New DEO CONNECT interface? Can't find familiar screens to claim final weeks
Is anyone else struggling with what seems like a completely new DEO system? I've been helping my son claim his final weeks of unemployment and when we logged in yesterday, the entire interface looks different. The usual menus are gone and I can't find where to claim weeks anymore! The old CONNECT system was confusing enough but at least I knew how to navigate it. Did Florida DEO change their system without warning anyone? We really need to submit these last weeks since his benefits end soon and I'm worried we'll miss the deadline if we can't figure this out. Has anyone successfully claimed weeks on this new interface?
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Isabella Ferreira
They've been rolling out a new CONNECT interface gradually over the past month. It's supposed to be more 'user-friendly' but honestly it's just confusing if you were used to the old system. To claim weeks now, you need to go to the dashboard and look for 'Available Actions' - there should be a button that says 'Request Benefit Payment' instead of the old 'Claim Weeks' terminology. The deadline requirements are still the same though - you have to claim within 14 days of the week becoming available.
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Malik Johnson
•Thank you! I'll look for that 'Request Benefit Payment' button. It's really stressful when they change things without proper notification. My son only has 2 more weeks left to claim and I was panicking.
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Ravi Sharma
omg same!!! logged in yesterday and was like wtf is this?? took me 20 mins to figure out how to claim my week. why do they always make everything harder?
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NebulaNomad
•The DEO seems to think these updates improve things, but they rarely consider how confusing system changes are for claimants. Their own statistics show that over 35% of claimants report difficulty navigating interface changes. The 'Request Benefit Payment' section is now under the My Benefits tab, and you need to scroll down past the monetary information section to find it.
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Freya Thomsen
THE DEO DOES THIS EVERY YEAR WITHOUT WARNING ANYONE!!!! Then they wonder why people miss deadlines and get disqualified. I missed two weeks last year when they changed the work search requirements input page and lost almost $850!!! The new system is GARBAGE and clearly designed to make it harder to collect benefits we're entitled to!!!
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Omar Fawaz
•While I understand your frustration, this update was actually announced on the DEO website about 3 weeks ago, though it was easy to miss. The new interface is part of their 2025 modernization project. It does have some improvements - the work search requirements section is actually more straightforward now, and it's mobile-friendly which the old system wasn't. For anyone struggling to find things, they've added a tutorial video link at the top right of the dashboard page that walks through the new layout step by step.
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Chloe Martin
This happened to my cousin last month too. He was so confused he actually gave up on claiming his final week! It's really not fair when you're expecting one thing and then suddenly everything changes.
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NebulaNomad
If you're still having trouble navigating the new system after trying the suggestions above, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected with a DEO agent who can walk you through the new interface. They can bypass the usual wait times and get you direct help. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj that shows how it works. I had to use them when the system first changed because I couldn't figure out how to submit my work search records in the new format, and the agent was able to guide me through each screen.
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Malik Johnson
•I've never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work? I've tried calling DEO directly at least 5 times this week and either get disconnected or told the wait is over 2 hours.
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NebulaNomad
•Yes, it really works. Instead of you having to call repeatedly, their system does the calling and gets you in the queue properly. I got through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. The agent helped me locate everything in the new interface and made sure my claim weeks were properly submitted.
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Diego Rojas
i think connect is still there but they just changed how it looks? my page says CONNECT 2.0 at the top so i guess its an upgrade or something idk
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Isabella Ferreira
•Yes, you're right. It's still CONNECT but they're calling it CONNECT 2.0. They've basically reorganized everything and updated the visual design. All the same functions are there but in different places. Some things have new names too - like 'Claim Weeks' is now 'Request Benefit Payment' as I mentioned above.
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Ravi Sharma
has anyone else noticed they also changed the work search requirements section?? i can't figure out how to enter my job contacts now
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Omar Fawaz
•The work search entry is definitely different now. When you go to request your benefit payment, you'll get to a new page after the questions where you can add work search activities. Click the '+' button to add each activity. You still need 5 per week. The confusing part is they now want more details for each contact - there are dropdown menus for contact method and outcome that weren't there before.
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Isabella Ferreira
Just wanted to follow up - did you manage to find the right section to claim the final weeks? The deadline would be approaching soon if these are truly the last weeks of eligibility.
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Malik Johnson
•Yes! Finally figured it out last night. Had to click on 'My Benefits' then scroll all the way down (like someone mentioned) to find the 'Request Benefit Payment' button. It was definitely hidden compared to the old system! We got both weeks submitted and even got confirmation numbers, so I think we're good. Thanks everyone for your help with this!
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