Finally off DEO PUA after being homeless - weird backpay issues now?

First, I'm really sorry you went through that. The base period thing is actually pretty common and confuses a lot of people. Florida uses what's called a 'base period' which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. So depending on exactly when you filed, your base period might not have included those earlier months. You can definitely appeal this though. You need to look at your monetary determination letter (should be in your CONNECT inbox) and check the date range they used for your base period. If you had wages during those missing months that should have been counted, you can request a wage investigation through your CONNECT account. The appeal needs to be filed within 20 calendar days of the determination date!

man i went thru the EXACT same thing last yr. lived in my truck for 3 months bc DEO kept sayin my docs were 'insufficient' or whatever. its BS how they treat ppl. the system is rigged to make u give up. keep fighting!!!

The base period is confusing, but here's how it works: If you filed in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. They don't count the quarter you file in (Jan-Mar 2025) or the quarter right before it (Oct-Dec 2024). So if you were expecting January payment, but they only started paying from June, it could be because: 1. Your wages in those earliest quarters weren't high enough 2. There was a non-monetary eligibility issue (like they questioned if you were laid off vs quit) 3. You need to request an alternative base period if you didn't have enough wages in the standard base period I would definitely appeal this if you believe you qualify for those months. The wage investigation form is under the "Determination, Pending Issue and Decision Summary" section of CONNECT.

Have you tried calling DEO about this? I was in a similar situation (though thankfully not homeless) and after months of getting nowhere with CONNECT, I finally got through to someone who fixed my backpay issue in 10 minutes. But the trick is actually getting through to a real person. I used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a DEO agent in about 20 minutes when I'd spent WEEKS getting busy signals or disconnected. It worked really well - check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj Their website is claimyr.com - they basically call DEO for you and when they get through to an agent, they connect the call to your phone. Saved me so much time and frustration.

the whole base period thing is such NONSENSE. its just their way of not payin u what they owe. my cousin went thru same thing and ended up gettin only half what he shoulda got bcuz he gave up fighting with them. dont let em win!!!!!

I admire your persistence! Most people would have given up. I was denied benefits for 3 months before finally getting approved and that was hard enough - I can't imagine dealing with it while being homeless. DEO has been a mess since the pandemic. One thing that helped me with my backpay issue was contacting my state representative's office. Their constituent services can sometimes cut through DEO red tape faster than we can on our own.

I work as an employment counselor at CareerSource (though not speaking officially). Unfortunately, what you're describing about the base period and backpay is very common. The DEO system is particularly difficult to navigate without proper guidance. Your best bet for resolving this issue is filing an appeal AND requesting a wage investigation simultaneously. Don't wait for one process to complete before starting the other. The appeal deadline is strict - 20 days from determination - but even if you're past that, file anyway and explain the circumstances (homelessness, etc.) as they sometimes make exceptions. For the wage investigation, you'll need to provide proof of employment for those missing months (pay stubs, W2, employer letter). If your former employer has closed, contact the IRS for wage transcripts as supporting documentation. If you qualified for PUA rather than regular state unemployment, different rules may apply to your backpay situation. Be sure to reference your specific program in all communications.

i was homeless too waiting for deo!!! slept in my sisters garage for 2 months. the system is broken!!!! when i finally got my money they shorted me by like $3000 and never explained why. i tried calling but gave up after waiting 2 hours and getting hung up on. twice.

Just want to add - when you're filing your appeal, be VERY specific about why you believe you're entitled to the additional months of backpay. Include dates, your work history, and reference any communications you've had with DEO about this issue. The more specific you are, the better chance you have of success. Also, keep claiming weeks (if your benefit year is still active) while you wait for the appeal to be processed. Appeals can take 30-60 days to be scheduled, but backpay issues are often resolved faster than other types of appeals. And don't forget - if your first-level appeal is denied, you can appeal to the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission (RAAC) for a second review.