligibility isn't paid. That's normal and applies to everyone. As for the claiming schedule, DEO assigns everyone biweekly claiming based on your filing date. So you'll claim two weeks at a time every other week. It sounds like your claiming date is 9/11, which means you'll claim for the previous two weeks then. The system definitely isn't user-friendly, but once you get used to the schedule, it becomes more manageable. Just make sure you're completing your 5 work search activities each week and documenting them carefully - they can audit those at any time.

ya the system sucks fr. took me like 3 tries to even get my acct working. and then when u finally figure it all out they hit u with random fact finding thingys that lock ur account again lol

The system is designed exactly as you suspected - to be difficult. About your specific issue: Yes, Florida doesn't pay for the first week (the "waiting week") and yes, claims are on a biweekly schedule. So on 9/11, you'll claim two weeks but only get paid for one of them. Just to save you future headaches, make absolutely sure you're completing 5 work search contacts PER WEEK and documenting them thoroughly. When you claim on 9/11, you'll need to enter all 10 work searches (5 for each week). If you don't have them ready, your payment will be delayed. Also, set a calendar reminder for your claiming date. If you miss it, you'll have to call DEO to get permission to claim late, and we all know how impossible it is to reach them by phone.

THE ENTIRE DEO SYSTEM IS TRASH!!!! Been dealing with this garbage for 3 months now and still haven't seen a PENNY!!!! First they said I didn't submit something. Then they said my identity couldn't be verified. Then the CONNECT site locked me out for "security reasons" THREE TIMES!!! Every time I call it's just BUSY BUSY BUSY or it hangs up on me!!! They are 100% DELIBERATELY making this system impossible so people give up. I've spent over 20 HOURS trying to get this fixed!!!!

the biweekly thing confused me too at first! dont worry, its normal. but yea the systems a mess, took me 6 weeks to get my first payment lol. just keep checking your connect inbox for messages everyday cause sometimes they need more info but dont tell you

After dealing with the DEO nightmare for months, I finally found a service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real person at DEO. After weeks of constant busy signals, they connected me to a DEO agent in under 30 minutes. I was skeptical at first, but it seriously works. You can see how it works in their video demo at https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj or just go to claimyr.com. The agent I spoke to fixed my claiming date issue and explained the biweekly system to me properly. Saved me weeks of stress.

I remember when I first filed, I got so confused about the claiming schedule too! My husband and I both filed the same day but somehow ended up with different claim dates. Makes absolutely no sense. I started a notebook just to keep track of all the DEO requirements and dates because there's no way to remember it all. Also, make sure you check your spam folder for DEO emails - they often end up there and then you miss important notices.

To answer your question about what counts as work search activities: 1. Applying for a job (online or in person) 2. Submitting a resume 3. Interviewing for a position 4. Registering with employment agencies/staffing services 5. Attending job fairs 6. Taking pre-employment tests 7. Creating profiles on professional networking sites (like LinkedIn) You need to document the date of contact, method of contact (email, in person, online), business name, person contacted if applicable, and outcome. Keep records of everything in case you're audited. And yes, the first week is never paid in Florida - it's the "waiting week" by design.

I've used Claimyr too after trying for WEEKS to get through to DEO. The regular phone line is absolutely useless - I called over 200 times in one week without getting through. Claimyr got me to an agent who fixed my claiming date issue in about 20 minutes. Definitely worth it when you're desperate. Another tip about the work search requirements - if you're using Employ Florida for your job searches, you can access a record of all your applications in one place, which makes the claiming process much easier. Just make sure you're using the same email address for both your CONNECT and Employ Florida accounts.

I tried that claimyer service cuz i was DESPERATE and it actually worked... got thru to a real person who fixed my account. still think its ridiculous we have to PAY to access our BENEFITS but whatever. FL unemployment system is designed to FAIL!!!

Update: I tried calling the regular DEO number this morning and got disconnected 14 times in a row. This is absolutely ridiculous! I'm going to try that Claimyr service some of you mentioned. I need to get this claiming schedule issue fixed ASAP since I can't afford to wait until 9/11 to start the process. Will let you all know if it works. If anyone has any other suggestions for getting through to DEO, I'm all ears!

Final update: I used Claimyr and actually got through to a real person at DEO! The agent confirmed that the biweekly claiming schedule is normal and my first week is the "waiting week" that doesn't get paid. She also helped me understand the work search requirements better. For anyone else new to this process - make sure you're doing your 5 work searches EACH week, keep detailed records, and set calendar reminders for your claiming dates. The system is still terrible, but at least I understand it a bit better now.