Mandatory DEO reemployment appointment email - is this legit or a scam?
I just got this email saying I need to attend a mandatory reemployment appointment with DEO or risk losing my benefits. I've been on unemployment for about 5 weeks and this is the first I'm hearing about any required appointment. The email says I have to register with my local CareerSource office within 14 days. Is this a normal thing? I don't remember having to do this for my previous claim last year. Should I be worried this is some kind of scam? Has anyone else had to do these appointments recently?
27 comments


Chloe Anderson
Yes, this is 100% legitimate and normal. They're called RESEA (Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment) appointments and they randomly select claimants for these mandatory meetings. It's basically to verify you're actively looking for work and to provide career assistance. Missing it WILL get your benefits stopped, so definitely attend! The appointment is usually pretty quick - they review your work search efforts, help with your resume, and may suggest some job opportunities in your field.
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Omar Fawaz
•Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better. The email looked official but you never know these days. Do you know what happens at these appointments? Should I bring anything specific with me?
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Diego Vargas
I got one of those last month and IGNORED it thinking it was spam... BIG MISTAKE!!! They cut off my benefits for 3 weeks while I had to appeal and prove I was still looking for work. The DEO system is BROKEN but they still expect us to jump through every hoop perfectly!!! Make sure you attend or you'll regret it!!
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Omar Fawaz
•Oh no, that sounds awful! I'll definitely make sure to attend. Did you eventually get your benefits back after they were cut off?
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Anastasia Fedorov
These appointments are selected randomly through their system. You need to bring documentation of your 5 weekly work searches to the appointment. Make sure to arrive 15 minutes early with a photo ID. They'll verify you're meeting all requirements and provide job search assistance. If you can't attend the scheduled time, call the number in the email ASAP to reschedule - but don't miss it or reschedule more than once, as that can lead to benefit disqualification. The appointment usually takes about an hour. They'll also likely enroll you in Employ Florida if you haven't already created an account there.
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Omar Fawaz
•This is really helpful info! I'll make sure to bring all my work search records. Do you know if they're still doing these virtually or are they back to in-person appointments now?
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StarStrider
got mine last week actually, went yesterday. was pretty chill tbh. lady just asked about my work search and gave me some job leads. took like 30 mins
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Omar Fawaz
•That's good to hear it wasn't too intense. I was stressing about what to expect!
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Sean Doyle
I think everyone gets those eventually. I got one like 2 months into my claim. Btw has anyone been able to actually get someone on the phone at DEO lately? I've been calling for days about a payment issue and just get disconnected every single time.
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Zara Rashid
•Try using Claimyr.com - it's the only way I was able to actually speak to someone at DEO after weeks of trying. They basically wait on hold for you and call you back when a DEO agent is on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj I was skeptical at first but it really worked. I got through to someone who could actually help with my adjudication issue within about 30 minutes of using it.
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Luca Romano
These RESEA appointments have been part of Florida's unemployment system for years, though they paused them during the height of COVID. They've been bringing them back gradually since 2023. It's completely normal and actually can be helpful - they sometimes have access to job opportunities that aren't publicly posted. The selection process is partly random and partly targeted at people who might need additional assistance based on their work history or industry. Just go to the appointment with your work search records, resume if you have one, and be prepared to discuss your job search efforts. It's really not a big deal if you're following the requirements already.
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StarStrider
•yep this is right. mine was actually kinda helpful, the career counselor had some good tips for my resume. wasn't as scary as i thought
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Anastasia Fedorov
Just to clarify some potentially confusing information: There are actually two types of mandatory reemployment appointments in Florida's system: 1) RESEA (Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment) - These are the federal program appointments, typically one-on-one with a career counselor. 2) MRA (Mandatory Reemployment Assistance) - These are Florida-specific group workshops. Both are legitimate, and either one could be what you received. The email should specify which type it is. Both require attendance to maintain benefits, but they're structured differently. The RESEA is more personalized while the MRA is more of a general orientation to services.
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Omar Fawaz
•Thank you for explaining the difference! I'll check my email again to see which one they scheduled me for. It's great to know what to expect.
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Diego Vargas
And make sure you don't miss the fact that you HAVE TO register in EmployFlorida.com BEFORE your appointment!! Some CareerSource offices won't even let you do your appointment if you haven't already done this step!! They don't make this clear enough in the emails!
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Luca Romano
•This is good advice. The EmployFlorida registration can take a little time to complete properly, so don't leave it until the last minute. They'll want to see a completed profile with your work history and skills listed.
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Nia Jackson
i got one of these last year when i was on unemployment after i got laid off from construction work. its just them making sure ur actually looking for work and not just collecting checks. they helped me find a new job actually so it wasnt all bad.
