I'm so glad to see you made progress @Ava Hernandez! Your situation really highlights how broken the DEO system is - it shouldn't take a third-party service to get through to your own state's unemployment office. But I'm definitely bookmarking Claimyr for future reference. For others still struggling, I wanted to add that if you're dealing with an employer contest like Ava, make sure you gather ANY documentation you have about your job separation - termination letters, emails about layoffs, even text messages from supervisors. The more evidence you can provide to the adjudicator, the stronger your case will be. Also, don't forget about legal aid organizations in your area. Many offer free consultations for unemployment issues and can sometimes help navigate the appeals process if your initial claim gets denied. It's another avenue to explore while you're trying to get through to DEO directly. Really hoping the adjudicator gets back to you within that 5-7 day window, Ava. Keep fighting - you shouldn't have to choose between rent and groceries because of bureaucratic delays!

Welcome to the DEO nightmare club, @Ella Harper! I've been dealing with similar issues for the past 2 months and this thread has been a goldmine of actually useful advice. One thing I'll add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do get through to someone (whether through Claimyr or the phone tricks), ask them to email you a summary of your conversation. I learned this the hard way after my first call where the rep said they'd "escalate my case" but I had no record of it. When I called back 2 weeks later, there were no notes in my file about any escalation. Now I always ask for email confirmation of any actions they claim to take. It creates a paper trail and shows you're serious about documenting everything. @Ava Hernandez - your update gives me so much hope! The fact that you went from complete radio silence to having a specific timeline is huge. Really crossing my fingers that the adjudicator follows through within those 5-7 days. For anyone still in the thick of it - don't give up. This thread proves that persistence (and the right strategies) eventually pay off. The system is absolutely broken, but people are getting through it.

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!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's so frustrating! I just filed my claim last week and have been staring at "Waiting Week: 11/18/2025 - 11/24/2025" on my account, completely confused about what it meant. I kept thinking there was some kind of processing error or that DEO was still reviewing my application. Reading through all these comments has been such a huge help - at least now I know I'm not alone in being blindsided by this policy! It's honestly ridiculous that DEO doesn't clearly explain this anywhere during the application process. I spent so much time worrying that I had done something wrong or that my claim was stuck in some kind of limbo. The term "waiting week" is so misleading - it really should be called "unpaid eligibility week" like others have suggested. I'm definitely going to have to adjust my budget now that I know that first week's payment isn't coming. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's made this whole confusing process feel way less overwhelming knowing so many others have dealt with the same shock and frustration!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My claim just changed from "pending-holding" to "under review" about a week ago and I also have that "Able and Available" adjudication listed. I was honestly freaking out when I first saw the status change, thinking it meant something was wrong, but reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring. @Liam Murphy - thank you so much for sharing your insider knowledge! As someone who actually worked at DEO, your explanations about what these status changes really mean have been invaluable. Knowing that 3-4 weeks to get out of pending is normal timing and that "Able and Available" typically resolves in 1-3 weeks gives me realistic expectations instead of just endless anxiety. Like everyone else here, I've been doing mostly online job applications for my weekly work searches, but reading all these suggestions about diversifying approaches has really opened my eyes. I'm definitely going to start doing more in-person restaurant visits this week and look into CareerSource resources. The networking events idea is brilliant - I had no idea those counted toward work search requirements! @Mateo Lopez - it sounds like you're handling everything perfectly! We all seem to be on very similar timelines here, which is actually really comforting to know. The financial stress while waiting is definitely real, but this thread has given me so much confidence that we're all moving through the system correctly. This community has honestly been more helpful than the entire DEO website combined. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps knowing we're not alone in this process and that "under review" is actually progress, not a problem!

