Finally got through to DEO adjudication after 9 weeks - my experience and what worked

i was stuck in adjudcation for 7 wks bcuz my employer contested my claim.....nobody could help me until i figured out the trick. you gotta call RIGHT when they open at 7:30am and then when the auto system asks why ur calling, say 'payment issues' NOT 'claim status'!! that routes u 2 diff ppl. still took me like 8 tries but i finally got thru to someone who could actually see the adjudication notes and resolve it right there. got my $$ 2 days later.

Thank you!! I've been selecting 'claim status' every time. Will definitely try the 'payment issues' option tomorrow morning right at 7:30. Did you have to say anything specific once you got through to get them to actually help instead of just telling you to wait?

There is NO direct line to adjudication, that's the frustrating truth. They operate in their own separate universe and regular DEO reps can't transfer you to them. I waited 11 weeks with NO communication until one day my status just changed to 'eligible'. The system is BROKEN BY DESIGN!!! They hope people give up so they don't have to pay benefits. That's the real Florida DEO strategy.

11 weeks is insane! I'm afraid you might be right about the system being designed to make people give up. I've already spent so many hours on hold that I could've worked a part-time job in that time. It's so demoralizing.

I work as an employment attorney who handles many DEO cases, and I can clarify a few things about the adjudication department. They're not set up to take direct calls - they review claims based on a queue system, and they generally work on fact-finding for specific eligibility issues.\n\nYour best approach is to:\n\n1. Check your CONNECT account for any pending fact-finding questionnaires you need to complete\n2. Upload any supporting documentation through the CONNECT portal (separation notices, medical documentation, etc.)\n3. If your issue is urgent (eviction risk), you can request an expedited review by providing documentation of hardship\n4. Contact your state representative's office - they have special channels to DEO for constituent services\n\nWhile waiting, continue claiming weeks as scheduled to prevent further delays once your issue is resolved.

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I've already uploaded all my documentation and completed every questionnaire in CONNECT. My state rep's office took my info 3 weeks ago but I haven't heard anything back. Is there anything specific I should say when I call them again to make sure they actually escalate my case?

After trying everything for weeks I finally found a service called Claimyr that actually worked for me. It's basically a system that calls DEO for you and when they get through, it connects you with the agent. I was skeptical but desperate and it worked! Got through to a specialist who was able to see my adjudication notes and tell me exactly what was happening. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj if you want to see how it works. Their website is claimyr.com. It's way better than wasting hours hitting redial or getting hung up on by the automated system.

I just checked out that Claimyr service and I'm really curious - did the agent you reached have the authority to make decisions on your claim? Or were they just a regular DEO rep? I'm trying to understand if this service actually gets you to someone who can resolve adjudication issues or just saves you time getting to the same people who say they can't help.

They got me to a tier 2 agent who could see all my adjudication notes - she couldn't instantly approve my claim but she added urgent notes to my file and explained exactly what was causing the delay (missing employer response). My claim was approved 3 days later. So definitely better than the regular frontline reps who just tell you to wait!

I'm dealing with the same thing right now! 5 weeks in adjudication because I accidentally entered the wrong last day of work (was off by ONE day) and now they're investigating like I committed fraud or something. This whole system makes me want to scream.

That type of date discrepancy is actually a very common issue. It typically triggers an automated flag in the system, but shouldn't cause a prolonged investigation. For these cases, I recommend uploading a signed statement to CONNECT explaining the error was unintentional along with any documentation showing your actual last day worked (final paystub, separation notice, etc.). These small discrepancies are usually resolved quickly once proper documentation is provided.

Thank you so much! I didn't realize I could upload a statement explaining the mistake. Going to do that right now!

Did anyone try contacting DEO through their legislative office? My sister was stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks, then she contacted our state senator's office. They have a special email address just for DEO issues. She got a call from a DEO supervisor 2 days later and her claim was fixed. Worth trying!

I tried my state representative's office 3 weeks ago but haven't heard anything. Maybe a state senator would be more effective? Do you happen to know which email address your sister used?

She contacted Senator Garcia's office (not sure which district you're in). Each office has their own constituent services team. I'd try both your rep AND senator - sometimes one office is more responsive than the other. She had to fill out a consent form allowing them to inquire about her claim. Good luck!!

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to try contacting my state senator's office tomorrow morning. At this point I'm willing to try anything.

After dealing with Florida's unemployment system for years, here's what actually works for adjudication issues:\n\n1. Call at exactly 7:30am when they open\n2. When prompted for why you're calling, say \

This is incredibly helpful advice - thank you! I'm definitely going to use that specific terminology when I call tomorrow morning. I've been too vague when asking for help. When you ask for a supervisor, do they usually transfer you or give you pushback?

They'll often initially say supervisors aren't available, but if you calmly explain that you've been waiting X weeks and are facing specific hardships, they usually relent. The key phrase that often works is: \

Perfect - writing down this exact phrasing now. Thank you so much for the insider perspective!

update: I tried calling this morning using the

That's excellent news! \

thank u! just checked and nothing new in my inbox yet but will keep refreshing. the rep said if approved I'll get all 9 weeks backpay at once!! hoping my claim finally moves from pending to eligible soon!!! 🤞

I'm so glad to see people sharing what actually works! I've been lurking here for weeks reading everyone's experiences while my own claim sits in adjudication hell. @c43714aed98c your update gives me hope - I'm going to try the "payment issues" route first thing tomorrow morning at 7:30am. @fa0691986852 thank you for that detailed script, I'm writing it down word for word. And @f52366f8c41d the advice about contacting state reps is something I hadn't considered. It's crazy that we have to become experts in gaming the system just to get basic help, but I really appreciate everyone sharing their hard-won knowledge. This community has been a lifesaver during this nightmare process!

This is exactly what I needed to see right now! I'm on week 6 of adjudication and was starting to lose hope. @c43714aed98c congratulations on getting through - the "payment issues" tip is genius and I'm definitely trying that tomorrow at 7:30am sharp. @fa0691986852 that script about escalating hardship is gold, thank you for sharing the specific language that works. @f52366f8c41d your legal perspective really helps explain why the system works the way it does, even if it's frustrating. I've been calling randomly throughout the day but clearly timing and word choice matter way more than I realized. Going to contact my state senator's office too based on @dd3d070ae4f8's success story. It's sad that we have to jump through all these hoops, but I'm grateful this community exists to share what actually works. Will report back after I try these strategies!