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THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DENY YOU!!! don't expect any help from DEO. They terminated my PUA early claiming I didn't provide proper documentation when I DID and now I can't even get through to anyone. They owe me 3 weeks of payments I'll never see. Florida has THE WORST unemployment system in the entire country BY DESIGN.
Regarding work search requirements - if you do qualify for regular benefits, be prepared that Florida now requires 5 work search contacts per week (it was waived during much of the pandemic). You need to keep detailed records of where you applied, contact information, etc. The DEO can audit your work searches at any time. Also, you must use the Employ Florida website (employflorida.com) to register and create a profile within 7 days of filing your new claim. A lot of people miss this step and end up having their benefits held up.
5 per week? That's a lot more than before. Do online applications count? And does applying for gig work count or does it have to be traditional employment?
Online applications definitely count! Each job application can be one work search activity. Applying to gig work is trickier - technically they want you applying for jobs similar to your previous work, but many people report that applying to any legitimate job opportunity counts. The important thing is documenting everything - date, company name, position, how you applied, contact info, etc.
By the way, if you do have a fact finding questionnaire in your inbox, complete it ASAP even if it's past the deadline. Sometimes their system will still accept late responses, especially if you call and explain that you never received notification. The key is to respond to SOMETHING rather than nothing at all. The system flags non-responsive claims for closure automatically.
That's a relief. I'm filling it out right now. It's asking about my work search activities from last month which I have documented but not in the exact format they want. Should I just do my best to remember the dates and details?
Yes, do your best with the work search info. They mainly want to see that you're making the required 5 work search contacts per week. Even if you get some details wrong, showing good faith effort to comply is what matters. Just be as accurate as you can and explain in the comments section if needed.
I wanted to add - if you're stuck in this situation, also try contacting your state representative's office. I had a similar issue where DEO was ignoring me for WEEKS and threatening to close my case, and my rep's office contacted them on my behalf. Had my issue resolved in 3 days after that. They have special liaisons at DEO who actually answer their phones!
That's a great idea and something I hadn't considered. How do I find out who my state representative is? I'm in Hillsborough County if that helps.
Based on your situation, I'd recommend trying these three steps before proceeding with the attorney (this is what worked for me with a similar disqualification issue): 1. Submit a formal appeal through CONNECT even without a specific determination letter - this creates a paper trail 2. Contact the DEO Reemployment Assistance Service Center directly at 833-FL-APPLY (833-352-7759) and specifically ask for a "claim escalation" to a supervisor - use those exact words 3. Send a detailed email to [email protected] with your claimant ID, full name, last 4 of SSN, and a clear timeline of the issue The appeals email actually got me a call back within 3 days, which was faster than anything else I tried.
PLEASE update us on if the lawyer actually works!!! I bet we're not the only ones having this issue and if attorneys are the only way to get DEO to do their jobs, a lot of us need to know!
UPDATE: Thanks for all the advice everyone! I tried the email approach that @profile4 suggested, documented EVERYTHING including screenshots of all my CONNECT errors, and followed up exactly 7 days later asking for a supervisor review. And guess what? IT WORKED! Just got notification that my claim effective date has been changed to 03/29! Now I need to go back and claim those additional weeks. For anyone dealing with this same issue, be super persistent and document EVERYTHING. I'll post again once I actually receive the backdated payments.
Just be careful when claiming those backdated weeks! Make sure you accurately report any income or job searches during that period. DEO is doing a lot of audits this year and if they find discrepancies, you could end up with an overpayment notice. I'd recommend keeping a spreadsheet of all weeks claimed, work searches reported, and payments received just to be safe.
Oliver Fischer
Excellent news! Glad you got it resolved. This is unfortunately very common - the ID.me verification solves one security lock but not necessarily all of them. For future reference for anyone reading, there are actually three different types of security locks that can be placed on DEO accounts:\n\n1. Identity verification lock (solved by ID.me)\n2. Fraud prevention lock (requires agent intervention)\n3. Multiple login attempt lock (automatically clears after 24 hours unless escalated)\n\nSometimes you need all three addressed to fully regain access.
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Yara Abboud
That's really helpful info! I wish DEO would explain this clearly on their website instead of making us figure it out through trial and error. Thanks again for your help!
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