10 weeks with no NY unemployment payments - can't reach anyone for help

You're definitely dealing with a payment hold of some kind. There are several common reasons this happens: 1. Identity verification issue - even if your ID shows as verified, there might be a mismatch they haven't told you about 2. Previous employer dispute - your employer might have contested your claim 3. Wage investigation - they might be verifying your reported wages 4. System flag for potential fraud (completely automated and often wrong) The most effective way to reach NY unemployment by phone is calling right when they open at 7:30am on Tuesdays or Wednesdays (avoid Mondays - always busiest). Have your NY.gov ID and PIN ready before calling.

hav u checked ur spam folder? sometimes the emails saying y ur not getting paid go there. my friend had the same problem and turned out they needed more info from him but he never saw the email for like 2 months lol

The exact same thing happened to me in January!!! I went 8 weeks with no payments and no explanation and was literally about to be evicted. I tried calling HUNDREDS of times and could never get through. The system is COMPLETELY BROKEN and they don't care at all about people suffering!!!! I almost gave up completely but finally got someone on the phone who fixed it in 5 minutes - turned out it was just a stupid flag on my account because I had moved to a new address. RIDICULOUS!!!

After trying for weeks to get through to NYSDOL with no luck, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent within 30 minutes. They have this service that basically calls unemployment for you and when they get through, they connect you with the agent. I was skeptical at first but was desperate after not receiving 6 weeks of payments. The agent resolved my issue - turns out there was a random security flag on my account that only a human could remove. They have a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE if you want to see how it works.

my cousin work at NYSDOL and she say they have huge backlog from the new system update in february. lots of claims stuck in verification even when the person did everything right. keep calling but also try sending message through the portal every few days. the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I deal with unemployment issues regularly, and here's what's likely happening: When there's a gap between claim approval and payment processing, it's usually because your claim was flagged for additional review. This happens in about 20% of claims now because NYSDOL implemented enhanced verification procedures in 2025. Here's what you need to do: 1. Continue certifying weekly without fail 2. Document all your certification confirmations (screenshot them) 3. Send a secure message through your NY.gov account specifically requesting the reason for payment delay 4. When calling, use the prompt for "payment not received after certification" rather than "general questions" Once resolved, you should receive all backdated payments in 2-3 business days. Your claim effective date won't change, so you won't lose any eligible weeks.

try calling at 7:25am and just keep hitting 0 until you get a human. worked for me last month. took about 45 mins but i got someone.

Based on your description, you're experiencing what's called a "pending determination" status, which means your claim requires manual review before payments can be released. Here's what's likely holding up your claim: 1. The system has flagged a discrepancy between your reported information and employer records 2. There may be a question about your availability for work or job search activities 3. A potential overpayment from a previous claim could be causing a hold The best approach is twofold: 1. Call the specialized payment review line at 888-209-8124, pressing options 1, 2, then 2 again when prompted 2. Simultaneously submit documentation through your online account (upload pay stubs, separation notice, etc.) Don't worry - once resolved, all eligible backpayments will be processed at once.

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! I tried calling right at 7:25 this morning and still couldn't get through after an hour of trying. I'm going to try again tomorrow with the specific prompts that were suggested. I also sent a secure message through my account and uploaded my documents. Really hoping I can get this resolved soon - it's getting scary financially at this point.

make sure ur answering the work search questions right. my friend got stuck cuz he said he didnt look for work one week when ur supposed to do at least 3 contacts. they dont explain this well enough

One important thing to mention - if your claim shows as "active" but payments aren't processing, it's almost certainly a back-end verification issue that only a claims specialist can resolve. Regular call center agents often can't access these holds. When you do reach someone, specifically ask if there are any "pending determinations" or "unresolved issues" on your claim. Use those exact terms. If the first agent can't help, politely ask to be transferred to a claims specialist or Tier 2 agent who has authorization to remove payment holds. Also, check your correspondence inbox daily - sometimes they send requests for additional information with short deadlines that, if missed, can further delay your claim.

Has anyone else noticed that it's IMPOSSIBLE to reach them by phone this month???? I swear they've reduced staff or something because back in January I could at least get through after a few hours of trying but now it's just busy signals or the "call back later" message EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!

UPDATE 2: I FINALLY got through to someone! Used the Claimyr service that was recommended here after trying for three more days on my own with no luck. The agent found the problem immediately - there was a flag on my account because I had worked in another state briefly last year. They had to verify my wages from both states. The agent removed the hold and said I should receive ALL my backpay within 3 business days! Such a relief after 10+ weeks of nothing. Will update when the money actually hits my account. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

Congratulations on finally getting through! Your story gives me hope since I'm dealing with something similar - been waiting 6 weeks for my first payment and can't reach anyone by phone. The interstate wage verification issue you mentioned is interesting because I also worked in NJ for a few months last year before moving back to NY. I wonder if that's what's causing my delay too. Did the agent mention how long the interstate verification usually takes, or was it just stuck until they manually reviewed it? Thanks for sharing your experience and definitely keep us posted when that backpay hits!

This is such valuable information about the interstate wage verification issue! I'm in a similar situation - filed 8 weeks ago and haven't received any payments despite my claim showing as active. I worked in Connecticut for about 4 months last year before returning to NY, and now I'm wondering if that's what's causing my delay too. The system gives you absolutely no indication that this verification is happening in the background. It's so frustrating that we have to play detective to figure out why our legitimate claims are being held up. Thank you for sharing what you learned - I'm definitely going to mention the CT wage verification specifically when I finally get through to someone. Fingers crossed I can get this resolved soon!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that interstate wage verification was such a common issue causing payment delays. I'm currently in week 5 of waiting for my first payment and worked in Massachusetts for a few months last year before moving back to NY. Reading everyone's experiences here makes me think this could be exactly what's happening with my claim too. The system really should notify us when these verifications are in progress instead of leaving us completely in the dark. I'm going to try calling tomorrow morning right at 7:30 and specifically mention the MA wage verification issue. Thank you all for sharing your stories - this community support is invaluable when dealing with such a frustrating system!

Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently in week 4 of waiting for payments with no explanation from the system. I haven't worked in other states recently, but I'm wondering if there are other common verification issues that cause similar delays? For those who successfully got through to agents, what other types of holds or flags did they mention besides the interstate wage verification? I'm trying to prepare for when I finally reach someone so I can ask about the right things. Also, has anyone had success with the secure messaging system, or is calling really the only way to get these issues resolved?