Reading through all these responses is both eye-opening and infuriating! I had no idea so many people were dealing with this exact same issue. The NY unemployment system is clearly broken when missing a single phone call (for completely reasonable reasons like being in the bathroom!) can cut off someone's lifeline. I've been in a similar situation for the past 3 weeks - they called during my dentist appointment and even though I called back within an hour, my benefits got suspended. The stress of not knowing when your next payment is coming while bills pile up is absolutely brutal. From what everyone's shared here, it sounds like 835-905-5682 is definitely the number to try, and the strategy of calling right at 8:00 AM sharp seems crucial. I'm also going to try that assembly person contact trick - never knew that was an option! @Rami Samuels - you've got an amazing support system here with all this advice. Don't let the system wear you down. Based on everyone's success stories, persistence really does pay off. We shouldn't have to become unemployment experts just to get basic benefits we're entitled to, but at least this community has our backs! Sending good vibes that you get through tomorrow and get this sorted out quickly! 🙏

Wow, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - they called me while I was at my kid's school pickup and by the time I saw the missed call and called back 20 minutes later, it just went to voicemail. Two weeks later my benefits were suspended for "failure to participate in required interview." Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm going to try calling 835-905-5682 first thing tomorrow morning at exactly 8:00 AM. The tip about asking for tier 2 specialists immediately seems crucial - I've wasted so much time with tier 1 reps who just read scripts and can't actually help. @Rami Samuels - definitely try that photo contrast trick on your coffee-stained letter! Even if you can only make out a few more digits, it might help confirm which number is correct. Also really hope the assembly person contact works out for you - several people here have had success with that approach. It's absolutely mind-boggling that the NY unemployment system operates this way. Making people available 24/7 for random unscheduled calls and then cutting off benefits immediately when life happens is just cruel. But seeing all these success stories gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. Thanks everyone for sharing your strategies - this community is a lifesaver! 🙏

This has been such an educational thread! As someone new to navigating unemployment systems, I really appreciate how everyone broke down the base period calculations. One thing I'm still curious about - does New York have any waiting period after you file your claim before benefits actually start? I know some states make you wait a week or two even after you're approved. Also, are there any work search requirements while you're collecting benefits? I want to make sure I understand the full picture before I ever need to use this information.

Wow, this thread has been incredibly comprehensive! As someone who just moved to New York from out of state, I had no idea the unemployment system was so nuanced with the base period calculations. Reading through all these explanations, I'm realizing how much more flexible this system potentially is compared to the simple "you must work X months at one job" approach I was familiar with in other states. The fact that your work history from different jobs over an 18-month period can combine to meet eligibility requirements is actually pretty worker-friendly once you understand how it works. Thanks to everyone who contributed detailed explanations - this is exactly the kind of community knowledge sharing that makes these forums so valuable for newcomers trying to navigate government services!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been struggling to get through to NY unemployment for almost 2 weeks about a claim status issue, and reading everyone's detailed strategies has given me so much hope. The specific timing windows that multiple people have shared (especially that Tuesday/Wednesday 2:15-2:45 PM sweet spot) are incredibly helpful - much better than my random calling attempts throughout the day. I'm definitely going to try the landline approach and that clever 45-second callback timing strategy. It's both frustrating and oddly comforting to see this is such a widespread problem affecting so many people. The call tracking log idea is brilliant too - I wish I had started documenting my attempts from the beginning instead of just getting increasingly frustrated. Thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible situation into something manageable with real, tested strategies. This community support means everything when you're dealing with such a broken system!

I've been lurking on this thread for days while dealing with my own NY unemployment calling nightmare, and I have to say this community is amazing! I've been trying to reach someone for 8 days straight about a claim that got suspended for "additional review" with no explanation. After reading through all these incredibly detailed strategies and success stories, I finally have hope instead of just blind frustration. I'm definitely going to try that Tuesday/Wednesday 2:15-2:45 PM window that so many people have had success with - it's clear that's the sweet spot! I'm also borrowing my aunt's landline tomorrow since multiple people mentioned better connection rates with landlines vs cell phones. The 45-second callback timing tip is genius - it shows how broken this system is that we have to time our callbacks to the second, but if it works, I'm all for it! I'm starting a call tracking spreadsheet today to document patterns like others suggested. It's both maddening and reassuring to know this is affecting so many of us - makes me feel less like I'm personally cursed by their phone system! Thank you everyone for sharing such specific, tested strategies. This thread has transformed what felt impossible into something manageable with real tactics that actually work!

I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now and it's driving me absolutely crazy! Been trying to reach someone for the past week and that "high call volume" disconnect is like a punch to the gut every single time. What's really frustrating is that I can see my claim has some kind of hold on it in the online system, but there's literally no way to fix it without talking to a real person. I'm definitely going to try that 8am sharp strategy everyone keeps mentioning - seems like timing is everything with this broken system. Also going to make sure I have all my documents ready like @Mei suggested. It's honestly insane that we need a military operation just to contact our own state agency! If the morning calls don't work after a few attempts, I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service @Liam mentioned. I'm usually skeptical of third-party services, but at this point I'm desperate and can't afford to miss another payment cycle. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips - it really helps to know we're not alone in this nightmare! Will update if I manage to break through with any of these strategies.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Been calling for the past 4 days and getting that soul-crushing "high call volume" message followed by an immediate hangup every single time. It's like they don't even want us to get help when we desperately need it. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both helpful and absolutely maddening - helpful because of all the great strategies you've all shared, but maddening because it shows just how broken this system really is. I'm definitely going to try that 8am sharp approach @Zoe mentioned tomorrow morning. Also going to make sure I have all my documents ready beforehand like @Mei suggested - PIN, NY.gov ID, SSN, the works. It's completely ridiculous that we need a whole tactical playbook just to reach our own state's unemployment office! If the early morning strategy doesn't work after a few days, I might have to look into that Claimyr service @Liam used. The fact that your issue was literally a 2-minute verification fix that took weeks to resolve perfectly shows how backwards this whole system is. Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and creating this support community. We shouldn't have to band together just to access basic services we're entitled to, but I'm grateful we can help each other navigate this bureaucratic mess! Will definitely report back if I have any success with the 8am strategy.

I had a similar situation a few months ago when I had to take FMLA for my husband's cancer treatment. What I found out is that while you can't get regular unemployment, you might be able to get New York State Disability Benefits if your FMLA is for your own health condition (not a family member's). If it's for family care like yours, that unfortunately doesn't qualify for disability either. One thing that helped me was reaching out to local social services to see what other assistance programs might be available - things like SNAP, emergency rent assistance, or utility help. It's not ideal but it can help bridge the gap during those 8 weeks. Also check if your employer has an employee assistance program that might offer emergency financial help.

I'm going through something similar right now - taking care of my dad after his surgery. What I've learned is that New York does have a Paid Family Leave program that's separate from FMLA, but you have to have been paying into it through payroll deductions. If you've been working in NY and seeing "PFL" deductions on your paystub, you might be eligible for partial wage replacement (about 67% of your average weekly wage). It's not unemployment, but it's specifically designed for situations like yours where you need to care for a family member. You can apply through the NY Paid Family Leave website or contact your employer's insurance carrier. Worth looking into if you haven't already!