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Omar Fawaz
•That's encouraging to hear they actually helped you find work! I've been applying to lots of places but it's been slow getting responses.
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Fernanda Marquez
Just wanted to add - if you're worried about the legitimacy of the email, you can always call your local CareerSource office directly to verify. I did this when I got mine because the email formatting looked a bit off, but it turned out to be completely real. They were actually really helpful when I called and walked me through what to expect at the appointment. Better to double-check than to miss it and lose your benefits!
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Miguel Ramos
•That's really smart advice! I was actually thinking about calling to verify too since I'm naturally skeptical of emails like this. It's reassuring to know they're helpful when you call. Did they give you any specific tips for what to bring or how to prepare for the appointment when you spoke with them?
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Lola Perez
I had my RESEA appointment about 3 months ago and wanted to share my experience to help ease your nerves! The whole thing was actually pretty straightforward - I brought my work search log, a copy of my resume, and my ID. The counselor reviewed my job search activities, made some suggestions for improving my resume, and showed me a few job search resources I hadn't known about. The appointment lasted about 45 minutes and honestly felt more like career coaching than an interrogation. One tip: make sure your work search documentation is organized and easy to read - they appreciate when you come prepared. Don't stress too much about it, just treat it as a free career counseling session!
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Natasha Petrov
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. I've been keeping track of my work searches in a spreadsheet, so I'll make sure to print that out and organize it clearly. The fact that it felt more like career coaching than an interrogation really puts my mind at ease. I was worried they'd be looking for reasons to disqualify me, but it sounds like they're actually there to help. I appreciate you taking the time to share the details about what to expect!
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CosmicCruiser
I went through this same situation about 6 months ago and completely understand your concern! The email is definitely legitimate - I was skeptical too because of all the scams going around. The appointment itself was actually pretty helpful. They reviewed my work search activities, updated my resume, and even connected me with some local job fairs I didn't know about. Just make sure to bring printed copies of your work search records for the past 5 weeks, a current resume if you have one, and your photo ID. The staff at CareerSource were really professional and understanding. Don't let it stress you out too much - it's just part of the process and they're genuinely there to help you get back to work. Good luck!
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Ellie Kim
•Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same worries I'm having right now. I've been keeping good records of my work searches, so I'll definitely print those out along with my resume. It's good to know the staff are understanding - I was picturing some kind of harsh interrogation, but it sounds like they genuinely want to help people find work. I'll try not to stress about it and just go in prepared. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain what it was like!
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Eloise Kendrick
I just went through this exact same process two weeks ago! When I first got the email, I was definitely suspicious because it seemed too official and I'd never heard of RESEA before. But after reading through all these responses and doing some research, I decided to call the CareerSource office directly to verify - and yes, it's completely legitimate. My appointment was actually really helpful. The counselor was super nice and went over my work search activities, helped me polish my resume, and even gave me some job leads in my field that I hadn't found on my own. The whole thing took about an hour and felt more like a free career consultation than anything punitive. Just make sure you bring: - Your work search log (printed and organized) - A copy of your resume - Photo ID - Any questions you might have about job searching And definitely don't ignore it or try to reschedule multiple times - they're pretty strict about attendance. But honestly, once you get there, it's not scary at all. The staff really do want to help you find work. Good luck with your appointment!
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Kennedy Morrison
•This is such helpful and detailed advice! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It's so reassuring to hear from multiple people that this is legitimate and that the staff are actually there to help rather than trip you up. I was definitely in that same boat of being suspicious when I first got the email - especially with all the scams targeting unemployment recipients these days. Your checklist of what to bring is perfect, I'll make sure to have all of that ready. It's good to know I can actually ask questions too - I have a few about job search strategies in my field that I've been struggling with. Thanks for helping put my mind at ease about this whole process!
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Norman Fraser
I had this same exact worry when I got my RESEA email about 2 months ago! I was convinced it had to be a scam because the timing seemed random and I'd never gotten one before. But after calling CareerSource directly to verify (which I highly recommend doing if you're still unsure), I learned it's completely legitimate. The appointment ended up being way less intimidating than I expected. My counselor was really helpful - she reviewed my work search activities, gave me feedback on my resume, and even showed me some job search websites I hadn't been using. The whole thing took about 50 minutes and honestly felt like getting free career advice. Pro tip: Make sure your EmployFlorida.com profile is completely filled out before you go - they'll check that during the appointment. And bring organized copies of your work search records because they'll want to see those too. Don't stress about it too much - they're genuinely there to help you find work, not to catch you doing something wrong. Just show up prepared and on time and you'll be fine!
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