DEO says I'm ineligible after $0 balance - where's my next tier of benefits?
I'm completely lost with my unemployment situation. I've been claiming for about 4 months, and my regular balance finally hit $0 last week. With all the talk about extensions being approved through September 2025, I thought I'd automatically roll over to the next tier of benefits. But when I logged into CONNECT today, it just says 'ineligible' on my claim status! No explanation, no message, nothing. Has anyone else had this happen? I thought the system was supposed to automatically put you on the extension when your regular benefits run out? Did I miss something I needed to apply for separately? I'm supposed to pay rent next week and now I'm freaking out!
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Madison Tipne
This happened to me too. The system doesn't automatically roll you over to extensions anymore like it did during COVID. You have to apply for what's called 'Extended Benefits' (EB) by going to your CONNECT homepage and clicking on 'File a New Application' (not claim week). It should be listed as an option there. The DEO has to manually review these applications which is why it doesn't happen automatically. Make sure you keep claiming your weeks though, even with the 'ineligible' status showing.
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Finley Garrett
•Oh thank you!! I was so worried. I'll try that right now. Should I backdate the application to when my benefits ran out or just use today's date?
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Holly Lascelles
welcome to florida unemployment lol they do this 2 everyone. its like they WANT u to give up & stop claiming! my sister in law had the same thing and she had to call like 30 times to get it fixed.
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Finley Garrett
•30 times??? I've already tried calling 5-6 times and never got through. Just automated messages and disconnects. This is ridiculous!
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Malia Ponder
THEY ARE DELIBERATELY MAKING IT HARD TO CLAIM!!! This is exactly what DEO does - they wait until your balance hits zero, then mark you ineligible hoping you'll just give up and go away. I've been through this TWICE now. You need to call them and specifically ask for a "benefit year extension review" but GOOD LUCK getting through to an actual human being. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone.
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Kyle Wallace
•I had the same frustration trying to call DEO about my adjudication issue. What worked for me was using Claimyr - it's a service that basically calls DEO for you and gets you in the callback queue. I was skeptical but it actually worked - got a call back from a DEO agent in about 45 minutes. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. Definitely worth it rather than wasting days trying to get through yourself.
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Ryder Ross
This literally happened to my cousin last month! Different issue though - she got the ineligible notice because she didn't complete her ID.me verification in time. Have you done that part yet?
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Finley Garrett
•I completed ID.me verification months ago when I first applied. My identity isn't the issue - I think it's really about the extension not happening automatically.
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Gianni Serpent
Not trying to be a downer, but are you sure you actually qualify for the extension? Not everyone does. The extensions are only for people who meet certain criteria like having earned enough in their base period or being in a high unemployment area. Did you get a determination letter via email or in your CONNECT inbox?
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Finley Garrett
•No determination letter at all! That's what's frustrating. It just changed from active to ineligible overnight with no explanation. I definitely meet the earnings requirements - I worked full-time for 3 years before being laid off.
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Kyle Wallace
I work with a non-profit that helps people navigate unemployment issues, and here's what's likely happening: When your regular Reemployment Assistance (RA) benefits exhaust, the system doesn't automatically enroll you in Extended Benefits anymore. This is different from how it worked during the pandemic. Here's what you need to do: 1. Log into CONNECT 2. Click on "File a New Application" (not claim weeks) 3. Select "Extended Benefits Application" 4. Complete all required sections 5. Continue claiming weeks even while showing as ineligible There's a processing delay of about 1-2 weeks for extension applications. If your application is approved, you'll receive backpay for any weeks you properly claimed during the waiting period. If you don't see the Extended Benefits option, it could mean your claim needs manual review - in that case, you definitely need to speak with a DEO agent.
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Finley Garrett
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! I looked for the "Extended Benefits Application" option but I don't see it anywhere in my CONNECT account. I guess I do need to speak with someone directly. I'll try calling again tomorrow morning.
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Henry Delgado
i had this exact problem in january!! it showed ineligible because there was an issue with my work search requirements from 2 weeks ago that triggered a review. check if you have any "fact findings" or pending issues in your account. mine got fixed after i submitted the missing work search info.
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Finley Garrett
•Just checked and I don't see any fact findings or pending issues listed. I've been super careful about submitting all 5 work searches each week. Thanks for the suggestion though!
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Madison Tipne
UPDATE: Just wanted to check if you were able to resolve this? Did you end up getting through to someone at DEO or find the extension application?
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Finley Garrett
•I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above to get through to DEO. The agent told me there was a system flag on my account because my previous employer contested my original claim (which was already resolved months ago!). She removed the flag and manually processed my extension application. My status is back to active now with a new benefit balance! What a relief. The agent also mentioned there's a known glitch in CONNECT where old resolved issues can suddenly reappear when transitioning to extended benefits. Apparently it's happening to a lot of people.
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