The DEO’s Connect system is up and running again after going offline for the weekend

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - After a weekend of behind the scenes work, The Department of Economic Opportunity re-opened their CONNECT system Monday morning. It went offline so they process more applications for unemployment benefits.

Some say they still haven't received their benefits and have been waiting for over a month now.

"I’m going to the fifth week and you keep saying monetary status pending. Really I need the money now."

Jill Nugent is a Suncoast furloughed worker, she applied for unemployment benefits over a month ago.

As of Monday morning, The Department of Economic Opportunity has paid over 209,000 claimants and a total of nearly $201 million in unemployment benefits.

But Nugent says still hasn't received anything.

“I just can’t believe that it would take five weeks to get my first unemployment paycheck. There can’t be too many excuses for this. They are still not enough people to process them.”

According to the DEO, they have processed about 200,00 paper applications.

You can now also search claims information by counties, by clicking HERE.

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