I'm currently going through the exact same process! My claim just moved from "pending-holding" to "under review" three days ago after sitting in pending for almost 4 weeks. I also have the "Able and Available" adjudication showing up, and like so many others here, I was initially terrified this meant something was wrong with my application. @Liam Murphy - your insider perspective has been absolutely game-changing! Understanding that this is normal system progression rather than a red flag has completely shifted my anxiety levels. The 1-3 week timeline for "Able and Available" reviews gives me something concrete to work with instead of just endless worry about the unknown. I've been religiously doing my 5 work searches per week (mostly online applications), but reading all the suggestions here about diversifying my approach has been eye-opening. I'm planning to start doing in-person visits to restaurants this week and definitely going to check out CareerSource resources. The idea about networking events counting toward work search requirements is something I never knew about! @Mateo Lopez - sounds like we're all riding this same timeline together, which is honestly so reassuring. The financial pressure while waiting is definitely stressful, but this thread has given me way more confidence that we're all handling our obligations correctly and just need to trust the process. This community has been infinitely more informative than anything on the official DEO website. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps knowing that "under review" is actually progress and we're all moving through the system at a similar pace!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! My claim has been stuck in "pending adjudication" since late February and I've called literally hundreds of times with no success. The automated system just hangs up on me every single time. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and infuriating - helpful because I'm learning strategies I hadn't tried, but infuriating because it's clear this broken system is deliberately designed to make us give up. I'm definitely going to try the 7:30am sharp calling strategy tomorrow using menu options 2, then 4 (thanks @Hannah Flores for that tip!). I've been pressing 1 this whole time like an idiot. I'm also seriously considering that Claimyr service that @Evelyn Xu and @Sophia Russo mentioned - at this point paying for a service to reach my own state government seems worth it if it actually works. The stress of not knowing what's wrong with my application while bills pile up is honestly affecting my health. It's criminal that Florida makes it this impossible to access benefits we've paid into through our taxes. But thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this fight, even though none of us should have to go through this.

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience right now! My claim has been stuck in "pending adjudication" since early February and the phone system is absolutely broken. I've called probably 200+ times over the past month and either get a busy signal or it just hangs up after a few rings. Based on all the incredibly helpful advice in this thread, I'm going to try calling tomorrow at exactly 7:30am using the correct menu options (press 2, then 4 - I had no idea I was doing it wrong by pressing 1!). Thanks especially to @Hannah Flores for sharing that tip about getting through and the proper menu path. I'm also seriously considering the Claimyr service that @Evelyn Xu and @Sophia Russo mentioned. Normally I'd be skeptical of paying a third party to reach my own state government, but at this point I'm desperate and it sounds like multiple people here have had real success with it. The stress of not knowing what's holding up my claim while bills keep coming is honestly overwhelming. It's infuriating that Florida has designed this system to be deliberately impossible to navigate - they're clearly counting on people giving up out of frustration. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that there are ways to break through if we're persistent enough. Thanks to everyone sharing their stories and tips - it really helps to know we're not alone in this nightmare, even though none of us should have to deal with such a broken system!

I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation! Been stuck in "pending adjudication" for over 3 weeks now with zero explanation from DEO. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that employers could contest legitimate layoffs or that there might be fact-finding questionnaires sent to them that we're completely unaware of. I'm definitely going to try the 7:30am calling strategy tomorrow and use that specific phrasing: "I need to speak with an adjudicator about my pending adjudication issue to find out what the specific problem is so I can resolve it." I'm also going to call my former employer's HR department to see if they received any DEO questionnaires - never would have thought of that! The lack of transparency in this system is absolutely maddening. How are we supposed to fix something when we don't even know what's broken? It's clear from everyone's experiences that this is affecting tons of people with legitimate claims. We shouldn't have to become unemployment detectives just to access benefits we earned through our work history. Thanks everyone for sharing your strategies and experiences - this community support means everything when you're fighting this bureaucratic nightmare alone. Keep claiming those weeks and don't give up! We're entitled to these benefits and shouldn't let this broken system wear us down.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - I've been stuck in the exact same "pending adjudication" nightmare for about 2.5 weeks now and it's absolutely maddening! The complete lack of transparency about what the actual issue is makes it so much worse than it needs to be. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though. I had no idea that employers could contest legitimate layoffs just to protect their unemployment insurance rates, or that there might be fact-finding questionnaires sent to them that we're completely unaware of. That could totally explain what's happening with my claim too since I was also laid off during company downsizing. I'm definitely going to try that 7:30am calling strategy tomorrow and use the specific phrasing several people mentioned: "I need to speak with an adjudicator about my pending adjudication issue to find out what the specific problem is so I can resolve it." The tip about checking with my former employer's HR department about any DEO questionnaires is brilliant - never would have thought of that angle! It's both comforting and infuriating to see how many of us are stuck in this same bureaucratic limbo. Comforting to know we're not alone, but infuriating that this broken system is putting so many legitimate claimants through the same stress and uncertainty. We shouldn't have to become unemployment detectives just to access benefits we earned! Keep fighting everyone and definitely keep claiming your weeks while waiting. This community support means everything when you're battling this mess alone!