Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been banging my head against the wall for the past week trying to file my claim and getting nowhere. The "system unable to process request" error has become my nemesis at this point. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly validating - I was starting to think I was doing something fundamentally wrong! The technical explanation about the fraud detection system makes SO much sense. No wonder switching to cellular data works - their system is probably flagging home IP addresses as suspicious after repeated attempts. I'm definitely going to try the proven approach this weekend: complete wifi shutdown, phone hotspot, Chrome incognito mode, Saturday morning around 6:30am, with all my employment history already typed up in a document. The success stories from Noah, Anastasia, Tristan and others give me real hope that this will finally work. It's honestly mind-blowing that we've had to become amateur system analysts just to access unemployment benefits, but this community has created something incredible here. This thread is literally more helpful than the entire NYSDOL website! Thank you to everyone who shared their struggles and victories - you're making an impossible situation manageable for all of us dealing with this broken system. I'll definitely report back with results! 🤞
Paolo, you're absolutely not doing anything wrong - this system is genuinely broken and it's so frustrating that they make us feel like it's our fault! Your weekend plan sounds perfect and I'm really optimistic it'll work for you. The Saturday 6:30am timing should be ideal since weekend mornings tend to have even less traffic than weekdays. One small tip to add to your strategy - some people have mentioned that typing out your responses in a separate document first (like you're already planning) is crucial not just for speed, but also in case you need to start over. That way you can just copy/paste everything quickly if you get a second chance. The fact that we now have so many confirmed success stories using this exact method really gives me confidence that you'll get through this time. It's absolutely wild that we've had to become unemployment system hackers, but this community has turned a nightmare into something we can actually solve together. Definitely come back and let us know how it goes! This thread has become such an amazing resource because people like you take the time to share both the struggles and the victories. We're all rooting for each other at this point! Good luck on Saturday morning! 💪
This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been stuck in the same nightmare for over a week now - that dreaded "system unable to process request" error that gives you zero useful information. Reading through everyone's troubleshooting experiences has been such a lifeline. What really stands out to me is how this community has essentially built the troubleshooting guide that NYSDOL should have provided from day one. The pattern is crystal clear: cellular data + incognito mode + early morning timing is the winning combination. The technical explanation about their broken fraud detection system finally makes sense of why home wifi keeps failing. I'm planning my attempt for Monday morning using the full protocol: wifi completely disabled, phone hotspot only, Chrome incognito, all extensions off, 6:30am sharp, with everything pre-written. The success stories from Noah, Anastasia, Tristan and others give me real confidence this will work. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to become system hackers just to access basic unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful everyone took the time to share what worked. This thread proves how powerful community problem-solving can be when official channels fail us. You've all turned an impossible situation into something manageable! I'll definitely come back to report results - fingers crossed I'll be adding another success story to this amazing collection of solutions! 🙏
Ethan, your Monday morning plan sounds absolutely perfect! You've got all the key elements that have made this method so successful for others - the complete wifi shutdown, cellular hotspot, early timing, and having everything prepared beforehand. Your 6:30am timing is right in that sweet spot that seems to work best. I'm also new to this community but have been following this thread closely as I prepare to tackle the same issues myself. It's incredible how everyone here has basically reverse-engineered NY's broken unemployment system and created actual working solutions. The fact that we now have multiple confirmed success stories using this exact approach gives me so much confidence. You're absolutely right that this thread has become the guide NYSDOL should have provided! It's wild that we've had to become amateur tech detectives just to access our own benefits, but the community support here has been amazing. Everyone sharing both their struggles and victories really helps the next person through this nightmare. Really hoping your Monday attempt goes smoothly! This thread has such a great track record with people coming back to share their successes. Can't wait to hopefully see another victory story added to our growing collection. We're all rooting for each other at this point! Good luck! 🤞
Join the conversation
Just to add some clarity on the 25% rule that Liam mentioned - it's actually 25% of your weekly benefit rate OR $100, whichever is LESS. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you'd get $100 (25% of $400). But if your weekly benefit is $300, you'd only get $75 (25% of $300). After that threshold, it's dollar-for-dollar reduction. I found this out the hard way when I assumed it was always $100. Also, make sure you're reporting gross earnings before any expenses or fees that Uber takes out - NYS Department of Labor wants the total amount you earned, not what you actually received after their cuts.
Thanks for that clarification! I was definitely confused about the 25% rule. So just to make sure I understand - if my weekly benefit is $380, then 25% would be $95, so I could earn up to $95 without any reduction to my benefits? And after that it's dollar for dollar? Also good to know about reporting the gross amount before Uber's fees - I would have probably reported just what hit my bank account.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also keep track of your vehicle expenses if you're driving for Uber Eats - gas, wear and tear, etc. While you still have to report the gross earnings to NYS Department of Labor, you can deduct those business expenses when you file your taxes next year since you'll be getting a 1099 from Uber. It won't help with your weekly unemployment calculation, but it'll save you money at tax time. Also, definitely download a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Stride - the IRS standard mileage deduction is pretty generous for delivery drivers and can add up to significant savings.
