DEO phone system transferred me to wrong department after hours of waiting - what gives?!

OMG SAME!!! I've been dealing with this for 4 days straight. One time I waited 2hrs 45min just to get someone who said

It's the worst! What really gets me is they act like WE'RE the problem for being frustrated. My rent is due in 5 days and I need this resolved. Did you ever manage to get through to someone who could actually help?

The DEO phone system is deliberately set up to frustrate claimants. This is what I've learned after dealing with them for months: 1) The automated system has options that don't match actual departments 2) Many agents aren't cross-trained between departments 3) Some departments are severely understaffed 4) The best time to call is exactly at 7:30am when they open 5) Always ask for a 'claim specific agent' or 'adjudication department' specifically They're hoping you'll give up. DON'T. Keep calling and document every call (time, date, agent name if they'll give it). This can help later if you need to escalate.

This is actually super helpful, thank you! Do you know if there's a direct number to reach adjudication? My claim has been pending for about a month with no movement and I'm getting desperate. Also - how do you even know if you're talking to the right department when they answer? They all just say

I worked in a call center (not DEO) and can explain what's happening. They have different

That makes sense about the different queues. The frustrating part is spending hours trying to get through only to be told to call back. Why can't they transfer me internally to the right department instead of making me start over? It feels intentionally difficult.

After 2 weeks of calling DEO with the same problem (getting transferred to useless departments), I tried Claimyr and got through to an actual adjudicator in 30 minutes. It's a service that calls DEO for you and connects you when they get through. Saved me literally days of frustration. Check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj and website claimyr.com. Hate having to pay for something that should be free, but my sanity was worth it after all the run-around.

is this legit? sounds kinda sketchy to me. how does it even work?

Yeah, it's legitimate. They basically use an automated system to keep calling DEO until they get through, then they call you and connect you to the agent. I was skeptical too, but I was desperate after two weeks of trying. The important thing is that they got me to someone who could actually see my claim and fix the hold on my account.

tip for next time - when u get the first menu press 5 for

Thanks for this! I'll try those exact menu options tomorrow. Definitely avoiding Monday calls from now on too - learned that lesson the hard way!

I'll also add this - if you do get someone who can't help, don't hang up immediately. Politely but firmly ask them: 1.

I tried asking for a transfer today and the rep claimed

It's partly true but mostly an excuse. Their phone system CAN transfer between some departments but not all. It depends on which queue the agent is working in. Supervisors definitely have more transfer abilities than regular agents. If they say they can't transfer you, ask to speak to a supervisor - sometimes that works.

heard from my friend who works at deo that they're having MAJOR computer issues this week!! something about a system update gone wrong. might explain some of the extra chaos lately

great... as if the system wasnt already bad enough now we have to deal with 'updates' making it worse lol

For anyone dealing with this issue, another approach is to contact your state representative's office. They have special liaisons who can escalate claims with DEO. I was getting nowhere with phone calls for weeks, but my state rep's office got my issue resolved in 3 days. Google

I did this last year and it worked! My state rep's assistant was amazing. She called me back within a day and had DEO call me directly the next morning. Definitely worth trying if you're stuck in the phone system hell.

Update: Finally got through to someone helpful today! For anyone with similar issues, here's what worked: called at exactly 7:30am, selected option 5 then 2 like someone suggested above, and specifically asked for the

Great news! This is exactly why persistence matters with DEO. So many claims get stuck on simple issues that could be fixed in minutes if you can just reach the right person. Make sure you check your CONNECT inbox daily for the next week in case they need any additional info.

Wow, reading through everyone's experiences here really shows how broken the DEO system is. I'm dealing with something similar - been trying to reach someone about my claim status for over a week now. The automated system keeps hanging up on me after I make my selections, and when I do get through, I get transferred to departments that can't access my account. It's like they designed this system to make us give up. Thanks for sharing all these tips about timing, menu options, and alternative approaches. Going to try the 7:30am call with the 5-2 option sequence tomorrow. Really appreciate this community helping each other navigate this mess!