


Ask the community...
The whole system is ridiculous. They make it so hard for people with legitimate medical issues to get benefits. I had to fight for months when I left my job because of my back problems and they kept asking for more and more documentation. Eventually got approved but the stress was awful.
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! They make it impossible to reach anyone and then wonder why people get frustrated. Six weeks for a simple employer verification is RIDICULOUS. I've been fighting NYS Department of Labor for months over my claim and the degree to which they make everything complicated is just insane.
Check your online account to see if there are any documents you need to upload. Sometimes the system shows pending employer response when it's actually waiting for additional verification from you. Also make sure your contact information is current in case they're trying to reach you.
The whole system is a joke honestly. Been waiting 6 weeks for them to fix an error THEY made on my claim. Every time I call I get a different answer about processing times. Don't hold your breath for any consistency.
I feel you on the phone calls. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Someone told me about claimyr.com that helps you actually reach an agent - watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI and it seems legit. Might be worth trying if you need to check on your specific delay.
OMG same situation here! Filed 10 days ago and just sitting here refreshing my account every few hours like it's going to magically update. The waiting is the worst part because you don't know if you did something wrong or if it's just normal processing time.
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! They give you money then want it back in taxes, makes no sense. I'm so tired of dealing with NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy and now the IRS too!
Don't panic about the taxes. Yes you'll owe on the unemployment income but if you're in a lower tax bracket it might not be as bad as you think. Use the IRS tax calculator online to estimate what you'll owe. You can also make quarterly payments if you're still receiving benefits to spread out the tax burden.
TillyCombatwarrior
Just want to add that I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question when I was laid off. Spent hours on hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connected me to an actual agent in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Really helpful when you need to talk to someone about your specific situation rather than guessing.
0 coins
Aidan Percy
•Thanks for the tip! I might need that if I have issues with my claim. Did they charge you a lot for the service?
0 coins
TillyCombatwarrior
•It was worth it for me to get answers quickly instead of stressing about whether I was doing everything right. Much better than sitting on hold for hours.
0 coins
Kendrick Webb
One more thing to consider - if you're hoping they might hire you back, filing for unemployment actually shows you're being responsible about your finances during the layoff period. Most reasonable employers understand that people need benefits when they're laid off. It's not personal, it's just how the system works.
0 coins