Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Ask the community...
Join the conversation
StarSailor
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has shared their strategies here! I've been struggling for 3 weeks to get through to NJ unemployment and was getting completely demoralized. Reading through all these detailed approaches - especially the tracking spreadsheet idea, the specific timing windows, and the 30-second wait tip - has given me a real action plan instead of just randomly calling and hoping for the best. It's honestly shocking that we need to coordinate like this just to a basic government service, but I'm so grateful this community exists. I'm going to start implementing the Wednesday/Thursday 8:00-8:15 AM strategy with the 856 number and keep detailed notes like several of you have suggested. Your persistence and willingness to share what actually works is helping so many people who would otherwise be lost in this broken system. I'll report back with my results and hopefully add to the collective knowledge here. Thank you all for turning frustration into actionable solutions!
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Yuki Tanaka
•You're so welcome, and don't lose hope! This community has been a game-changer for me too when I was feeling completely defeated by the system. The collective strategies everyone has shared here are honestly better than any official guidance NJ unemployment provides. I'd definitely recommend starting with that Wednesday morning 8:00-8:15 AM window using the 856 number - it seems to have the highest success rate based on multiple people's experiences. And definitely implement the 30-second wait between redials instead of frantically hitting redial immediately. One thing I'd add is to have all your documentation ready before you even start calling (claim number, SSN, recent paystubs, etc.) so when you do get through, the actual goes smoothly. Keep us posted on your progress - every success story here helps motivate others who are still fighting this broken system!
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Liam O'Reilly
I've been following this thread for weeks and finally got through yesterday using the combined strategies everyone shared! I called the 856 number at exactly 8:07 AM on a Wednesday, used the 30-second wait between redials (total game changer), and kept track of my attempts like Nia suggested. What really made the difference was Caden's tip about the hold music - when it switched to that repetitive classical music, I knew I was actually in the callback queue and not just stuck in phone limbo. They called me back in 38 minutes and the representative was super helpful. It's absolutely ridiculous that we've had to become phone system hackers just to access unemployment benefits, but this community's shared knowledge is what finally got me the help I needed. For anyone still trying - stick with the Wednesday/Thursday morning strategy, use the 30-second pause, and trust the process when that hold music changes. This broken system is no match for our collective problem-solving!
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Cameron Black
•Congratulations on getting through, Liam! Your success story is so encouraging for those of us still trying. The fact that you got a callback in just 38 minutes using the community's strategies shows that this collective approach really works. I'm planning to try the exact same method tomorrow - 8:07 AM on Wednesday with the 856 number and the 30-second pause technique. It's crazy that we've basically had to reverse-engineer the NJ unemployment system, but at least we're helping each other succeed where the official process fails us completely. Thanks for confirming that the hold music tip actually works - that's such a valuable indicator to know you're making real progress instead of just waiting endlessly. Stories like yours keep me motivated to stick with these proven strategies instead of giving up!
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