Just discovered EmployFlorida registration requirement holding up my DEO payments since March

Yup, that's standard. You always have to register with EmployFlorida. It's been a requirement for years, but they do a terrible job of making it clear. I remember when I filed in 2023, there was like ONE tiny mention of it buried in page 7 of some document they expect you to read. The CONNECT system should really have big flashing letters saying "GO REGISTER WITH EMPLOYFLORIDA OR YOU WON'T GET PAID!!!

This is definitely not new - registering with EmployFlorida has been a requirement for regular unemployment benefits in Florida for many years. It's part of proving you're available for and seeking work. You need to: 1. Create a complete profile on EmployFlorida.com 2. Upload or create a resume 3. Complete the initial skills assessment 4. Use the system to document your 5 required work searches per week Once you complete this, contact DEO again and ask them to check if your EmployFlorida registration is properly linked to your CONNECT account. Sometimes there's a system error where they don't properly communicate.

OMG THIS HAPPENED TO ME TOO!!! My claim was stuck for 5 weeks and it was because of the EmployFlorida thing! I was so mad because nowhere in CONNECT did it tell me to do this!! When I finally found out and registered, my payments started processing within 3 days. The whole system is designed to make people give up I swear.

I had to call them after registering to let them know. The system doesn't automatically update right away.

To add a bit more detail: The EmployFlorida registration requirement is actually mentioned during the CONNECT application process, but it's easy to miss. It's in the acknowledgment section where there are about 10-12 checkboxes. One of them states you'll register with EmployFlorida, but most people click through without reading carefully. Once you complete your EmployFlorida registration, you should: 1. Take a screenshot of your completed profile 2. Call DEO to notify them (good luck getting through) 3. Ask the rep to verify the link between systems 4. Request they clear the pending issue flag If you're having trouble reaching DEO by phone, I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes after trying for weeks on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. Definitely worth it to avoid weeks more waiting.

the deo is always pulling this kinda stuff. they WANT us to miss steps so they dont have to pay. i bet that employflorida thing is buried somewhere in the fine print. my sister had same issue last yr and missed 2 months of payments. she had to fax them (yes FAX in 2025!!) proof she registered before they fixed it. system is rigged!!!

Same exact thing happened to me! I ended up having to drive to a CareerSource office in person to get help with the EmployFlorida registration. The lady there told me they see people with this problem literally every day. She said almost 40% of the people who come in are there because their benefits are held up due to EmployFlorida registration issues. It's like DEO and EmployFlorida don't even talk to each other.

wait do u have to register with employflorida if ur on temporary layoff? my boss said ill be back in 6 weeks so idk if this applies to me

After I registered with EmployFlorida I still had to wait like 3 weeks before someone at DEO manually cleared the hold on my account. Just registering doesn't automatically fix it in my experience. You really have to stay on top of them!

For anyone else with this issue - make sure you complete ALL parts of the EmployFlorida registration: 1. Basic profile with contact info 2. Work history (similar to your CONNECT application) 3. Skills assessment (at least the initial one) 4. Background information section 5. Resume upload or creation Missing any of these can result in your registration being considered incomplete, which won't resolve the pending issue in CONNECT.

This is exactly why I think Florida's unemployment system is intentionally confusing. I went through something similar last year - had to register with EmployFlorida but nobody told me about the skills assessment part. I thought just creating an account was enough! Ended up waiting 6 weeks for payments because my "registration" was incomplete. The worst part is when you call DEO, half the reps don't even know what EmployFlorida is or how the systems connect. It's like they're designed to fail people. Really glad you finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Filed my claim on March 28th and have been stuck in "pending" hell ever since. Like you, I've been calling constantly with no luck getting through to anyone who could tell me what was wrong. This thread is the first time I'm hearing about EmployFlorida registration being required - it's absolutely ridiculous that this isn't made crystal clear during the CONNECT application process. I'm heading to the EmployFlorida website right now to get registered and complete everything everyone mentioned (profile, resume, skills assessment, the works). Thank you so much for posting this - you probably just saved me weeks more of waiting and frustration. The fact that so many people are dealing with this same hidden requirement shows how broken the system really is. Going to bookmark this thread for reference when I have to call DEO back after registering!

This is absolutely maddening! I'm a new filer (just submitted my claim last week) and reading through all of these experiences has me terrified that I'm going to run into the same wall. I had NO IDEA about the EmployFlorida requirement - like everyone else here, there was nothing obvious in the CONNECT application that made this seem urgent or mandatory. I'm registering right now before I even wait to see if there's a problem with my claim. It's honestly shocking how many people are getting trapped by this same hidden requirement. The fact that DEO reps themselves don't always know about the connection between the systems is just beyond comprehension. How is this legal?? They're essentially withholding benefits because of a registration requirement that they barely mention and certainly don't emphasize. Going to complete the full EmployFlorida registration today (profile, resume, skills assessment, work history - everything mentioned in this thread) and then probably call DEO to make sure everything is linked properly. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread should be pinned at the top of this community because clearly TONS of people are running into this same trap.