DEO claim stuck 'under review' for 5 months - where do chat responses appear?
I'm at my wits' end with this unemployment nightmare. Applied back in November 2024 and here we are in April 2025 - FIVE MONTHS LATER - and my claim still says 'under review' in CONNECT. Not pending adjudication, not awaiting fact finding, just perpetually 'under review'! I've been desperately messaging through that chat feature on the DEO portal at least twice a week, but I swear I have no clue where responses even show up! I've checked everywhere on my account dashboard but don't see any notification area or inbox or anything. Does anyone know where DEO chat responses actually appear? Or are they just sending my messages into a digital black hole? My savings are completely gone and I'm about to lose my apartment next month if this doesn't get resolved soon.
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Mateo Lopez
The chat feature responses usually appear in the 'Correspondence' section of your CONNECT account. Look on the left side menu, click on 'Inbox/Correspondence' and check if there's anything there. But honestly, most people never get responses from the chat function - it's basically useless. Your claim being stuck that long isn't normal though. Have you tried calling the DEO directly? You definitely need to speak with an actual claims specialist at this point.
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CyberNinja
•Thanks! I checked the Correspondence section and there's nothing there from any of my chats. Just the initial determination letter from when I first applied. I've tried calling so many times but either get disconnected immediately or sit on hold for 3+ hours until the office closes. It's maddening!
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Aisha Abdullah
same thing happened 2 my sister... her claim was 'under review' for like 4 months!!! she kept trying 2 chat and call but nobody ever responded. DEO is the worst!!!! 😡
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CyberNinja
•Did she ever get it resolved? What finally worked for her?
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Aisha Abdullah
•ya she got it fixed but only after she went in person to a CareerSource office and they helped her. they called some special number
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Ethan Davis
This is unfortunately common with the DEO system. When a claim is stuck 'under review' for that long, it usually indicates one of three issues: 1. Identity verification problems (have you completed ID.me verification?) 2. Employer response discrepancies (your former employer may have contested something) 3. A system glitch that has your claim in limbo The chat feature rarely works - I've never seen anyone actually get a response through it. At this point, you need to: 1. Email DEO.Feedback@deo.myflorida.com with your claimant ID, last 4 of SSN, and a brief explanation of your situation 2. Contact your state representative's office - they have liaisons who can escalate cases 3. Try calling right when they open at 7:30 AM (this sometimes works better) Don't give up! The system is frustrating but persistence eventually pays off.
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CyberNinja
•Thank you for the detailed advice! I did complete ID.me verification back when I first applied, and got the email confirmation that it was successful. I'll definitely try emailing that address and contacting my state rep's office. I didn't know about the 7:30am opening time - I've been calling at 8am. I'll try earlier tomorrow.
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Yuki Tanaka
I went through something similar last year but mine said "pending adjudication" instead of under review. So frustrating! Sending support your way.
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Carmen Ortiz
THE DEO SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! They WANT you to stop trying so they don't have to pay benefits!!!! I've been through this NIGHTMARE 3 times now and every time it's the same garbage. Chat messages go NOWHERE. Phone calls go NOWHERE. Emails go NOWHERE. The entire system is BROKEN BY DESIGN!!!!! The ONLY way I finally got someone was by filing a complaint with the state ombudsman AND contacting my state senator's office. Even then it took another 3 weeks. And guess what? When it finally processed they owed me $4,750 in back payments!!!!
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MidnightRider
•While I understand your frustration, the system isn't actually designed to make people give up. It's just severely understaffed and running on outdated technology. The CONNECT system was implemented in 2013 and hasn't been properly updated since. DEO only has about 1 claims specialist for every 7,000 active claims. That said, contacting your state representative or senator is definitely good advice. They can often get things moving when nothing else works.
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Andre Laurent
After dealing with DEO for three months trying to reach someone about my adjudication, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to an agent. It basically calls DEO for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent picks up. Saved me HOURS of frustration. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent I spoke with told me they never even check the chat messages most of the time because they're so backed up. She was able to see my claim was stuck because of a "system flag" that needed manual review, and she sent it to a supervisor while I was on the phone. Got my determination letter a week later.
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CyberNinja
•Thank you for sharing this! I've never heard of this service before. Did it take long to get through? At this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved.
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Andre Laurent
•It took about 45 minutes for me to get connected to an agent, which was WAY better than the 3+ hours I spent previously trying to get through on my own (and usually getting disconnected). The agent I spoke with was actually super helpful once I explained how long I'd been waiting.
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Aisha Abdullah
does ur claim say monetarily ineligible or anything else besides under review?
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CyberNinja
•No, it just says 'under review' - it shows my weekly benefit amount would be $325 if approved, so I don't think I'm monetarily ineligible. There's no explanation of what they're reviewing or what documentation they need from me.
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MidnightRider
It sounds like your claim might be stuck in what's called 'automated adjudication limbo.' This happens when the system flags something that requires manual review, but it never gets assigned to an adjudicator. Some things you should check: 1. Log into CONNECT and look for any 'Fact Finding' questionnaires that might be incomplete 2. Check if there are any 'Pending Issues' listed on your claim summary page 3. Verify that all your work search records are properly submitted (though this usually wouldn't hold up initial processing) As others have mentioned, the chat feature is rarely monitored. Responses, if they ever come, would appear in your CONNECT inbox/correspondence section. Your best options at this point are: - Call DEO directly at 833-FL-APPLY (833-352-7759) - Reach out to your state representative/senator's office - Contact a CareerSource Florida center for in-person assistance Keep claiming your weeks even while waiting for the review to complete. If approved, you'll receive all eligible back payments.
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CyberNinja
•Thank you - this is really helpful. I just double-checked and there are no fact finding questionnaires showing up, and no pending issues listed either. I've been faithfully submitting my work search records every two weeks even though I'm not getting paid. I'll try calling again tomorrow and will also reach out to my state rep's office.
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Yuki Tanaka
Sorry you're going through this. The system is so broken.
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Mateo Lopez
After 5 months, this definitely needs escalation beyond regular channels. While you're trying the other suggestions, also submit a complaint through the Florida CFO's Division of Consumer Services: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/ They have a specific category for DEO issues, and in my experience, filing a complaint there often gets faster action than going through DEO directly. They're required to respond to these complaints within a certain timeframe. Also, be sure to have all this information ready when you do reach someone: - Your claimant ID number - The exact date you filed your initial claim - Names and contact info for all employers in your base period - Any confirmation numbers from communications you've sent - Screenshot showing your claim status Good luck - keep us posted!
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CyberNinja
•Thank you for the CFO link - I didn't know about that option! I'll definitely try that route too. I've been keeping detailed notes of all my attempts to contact them and have screenshots of everything, so I should be prepared when I finally reach someone.
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