Thank you everyone for the advice! This is all super helpful. I'm going to try calling DEO tomorrow (wish me luck!) and specifically ask about backdating my claim to April. I'll make sure to document everything and use the exact terminology you all suggested. If I can't get through after a reasonable number of tries, I'll check out that Claimyr service - at this point, waiting another 2-3 months for payment isn't really an option for me. I'll update once I hear anything!

I'm dealing with a similar backdating situation right now - filed in August for work that stopped in May. One thing I learned from my research is that DEO has specific documentation requirements for self-employment backdating that aren't always clear upfront. They'll want to see proof that your business income actually ceased on the date you're claiming. For me, this meant providing bank statements showing the drop in deposits, client contracts that ended, and even screenshots of booking calendars or appointment systems showing no activity. Also, be prepared for them to ask about any unemployment benefits you might have received from other states during that period, or if you did ANY work (even odd jobs) between April and July. They're really thorough about that gap period. The good news is that if you're legitimate about when your income stopped, the backdating does eventually go through - it's just a matter of patience and persistence with their system. Has anyone else had to provide specific types of business records for their backdating approval? I'm curious what documentation worked best for people.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a similar effective date issue. Just wanted to add that when you do get through to an adjudicator, make sure to ask for a confirmation number or case reference for your effective date change request. I learned this the hard way when my first request seemed to disappear into the system and I had no way to track it. Also, if you're really struggling financially while waiting, check if your local 211 services have emergency rent assistance programs - some counties in Florida still have funds available from federal programs that can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for backpay.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My effective date is off by about 3 weeks and I've been trying to get it fixed for over a month. The most frustrating part is getting different information from different DEO representatives every time I manage to get through. One person told me I needed to file an appeal, another said to submit a monetary reconsideration, and a third said effective dates couldn't be changed at all. It's maddening! I've tried the CONNECT message center multiple times but never get responses. Has anyone had success with that Claims Resolution Center number that William mentioned? I'm going to try calling first thing Monday morning with all my documentation ready. This whole system feels designed to wear you down until you just give up, but I can't afford to do that with rent due next week.

UPDATE: I finally got through to DEO! I used Claimyr this morning and it connected me to an agent within 20 minutes. You were right @profile1 - there was a quarterly review flag on my account plus a security issue from too many login attempts. The agent removed both holds and helped me claim my missed weeks over the phone. My account is working again! Thank you everyone for the advice.

good 2 hear! thx for updating us. gonna try the same thing tomorrow

Wow, what a journey! I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now - filed 3 weeks ago and stuck on pending with no way to reach anyone. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful, especially the PIN reset trick and alternative number suggestions. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get basic information about our own claims. The fact that employers can just ignore DEO requests and leave us hanging is infuriating. I'm definitely going to try calling first thing tomorrow morning using the strategies mentioned here. Thanks for sharing your experience and keeping us updated - it gives me hope that there's actually a way through this mess!

I've been following this thread and I'm so relieved to see you got through, Yara! I'm currently in week 4 of pending status myself and was starting to panic. The employer verification issue makes total sense - my former company is notoriously slow with paperwork. For anyone else still stuck, I want to add that I've had some luck getting through using the 833-FL-APPLY number around 12:30 PM (right after lunch). Seems like there's a small window where call volume drops slightly. Also, if you do get through to an agent, ask them to make notes on your account about the call - sometimes this helps with follow-up calls. The system is absolutely broken, but threads like this prove we can help each other navigate it. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and strategies!

Congrats on getting it resolved! This is such a perfect example of why the DEO system is so frustrating - your verification was actually completed but their system couldn't properly sync it. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops and use third-party services just to access our own benefits. For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar issues, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1. Try the email addresses that @Mateo Sanchez provided first 2. If that doesn't work, contact your state rep 3. As a last resort, the Claimyr service seems to actually work for getting through to a human The fact that you had to pay a service to talk to your own state's unemployment office is honestly insane, but I'm glad you got your money! Hope that car payment gets sorted 🙏

This whole thread is a perfect case study in how broken the DEO system really is. The fact that @Nia Harris had to go through weeks of stress and try multiple workarounds just to access her final $340 payment is absolutely unacceptable. What really gets me is that the system KNEW her verification was complete - it was just stuck in some limbo status that only a human agent could manually override. This suggests the problem isn't with people not completing verification properly, but with DEO's backend systems failing to communicate with each other. I've been helping people with unemployment issues for over a year now, and the pattern is always the same: automated emails that promise resolution but don't deliver, phone systems designed to discourage calling, and verification processes that work but don't properly sync. It's like they've designed every possible barrier to make people give up on their rightful benefits. Really glad you got it sorted @Nia Harris, but it shouldn't take a village and paid services just to access unemployment benefits. The state needs to do better.