6 months waiting on NY unemployment pending case - no updates since March 2025

Thanks for the advice. I've tried asking for escalation twice but they keep saying 'it's already marked as priority' whatever that means. Did you have to say anything specific to get them to actually do the escalation? I'm desperate at this point.

April?! So you're at 5 months now. Have you been able to get ANY useful information when you call? I'm starting to think they just put us in a digital filing cabinet and forget about us.

nope! nothing! just 'be patient' over and over. like i can just tell my landlord to be patient lol

It's an employer dispute. My former employer is claiming I was fired for misconduct, but I was actually laid off along with my whole department. I've submitted all the documentation including emails about the layoff and statements from coworkers. Every time I call they just say it's 'under review' and won't connect me to a claims examiner. How do I specifically request that?

For employer disputes, you need to specifically say: "I'm requesting a direct call with a claims examiner regarding my employer dispute case that's been pending for 6 months." If they refuse, ask to speak with a supervisor immediately. Be polite but firm. Also, send a secure message through your online account specifically requesting claims examiner contact - this creates a documentation trail. Make sure to mention the 6-month timeframe, as this exceeds their internal guidelines for case resolution.

8 months?! That's terrifying. I'm already struggling to make rent each month. Did you ever find out why yours took so long or what eventually pushed it through?

nope they just randomly approved it one day. no explanation no apology NOTHING. by then i was already evicted so the money just went to pay off debt. the whole system is designed to make us give up.

I've never heard of this service before. Does it actually work to get you through to different people than when you call directly? Because I've spoken to like 12 different agents and none have been able to help.

Yes, it actually connects you to the same department but bypasses the hold times. The real difference I found was being able to call repeatedly without wasting entire days. I was able to keep calling back until I got someone who actually knew what they were doing (took me 3 calls). When you call normally, you might wait hours just to get someone unhelpful, then have to start all over again the next day. With faster connections, I could be more persistent until I found someone who could actually help.

Thank you! I had no idea about the 120-day statute. I'm definitely going to contact my state rep tomorrow. Do you have any specific wording I should use when requesting the hearing? I'm worried they'll just deny the request.

Use this exact language: "I am formally requesting an administrative hearing regarding my unemployment insurance case (Case #XXXXX) which has exceeded the statutory 120-day resolution period as defined in New York State Labor Law Section 620. My case has been pending for [X] days without resolution, substantially exceeding the time limitations set forth in the statute." Send this through your online account messaging system AND via certified mail to your local unemployment office. This creates a paper trail they cannot ignore. They're required by law to schedule a hearing within 30 days of receiving this request.

I've been calling at least once a week for months now. Maybe I need to step it up to daily calls? It's so frustrating to waste hours just to get nowhere.

Thank you for this detailed information. I'll specifically ask for an Issue Resolution Specialist on my next call. I've already reached out to my Assembly Member's office this morning after seeing the earlier advice. Fingers crossed one of these approaches works.

I've been applying to jobs like crazy but haven't had any luck yet. I think you're right that part of their strategy is hoping people just give up. It's cruel to leave people in financial limbo for months on end.

While contacting executive offices can occasionally help, this isn't a reliable solution for most cases. The governor's office typically refers these inquiries back to NYSDOL's standard processes. Your best bet remains working through the proper channels while escalating appropriately. That said, if you've exhausted all other options, there's little harm in trying every available avenue.

Creating a timeline document is a great idea. I've been keeping notes of my calls, but not in any organized way. I'll put this together tonight and submit it. And I'll definitely try the Monday morning strategy - I've been calling midday which probably isn't ideal.

Small update - I spoke with my Assembly Member's office yesterday and they've assigned a caseworker to help me. They're going to contact NYSDOL directly on my behalf. I also got through to NYSDOL again (took 3 hours on hold) and specifically asked for an Issue Resolution Specialist as suggested. They said one would call me back within 5-7 business days. Feeling slightly more hopeful but not holding my breath just yet.