Hey Victoria! I just went through this exact same situation about two months ago when I first started getting Florida unemployment benefits. The confusion about weekly vs biweekly payments had me stressed for days! Everyone here has given you perfect explanations, but I wanted to share one more tip that really helped me adjust to the biweekly schedule coming from weekly pay. I created what I call a "payment tracking sheet" where I write down each biweekly payment and then immediately split it in half to see my "weekly equivalent." So when I get $640 every two weeks, I write it down as "Week 1: $320, Week 2: $320" which helps my brain process it the same way I was used to with weekly paychecks. Also, since you're new to the system, make sure you screenshot your CONNECT account every time you log in - especially your payment history and claim confirmations. I learned this the hard way when I had a technical glitch and needed to prove I had submitted my claim on time. The $340 weekly amount you're getting is really solid! You should definitely be able to budget comfortably around that $680 biweekly schedule. Just remember to keep up with those 5 work search contacts per week and you'll be all set. Welcome to the community - don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions!

Victoria, I just wanted to say welcome to the Florida unemployment system! I started collecting benefits about 6 weeks ago and had the exact same confusion about the payment schedule. Reading through this thread brought back all those initial worries I had. Everyone has explained it perfectly - your $340 is definitely your weekly benefit amount, not biweekly. You'll get $680 total when you claim your next two weeks on 3/15. Coming from weekly pay like you did, the mental adjustment to biweekly claiming can be tricky, but all the budgeting tips people shared here are spot on. One thing I'd add is to make sure you claim as early in the day as possible on your scheduled claim date. I've noticed the CONNECT system can get really slow during peak hours, and you don't want to risk missing your window because of technical issues. I usually try to claim first thing in the morning. Also, keep an eye on your email and CONNECT inbox around claim time - sometimes DEO sends last-minute notices or requests for additional information that could affect your payment if missed. The system definitely gets easier once you establish a routine. Your $340 weekly amount shows you had good earnings before unemployment, so you should be in a stable position while job searching. Good luck with everything!

Also want to mention - if you're a veteran, definitely check with your local VA office about additional assistance programs. They often have emergency financial aid and job placement services that are separate from the regular unemployment system. And for everyone else, don't forget about your local food banks while you're navigating this - most don't require any paperwork or proof of income, and it can free up money for rent and utilities. I volunteered at one during my own unemployment and learned they also often have connections to other local assistance programs that aren't well publicized. The staff there really know what resources are available in the community. Keep fighting, Jamal - you're doing everything right and this situation is temporary even though it feels overwhelming right now.

Hey Jamal, I just went through this exact situation a few months ago and wanted to share something that really helped me - check with your local United Way chapter. They have a program called "2-1-1" that not only connects you to resources but they also maintain an updated database of emergency rental assistance programs that change monthly. When I called them, they told me about a county program that wasn't advertised anywhere online that provided up to 3 months of rent assistance for unemployed workers. Also, if you have any medical conditions or disabilities, even minor ones, look into whether you qualify for expedited SNAP processing - I got approved in 3 days instead of the usual 30 because of a documented anxiety condition related to unemployment stress. The key thing I learned is to apply for EVERYTHING simultaneously because you never know which programs still have funding available. Don't give up - this community is proof that people care and there are more safety nets than DEO wants you to know about.

I've been following this thread closely and want to share what worked for me after 4 weeks of calling hell! The key was combining multiple strategies: I called on Wednesday at 10:45 AM (splitting the difference between the morning and afternoon suggestions), used an auto-redial app, AND had someone else call the main line while I called the claims line simultaneously. One of us got through after about 35 minutes. The agent told me something super important - if your claim shows "Active" but payments stopped, there's often a "soft hold" on your account that only shows up in their internal system, not on CONNECT. She was able to see mine was flagged for a routine wage audit that never appeared in my inbox. She cleared it immediately and I got my backpay within 3 days. Pro tip: when you finally get through, ask them to check for any "internal holds" or "system flags" that might not show on your end - this seems to be a common issue causing sudden payment stops!