This is really helpful advice about tracking expenses and mileage! I hadn't thought about the tax implications yet. Just to clarify though - even though I can deduct business expenses on my taxes, I still have to report the full gross amount to NYS Department of Labor each week, right? So if I earn $150 from Uber Eats but spent $30 on gas, I report the full $150 on my weekly certification, not $120? I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly from the start.
Join the conversation
I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! My claim has been "approved" for 3 weeks but I haven't seen a penny. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I realize I've been making the same mistake as everyone else - just staring at that misleading main dashboard instead of checking the Payment History section for actual hold codes. It's mind-blowing how many of us are dealing with identical issues, which really shows how poorly NYS Department of Labor communicates these problems. I'm definitely going to check for those hold codes first thing tomorrow and also contact my former employer directly about any verification requests they might have received. The suggestion about calling right at 8 AM or using that Claimyr service that several people mentioned sounds promising too. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences and solutions - this thread is honestly more valuable than anything on the official website. At least now I have a concrete action plan instead of just panicking about my upcoming rent payment!
I'm dealing with the exact same issue and this thread has been a lifesaver! I've been approved for 5 weeks with zero payments and was getting desperate. Like you, I had no idea about the Payment History section - I've just been obsessively checking that main "approved" status thinking something would eventually change. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much hope and a clear plan of action. I'm definitely going to dig into those hold codes tomorrow morning and also reach out to my old company's HR department since employer verification issues seem super common. The 8 AM calling strategy sounds worth trying too. It's both frustrating and reassuring to see how many of us are going through identical situations - at least we know we're not alone in this bureaucratic maze! Really grateful for all the practical advice shared here.
I'm going through the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My claim was approved 6 weeks ago but I still haven't received any payments. Like so many others here, I was just looking at that "approved" status on the main dashboard getting more frustrated each day. Reading everyone's experiences has shown me I need to check that Payment History section for hold codes - I had absolutely no idea that existed! It's crazy how NYS Department of Labor can show "approved" on the front page while there are apparently specific issues buried in other sections. I'm definitely going to check for those codes first thing tomorrow and also contact my former employer directly since it sounds like employer verification delays are super common. The tip about calling right at 8 AM or trying that Claimyr service also sounds promising. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - this community support is way more valuable than anything I could find on the official website. At least now I have concrete steps to take instead of just waiting and stressing about my bills!
Join the conversation
Same situation here! Started my claim two weeks ago and was confused about the timing. Got my first payment yesterday and it was exactly what the NYS Department of Labor calculator said I'd get.
The weekly schedule is pretty straightforward once you get used to it. I've been on unemployment for about 6 weeks now and here's what I've learned: You certify every Sunday (I usually do it Sunday morning to get it out of the way), and then the payment shows up in my account every Wednesday around 9 AM. The amount stays consistent as long as you don't have any earnings to report. One tip - set up direct deposit if you haven't already because it's much faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail. Also keep track of your work search activities because you'll need to report those when you certify each week.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown @Freya Johansen! That's super helpful. I'm still waiting on my direct deposit setup to go through - do you know how long that usually takes? And for the work search activities, do you just keep a simple list or is there a specific format NYS Department of Labor wants?
Sophia Gabriel
I'm currently on unemployment and was actually wondering about this exact same thing! I have some unexpected medical bills coming up and was considering a 401k withdrawal but was really nervous about how it might affect my benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it's amazing how consistent all the responses are. The way people have explained that NYS Department of Labor focuses specifically on wages from employment (not retirement distributions) really makes sense when you think about unemployment as wage replacement rather than comprehensive financial monitoring. I'm feeling much more confident now about moving forward with my withdrawal if needed. Thank you Miguel for asking this important question and thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - this kind of community knowledge is so much more valuable than trying to navigate the official documentation alone!
0 coins
Hailey O'Leary
•I'm also new to unemployment benefits and was having the exact same concerns about 401k withdrawals! This thread has been such a goldmine of information. What really helped me understand it was when people explained that the weekly certification questions are so specific - they're asking about work and wages, not retirement account activity. It makes perfect sense that unemployment insurance would focus only on replacing lost employment income rather than tracking every source of money. I was honestly losing sleep over potentially making a mistake that could jeopardize my benefits, but seeing so many people share identical positive experiences has been incredibly reassuring. Thanks for adding your perspective to this discussion - it's so helpful to know there are others in similar situations who've found clarity here!
0 coins
Morita Montoya
I'm currently on unemployment and was also worried about this exact situation! I needed to withdraw from my 401k about 2 months ago for emergency home repairs after a storm damaged my roof. I was really anxious it would affect my NYS unemployment benefits, but it didn't impact them at all. The weekly certification questions are very specific about wages and work performed - they don't ask about retirement account distributions. NYS Department of Labor treats these as completely separate from employment income, which makes sense since unemployment is designed to replace lost wages, not monitor every financial transaction. I withdrew $4,500 and my benefits continued normally throughout. Just keep up with your job searches and weekly certifications as usual. The only thing to remember is the tax implications - I set aside about 30% for taxes and penalties. Hope you get your car situation sorted out quickly so you can keep job hunting!
0 coins