DEO keeps hanging up when I call - what's the trick to actually reach a human?

This is unfortunately standard operating procedure with DEO lately. Their phone system automatically disconnects callers when they have too many people in queue. I had the exact same issue when my claim went into adjudication last month. What worked for me was using Claimyr.com - it's a service that basically keeps dialing for you until it gets through to a real person at DEO. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. It got me through to an agent in about 45 minutes when I'd been trying unsuccessfully for weeks on my own.

Really? I've never heard of this before. Is it legit? I'm desperate at this point so I'll try anything but I'm also worried about getting scammed.

THEY ALL DO THIS!!! The entire system is designed to frustrate people until they give up. I spent TWO MONTHS trying to reach someone about my locked account last year. The trick that finally worked for me was emailing Commissioner's.Office@deo.myflorida.com with

I tried that email approach and got nothing back. It's like they just ignore whatever they want. DEO is the worst run govt agency I've ever dealt with.

hey have u tried the website chat? sometimes its faster then calling

I didn't even know there was a chat option! Where exactly do I find that on the CONNECT site? I've been all over it and didn't see any chat feature.

As someone who used to work with the DEO system, let me explain what's happening. Their phone system has capacity limits, and when they reach them, new calls get that automatic disconnect. The best times to call are Tuesday-Thursday between 8:15-8:45am or 4:15-4:45pm. Avoid Mondays and Fridays completely as those are their highest volume days. \n\nAlso, when your benefits stop suddenly, it's typically for one of these reasons:\n1. Your claim weeks weren't properly claimed\n2. Your work search requirements weren't met (5 activities per week)\n3. There's an identity verification issue\n4. Your account has a pending adjudication issue\n\nCheck your CONNECT inbox for any messages requiring a response. If nothing's there, you definitely need to speak with an agent. The email method mentioned above can work, but include your full name, claimant ID, last 4 of SSN, and a clear description of the issue.

Thank you for such a detailed response! I've checked CONNECT and there's no messages or alerts showing up, which is why I'm so confused. I've been claiming my weeks regularly with all 5 work searches. I'll try calling during those specific time windows tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll try both the email and that Claimyr service. At this point I just need to speak to SOMEONE.

My sister had the same issue last month when they randomly stopped her payments. She said she kept hitting 2 and then 4 in the phone menu instead of whatever the normal options are and somehow that got her to a different department who then transferred her to the right place. worth trying maybe?

LOL that's not how their phone system works AT ALL. There's no magic button combination that gets you through. If there was don't you think everyone would be using it? The system is BROKEN BY DESIGN.

Just following up - were you able to get through using any of the methods suggested here? The sudden benefit stoppage without notification is unfortunately common and can be caused by various flags in the system. Did you have any employer contacts recently that might have triggered an issue?

Update: I tried the specific call times suggested above for two days with no luck. Finally used the Claimyr service yesterday and got through to someone in about an hour! Turns out they had an \

Im having the exact same problem right now! Been calling for 2 weeks and cant get anything but hangups. My account says \

\

anyone else notice how its always right after u claim weeks that u need to talk to someone? its like they know ur desperate an thats when they make sure no one answers lol

100% THIS!!!! They do it deliberately I'm convinced. Same thing happened to me three times in a row. The whole system is rigged against us.

I've been dealing with DEO for years and here's what I've learned: the phone system is genuinely overwhelmed, but there are patterns you can exploit. Try calling exactly at 8:00 AM on Tuesday or Wednesday - not 8:01, but right at 8:00. Also, if you get the busy signal, hang up immediately and redial within 10 seconds. Sometimes you can catch a slot that just opened up. Another tip - try calling the Reemployment Assistance Appeals office at 850-487-2685. They can't handle benefit issues directly, but they can sometimes transfer you to the right department and those transfers often bypass the queue system. I know it's frustrating but don't give up - I've seen too many people lose benefits simply because they stopped trying to get through.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to reach DEO for over a week about my claim that went into "pending" status with no explanation. The constant hangups are maddening - it's like they don't want us to actually get help. I tried the Claimyr service someone mentioned and it's legit, but there's a small fee involved. Worth it though if you're desperate like I am. Also found out from a friend who works at a local workforce center that DEO has been having major system issues lately that they're not publicly announcing. Apparently there's some kind of software update causing problems with benefit payments. She suggested trying to visit a CareerSource office in person - they can sometimes make direct calls to DEO on your behalf and get through faster than we can calling ourselves. The one near me is at 1775 S Semoran Blvd if you're in the Orlando area. Hang in there - I know how stressful this is when bills are due!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - I know exactly how frustrating and scary it is when your benefits just stop with no warning! I went through something similar about 6 months ago and it took me nearly 3 weeks to get it resolved. The hanging up thing is absolutely maddening and unfortunately very common right now. A few things that helped me: First, try using the "forgot PIN" option in the phone menu - sometimes this routes you to a different queue that's less busy. Second, if you have access to a fax machine, try faxing your issue to 850-921-3292 with your full details. It's old school but sometimes gets faster response than calling. Third, document EVERYTHING - screenshot your CONNECT account showing no messages, keep records of every call attempt with times/dates. If this goes on much longer, you may need to contact your state representative's office - they have a direct line to DEO and can often resolve issues within days. Also check if there are any "identity verification" requirements hiding in your account that might not be showing up as alerts. Sometimes these get buried in the system. Hang in there - you WILL get this resolved, even though it feels impossible right now. The system is broken but there are ways through it if you keep trying different approaches.