I'm a new member here but have been lurking and reading everyone's experiences - this thread is a goldmine of information! I'm dealing with the exact same issue as the original poster. My payments stopped 2 weeks ago after being consistent for months, and I've been getting nowhere with calling. Reading through all these strategies gives me so much hope! I'm planning to try the Wednesday 10:45 AM approach with auto-redial, and I'm definitely going to ask about "soft holds" and internal system flags that @Chloe Martin mentioned. Has anyone tried contacting their state representatives' offices? I heard they sometimes have direct lines to DEO for constituent services, but I'm not sure if that actually works or just creates more bureaucracy. Also planning to check my CONNECT inbox more thoroughly tonight - sounds like those buried questionnaires are a common culprit. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and strategies!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got laid off from my main job but still have my part-time gig at a coffee shop. The CONNECT system is so poorly designed for people who are partially employed - it's like they never considered that someone might still be working somewhere else after getting laid off. What's been driving me crazy is that I've been trying to do everything correctly and honestly report my part-time work, but the system keeps throwing up these roadblocks. Reading through everyone's responses here, it sounds like using the Saturday date of the current benefit week as the "end date" is the way to go. I'm also keeping track of all my hours and tips in a small notebook - sounds like that documentation is going to be crucial if there are any issues later. It's frustrating that we have to work around the system's limitations, but at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this confusing process! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on the official DEO website!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Got laid off from my office job but still work part-time at a retail store on weekends. The CONNECT system is absolutely terrible for anyone who isn't completely unemployed. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to try using the Saturday date of my current benefit week as the "employment end date" - seems like that's the universal workaround everyone has had success with. It's ridiculous that we have to game the system like this just to report our employment honestly! One question for those who've been through this - when you report your part-time earnings each week, do you include things like employee discounts or other non-cash benefits? My retail job gives us a 20% discount but I'm not sure if that counts as "income" for DEO purposes. Also keeping detailed records of everything like you all suggested. Taking screenshots, tracking hours and earnings in a notebook, the whole nine yards. Better safe than sorry with how unpredictable this system seems to be! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is way more helpful than anything on the official DEO website!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My payment has been showing "paid" for 6 days with nothing on my Way2Go card. This thread has been incredibly helpful - way more than any official customer service I've tried. I'm going to attack this from multiple angles based on everyone's advice: filing the CFPB complaint tonight (that 6-hour response time @Niko Ramsey got is incredible compared to endless phone loops!), trying the 7:30am calling strategy, and emailing [email protected] that @Derek Olson shared. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become unemployment benefits detectives just to access our own approved money! The fact that DEO marks it "paid" the second they send it to Conduent, but then Conduent holds it for "security verification" without telling anyone is infuriating. Those $0.50 balance check fees while our money sits in limbo just add insult to injury. Thank you everyone for sharing real solutions when the official system has completely failed us. This community is literally helping people keep their homes when the system is broken. I'll definitely update if any of these methods work for me!

I'm going through this exact nightmare too! My payment has been showing "paid" for 10 days now with absolutely nothing on my Way2Go card. This thread has been more helpful than weeks of trying to deal with that completely useless automated phone system. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm convinced this is a massive systemic failure with Conduent's processing, not individual account issues. The fact that so many of us are dealing with identical problems while DEO and Conduent stay completely silent about these widespread delays is absolutely unacceptable. I'm going to try the comprehensive approach: filing the CFPB complaint tonight (that 6-hour response time @Niko Ramsey got is incredible!), attempting the 7:30am calling strategy tomorrow, and sending an email to that escalation address [email protected] that @Derek Olson shared. Also planning to call my state representative's office like @Beth Ford suggested - political pressure might help move things along faster. Those $0.50 balance check fees while our approved money sits stuck in limbo are absolutely predatory. Every time I check hoping my payment finally appeared, they're charging me for the privilege of seeing that my own money is still missing! Thank you everyone for sharing real solutions when the official system has completely abandoned us. This community is literally keeping people housed while the system fails. I'll definitely update if any of these methods work - crossing fingers we all get our stuck payments released soon!