DEO keeps hanging up when I call - impossible to reach a real person!

The DEO phone system is completely broken by design. I spent TWO WEEKS calling 30+ times a day before finally getting through. The trick that worked for me was calling exactly at 7:29am (right before they officially open) and immediately selecting the options to speak to someone about an existing claim. Even then it took 5 attempts that morning. Their system is deliberately set up to prevent people from getting help - they'd rather we just give up. If you have a pending adjudication issue, you absolutely need to speak with someone though.

OMG SAME!!!! i've called like 50 times this week 😡😡😡 the system is such garbage. my neighbor said her cousin got through by selecting spanish option even tho she doesnt speak it and then just asked for english rep when someone answered lol might try that tomorrow

I'm a former DEO contractor, and I can tell you the phone system is overwhelmed because they cut staff by 60% since the pandemic while claim volume is still high. Your best approach is multi-pronged: 1) Keep calling, but focus on Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30-11:45am when call volume typically dips a bit. 2) Send a detailed message through your CONNECT portal (on the left menu there's a "Contact Us" option). 3) Email your state representative - they have special channels to escalate claims issues and can often get results in 7-10 days. 4) Visit a CareerSource center in person if possible - they have direct lines to DEO specialists. The 3-week pending status usually means you have an adjudication issue that requires human review. This could be wage verification, separation reason, or availability questions.

Stop wasting your time with the regular phone line. After 2 months of trying, I used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a DEO agent in less than 20 minutes. It basically keeps dialing for you until it gets through their system. Saved my sanity. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj The agent I spoke with was able to see that my claim had been flagged for employment verification but no one had actually reviewed it yet. She pushed it through to adjudication while I was on the phone.

@SketchyClaimer It is legit - I had the same concern at first. But I was missing payments for 9 weeks and was about to be evicted. The service just handles the calling part, then connects you directly to the actual DEO agents. The agents work for the state, not the service. I was desperate enough to try anything after not being able to reach anyone for weeks.

the deo is a complete joke lol. they hung up on me 67 TIMES (yes i counted) before i finally got someone. and then that person transferred me and i got disconnected again!! waste of taxpayer dollars if you ask me

Have you checked if there's a fact-finding questionnaire in your CONNECT inbox that needs to be completed? Sometimes claims get stuck in pending because they're waiting for you to submit something, but the system doesn't notify you properly. I thought my claim was just "pending" for no reason, but when I clicked on "Inbox" in CONNECT, there was a questionnaire about my last employer that had been sitting there for 2 weeks.

This happened to me too! The calling thing is so frustrating. When I couldn't get through I went to my local CareerSource office in person (they're partners with DEO) and the staff there helped me figure out the issue with my claim. They couldn't fix it directly but they have a special email address they can send urgent issues to. Might be worth trying if you have one nearby.

I just walked in, but this was at the Hialeah location. You might want to call ahead to check if your local office requires appointments. They were actually super helpful and way nicer than I expected!

After literally hundreds of call attempts over several weeks, I finally got through to DEO yesterday. The agent told me they're having major staffing shortages and their call system can only queue a maximum of 1,000 calls at once - so once that fills up (which happens within minutes of opening), everyone else gets the auto-disconnect message. If your claim is still pending after 3+ weeks, there's definitely an issue that requires manual review. Common holdups include: - Employer dispute about reason for separation - Income verification discrepancies - Work search requirement issues - Previous overpayment flags - Identity verification problems Check your determination status in CONNECT by clicking on "View and Maintain Account Information" and then "Determinations and Pending Issues." This might give you more info.

The "able and available" adjudication is very common. This typically means they need to verify that you're able to work and available for work. It could be triggered by something in your application responses, like if you indicated you had transportation limitations, childcare issues, or are only available for certain shifts. This type of adjudication usually requires an adjudicator to contact you for clarification, which is why you need to get through to someone. While waiting, make sure you continue claiming your weeks and completing all work search requirements. If approved, you'll receive backpay for all eligible weeks.