I feel your pain - this exact same thing happened to me about two months ago and I was pulling my hair out! The automatic hangups are absolutely infuriating, especially when you're stressed about bills. Here's what finally worked for me after weeks of trying everything: 1. Call the Tallahassee office directly at 850-245-7105 instead of the main 1-800 number. This line seems to have less traffic and I got through on my third try. 2. If you're still getting hangups, try calling your local state representative's office. I contacted mine through their website and they have staff specifically trained to help with DEO issues. They got my case resolved in 4 business days after I'd been trying for weeks on my own. 3. Document everything like others have said, but also check your bank account/payment method. Sometimes there are issues on the payment processing side that don't show up in CONNECT but cause the sudden stops. The whole system is a nightmare but don't give up. Your benefits are owed to you and there ARE people who can help, you just have to find the right pathway to reach them. I know how scary it is when rent is due - you're going to get through this! Keep us posted on what works for you.

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to reach DEO for over two weeks about my benefits that suddenly stopped with zero explanation. The constant hangups are beyond frustrating - it's like they've designed the system to make us give up. I've tried calling at different times of day, using the CONNECT website, and even looked for that chat feature someone mentioned (couldn't find it anywhere). What's really getting to me is that my CONNECT account shows absolutely nothing - no pending issues, no messages, no alerts. It's like my claim just disappeared into thin air. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying. It sounds like this is happening to a lot of people right now. I'm definitely going to try some of these suggestions - especially that Tallahassee direct number and the CareerSource office idea. Has anyone had luck with contacting their local state representative's office? I'm willing to try anything at this point. The stress of not knowing when (or if) my benefits will resume while bills keep piling up is honestly making me sick. Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences and tips - it helps to know I'm not alone in this mess, even though I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone.

This thread has been so helpful - I'm bookmarking it for future reference! I went through this exact nightmare about 4 months ago when my benefits suddenly stopped. After reading everyone's experiences here, I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me: try calling right at 12:00 PM (noon) on Wednesdays. I know it sounds random, but I noticed their system seemed to have fewer people trying during the lunch hour midweek. Also, for anyone still struggling, there's a Facebook group called "Florida DEO Unemployment Help" where people share real-time updates about which numbers are working and what wait times look like. Sometimes members will post when they just got through so others can try the same approach. The most important thing is DON'T GIVE UP. I know it feels hopeless when you're hitting wall after wall, but I've yet to see a legitimate claim that didn't eventually get resolved once someone was able to speak to an actual human. The system is absolutely broken and it's not your fault. Keep trying different approaches and document everything. You've got this!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's absolutely maddening! I've been trying to reach DEO for 5 days straight about my benefits that just stopped without any warning or explanation. The automatic hangups are the worst part - you get your hopes up that maybe this time you'll get through, then CLICK, disconnected again. Reading through all these responses has been both helpful and eye-opening. I had no idea so many people were dealing with this same issue. It really does seem like the system is designed to frustrate us into giving up. I'm definitely going to try several of the suggestions here: 1. That Tallahassee direct line (850-245-7105) instead of the main number 2. The Claimyr service that a few people mentioned 3. Visiting my local CareerSource office to see if they can call on my behalf 4. Contacting my state representative's office The stress of not knowing when my benefits will resume while my bills keep coming is honestly affecting my sleep and mental health. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - it helps so much to know I'm not alone in this nightmare, even though I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone. I'll definitely post an update if any of these methods work for me!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - I know exactly how frustrating and scary it is! I went through the exact same thing about 6 weeks ago when my benefits just stopped with no explanation. The constant hangups made me feel like I was going crazy. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used the Claimyr service (which is legitimate - took about 2 hours to get through) AND I emailed my state senator's office through their website. The senator's staff actually got back to me within 2 days and had someone from DEO call me directly within a week. Turns out there was a "system flag" on my account that wasn't showing up anywhere in CONNECT - apparently this has been happening to tons of people lately due to some backend system changes they're not telling anyone about. In the meantime, document EVERYTHING - screenshot your CONNECT account showing no pending issues, keep a log of all your call attempts with times/dates. If you end up needing to escalate further, having that documentation really helps. Also, check if your local library has computers you can use to access CONNECT if you need to - sometimes the website works better on different devices/networks. I know how overwhelming this feels when bills are due, but don't give up. You WILL get through to someone eventually and get this sorted out!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now and it's absolutely infuriating! Been trying to reach DEO for over a week about my claim that suddenly went into "pending" status with zero explanation. The constant hangups feel like psychological torture at this point. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though - I had no idea there were so many alternative approaches. I'm definitely going to try that Tallahassee direct line (850-245-7105) tomorrow morning and look into the Claimyr service. The fact that multiple people have confirmed it's legitimate makes me feel better about trying it. What really gets me is how they can just stop people's benefits without any notification or clear path to resolution. It's like they're banking on us giving up out of frustration. The stress of bills piling up while you can't even talk to a human being is unreal. Thank you to everyone sharing their success stories and tips - it gives me hope that there actually are ways through this broken system. I'll definitely post an update once I try some of these methods. Solidarity to everyone else going through this nightmare right now!