SUCCESS: Got my DEO claim adjudication completed in 48 hours by emailing state rep
After being stuck in DEO adjudication hell for almost 5 weeks with ZERO updates, I finally got my claim processed! For anyone dealing with endless waiting - EMAIL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE! I was about to lose my apartment because I couldn't make rent after getting laid off from my restaurant management job. Called DEO literally 23 times over 3 weeks and either got disconnected or was told 'just keep waiting.' Finally in desperation, I emailed my state rep through their campaign email (not their official one) yesterday morning. By THAT EVENING someone from DEO called me saying my case was flagged for immediate review! This morning my CONNECT account updated showing adjudication complete and payment status changed to 'processed'! Cannot believe how fast it worked when nothing else did. If you're stuck in adjudication purgatory, skip the regular channels and go straight to your rep!
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Amina Bah
wow seriously?? been stuck in adjudication for 3 weeks and getting desperate. how do you even find your state rep's email?
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Paolo Longo
•Just google "[your county] florida state representative" and it'll show who represents your district. Most have both an official .gov email and a campaign email. I used the campaign one because I figured they check that more for voter issues. Make sure you include your claimant ID and the date you applied in the email!
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Oliver Becker
This is actually a legitimate strategy that many people don't know about. State representatives have dedicated staff who handle constituent services, and they can often cut through red tape faster than you can on your own. A few tips to make this approach even more effective: 1. Be clear and concise in your email - include your claimant ID number, the date you filed, and exactly what issue you're experiencing 2. Explain the hardship the delay is causing (potential eviction, utility shutoff, inability to afford medication, etc.) 3. Ask specifically for their office to contact DEO on your behalf 4. Be respectful and thank them for their assistance I've seen this work dozens of times when normal DEO channels failed. The representatives want to help constituents because it's literally their job (and helps with reelection).
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CosmicCowboy
•Yep, this worked for me too back in January! My claim was stuck for 7 weeks with a "pending fact-finding interview" that kept getting rescheduled. Emailed my rep on Thursday, got a call from DEO Monday, and my funds were released Wednesday. It's like magic compared to the regular DEO nightmare.
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Natasha Orlova
didnt work for me. emailed my rep 3x and never heard back AT ALL. this system is completly RIGGED!!
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Javier Cruz
•You might have emailed the wrong office or person. Which county are you in? Some districts have multiple reps, and you need to contact the one for your specific voting precinct. Also, some representatives respond better than others - if you're not getting a response, try your state senator instead. They often have more staff dedicated to constituent services.
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Emma Thompson
Before you go the state rep route (which can definitely work), have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an agent? I was in adjudication for 3 weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone until I used their service. Got connected to an actual DEO agent in about 10 minutes who escalated my claim. Website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj It basically calls DEO for you and holds your place in line, then calls you back when it reaches an agent. Saved me hours of redial hell. The agent I spoke with was able to see exactly what was holding up my adjudication (an employer response issue) and manually overrode it.
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Amina Bah
•just checked out that video. seems kinda expensive but honestly at this point id pay anything to get this resolved. did they actually fix your issue or just tell you what the problem was?
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Emma Thompson
•They actually fixed it. The agent saw that my employer had missed the deadline to respond to DEO's inquiry (they have 10 business days), so she marked it as "employer non-responsive" and removed the hold. My payment was processed the next day. Apparently there are certain adjudication issues agents CAN fix on the spot if you get the right one.
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Malik Jackson
I'm so triggered right now. Been waiting 8 WEEKS for adjudication and calling DEO every single day. My state rep's office gave me a generic "we'll look into it" email a month ago and nothing since. Why does the system work for some people and not others?? Meanwhile I'm living in my car because I couldn't pay rent. Florida's unemployment system is DELIBERATELY broken to keep people from getting benefits.
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Oliver Becker
•I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. The system is definitely inconsistent and frustrating. A few suggestions that might help break through the logjam: 1. Try contacting your STATE SENATOR instead of representative (they often have more staff) 2. If you have documentation of homelessness due to lack of benefits, include that in your follow-up - use the subject line "URGENT: Homeless Due to DEO Delay" 3. CC the Governor's office on your email (GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com) 4. Contact legal aid in your county - they sometimes have special channels to expedite hardship cases Don't give up. It often takes multiple attempts through different channels to get movement.
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CosmicCowboy
Quick question for the OP - did you have to provide any specific documentation when you emailed your state rep? I'm in a similar situation (4 weeks in adjudication) and want to make sure I include everything needed the first time.
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Paolo Longo
•In my email I included: - Full name - Claimant ID number (the one that starts with UC) - Last 4 of SSN - Date I filed my claim - Brief timeline of my attempts to contact DEO - Screenshot of my CONNECT account showing "pending adjudication" status I think the screenshot really helped because it showed I wasn't making things up. Also mentioned that I was facing eviction which was 100% true. They responded within 3 hours asking for my phone number, then DEO called me that evening.
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Amina Bah
ok so i just tried emailing my rep but got one of those auto-replies saying they're "in session" and responses might be delayed. should i wait or try something else??
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Javier Cruz
•Don't just wait. Those auto-replies go out to everyone, but their staff is still working. The key is to follow up with a phone call to their district office (not Tallahassee) the day after you email. Ask to speak with the staff member who handles constituent services or DEO issues specifically. Be polite but persistent, and explain that your situation is urgent. Having a paper trail (the email) AND a voice conversation increases your chances of getting helped substantially.
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Natasha Orlova
This whole system is designed to deny ppl benefits!! My nephew works for DEO (not in claims) and says they literally TRAIN agents to find reasons to deny benefits. They get BONUSES for keeping payout rates low!! The system isnt broken its working EXACTLY as intended!!!!
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Oliver Becker
•I understand your frustration, but I want to clarify something important - DEO does not have a bonus system for denying claims. That's a common misconception. The issue is more structural - Florida deliberately made its unemployment system difficult to navigate during the 2011-2015 redesign, and significantly reduced staffing levels. The CONNECT system itself has many technical problems that create unnecessary adjudication holds. While there are certainly problems with Florida having one of the lowest benefit approval rates in the country, individual agents aren't incentivized to deny claims. Most are overwhelmed with caseloads and working within a broken system.
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Paolo Longo
Quick update for everyone - I just got my first payment today! Took exactly 2 business days after adjudication completed for the money to hit my account. If you're stuck waiting, PLEASE try contacting your rep. I wasted so much time trying to go through DEO directly when this solved it in 48 hours.
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Malik Jackson
•happy for you i guess. some of us arent so lucky
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CosmicCowboy
•Congratulations! Thanks for sharing what worked. These success stories really help people who are still struggling with the system.
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