What's a 'waiting week' on DEO CONNECT? Will I get paid for it?

The waiting week is the first week of your benefit year that you're eligible for benefits, but DEO doesn't pay you for it. It's basically a deductible week. Florida has always had this policy for Regular UC claims (except temporarily during COVID when they waived it). You won't get paid for that week - it's just how the system works. The good news is it only happens once per benefit year.

Yep same thing happned to me last month... they dont pay you for the first week its some BS rule they have

The waiting week is standard in Florida's unemployment system. Think of it as a one-week deductible at the start of your claim. Here's what you need to know: 1. You must serve one waiting week per benefit year 2. The waiting week is always the first week you're eligible for benefits 3. You still need to claim this week and meet all eligibility requirements 4. You won't receive payment for this week 5. This is mentioned in the DEO handbook but many people miss it It's frustrating, but once you get past this week, you'll receive benefits for all other eligible weeks as long as you continue to meet the requirements and submit your work searches (5 per week).

wait so every time u file a new claim u lose a week??? thats not right

The DEO system is DESIGNED to discourage people from filing!!!! The waiting week is just one of their MANY tricks to reduce payments. They also make the website impossible to navigate, disconnect your calls, and put everyone in adjudication for weeks hoping you'll give up!!! I went through this last year and it took me filing a complaint with my state representative to finally get my benefits!!!!

Thanks for all the responses. Still think it's ridiculous they don't make this clearer when you apply. I definitely would have planned better if I knew I wouldn't get that first week. Do I still need to have done the 5 work searches for the waiting week even though I'm not getting paid for it?

when i had my claim last summer they still made me do the stupid work searches for the waiting week even tho they didnt pay me a cent... whole system is messed up lol

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago and was just as confused! The waiting week really caught me off guard too. What helped me was thinking of it like a health insurance deductible - you have to meet it before benefits kick in. One tip that might help for budgeting: when you're planning your finances during unemployment, always factor in that you'll essentially be missing that first week of payment. It's frustrating they don't explain this better upfront, but at least now you know what to expect. Hang in there - once you get past this waiting week, the payments should come regularly as long as you keep up with your weekly certifications and work searches!

Just wanted to add my experience - I had the same confusion about the waiting week when I filed my claim earlier this year. What really helped me was calling it exactly what it is: an unpaid eligibility week. You're proving you meet all the requirements (work searches, availability, etc.) but without compensation. I found it helpful to think of those 5 work searches during the waiting week as practice for the coming weeks when you'll actually get paid. It's definitely frustrating when you're already stressed about finances, but once you get through it, the system becomes more predictable. The silver lining is that you only have to deal with this once per benefit year, so if you unfortunately need to file again within the same 12-month period, you won't have another waiting week.

I totally feel your frustration @Freya Collins! I went through the exact same shock when I saw that "waiting week" on my account last year. Nobody prepares you for losing that first week of benefits when you're already struggling financially. What really bothered me was finding out about it AFTER I'd already gone through all the stress of applying and getting approved. I ended up having to borrow money from family to cover that gap, which was embarrassing. The system really should have a big warning during the application process that says "YOU WILL NOT BE PAID FOR YOUR FIRST ELIGIBLE WEEK" instead of burying this info in fine print. At least now you know what to expect, but it definitely doesn't make the bills any easier to pay. Hang in there - the regular payments should keep coming as long as you stay on top of your weekly certifications!

I just went through this same situation a few weeks ago and was equally confused! The "waiting week" term is really misleading - I kept thinking it meant DEO was still processing something or that there was a delay. What helped me understand it better was when someone explained that it's essentially Florida's way of making sure you're genuinely unemployed and actively looking for work before they start paying benefits. It's like they want to see you're committed to the process. Still frustrating though, especially when you're already dealing with the stress of being unemployed. One thing I learned is to always factor this into your emergency planning if you're ever in a situation where you might need to file for unemployment again. At least the weekly payments are consistent once you get past this hurdle!

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying - this policy really should be explained much better during the application process! I went through the same exact confusion when I filed my claim a couple months back. What really helped me was understanding that the waiting week isn't about DEO being slow or making mistakes - it's literally written into Florida law as part of how unemployment benefits work. I found the actual statute (Section 443.091, Florida Statutes) if anyone wants to read the legal details. The frustrating part is that during COVID they temporarily waived this requirement, so some people who filed then didn't experience it and might not know about it for future claims. My advice: if you're helping friends or family who might need to file for unemployment, definitely warn them about this waiting week so they can budget accordingly. It's one of those things that's way less stressful when you know it's coming!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Just filed my claim two weeks ago and was so confused when I saw "Waiting Week: 11/4/2025 - 11/10/2025" on my CONNECT account. I kept refreshing the page thinking it was some kind of error or that they were still processing my first week. Reading all these responses has been such a relief - at least now I know I'm not missing out on money due to a technical glitch or mistake on my part. It's frustrating that DEO doesn't explain this clearly anywhere obvious in the application process. I spent hours googling and trying to find information about what a "waiting week" meant. They really should rename it to "unpaid eligibility week" like someone mentioned above - that would be so much clearer! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it's making this whole process feel less overwhelming knowing others have been through the same confusion.

I'm dealing with this same exact situation right now and honestly, it's such a relief to find this thread! I filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and have been staring at "Waiting Week: 10/15/2025 - 10/21/2025" on my CONNECT account, completely baffled about what it meant. Like so many others here, I kept thinking it was some kind of processing delay or technical issue. The fact that DEO just throws this term out there with zero explanation is honestly infuriating - especially when you're already stressed about finances and counting on every dollar. I wish someone had warned me about this policy before I applied. I had to dip into my emergency savings to cover the gap, which defeats the whole purpose of having unemployment benefits as a safety net. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though. It's clear this is a widespread communication problem with DEO, not just individual confusion. They really need to overhaul how they present this information to new claimants!