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
Don't quit unless you absolutely have to! The system is rigged against workers who quit. Even with 'good cause' they'll find ways to deny you. Better to get fired honestly, then you're guaranteed benefits.
That's not accurate advice. NYS Department of Labor has specific good cause provisions for voluntary separations. Getting fired on purpose could backfire if it's considered misconduct.
Join the conversation
I'm so sorry you're going through this - 4 months is absolutely unacceptable! I had a similar issue last year where I was locked out for weeks. Here's what finally worked for me: Try calling the 8124 number at exactly 8:01am (not 8:00am when everyone else calls). I found there's a sweet spot right after the system fully comes online. Also, if you have an old rotary or push-button landline phone, try using that instead of a cell phone - I swear the older phone systems sometimes get routed differently. For the ID.me issue, don't wait for their "specialist review" - call them directly at 866-775-4363 and ask to speak with a Tier 2 support agent. Tell them it's preventing you from accessing unemployment benefits and they'll usually expedite the review. One more thing - document EVERY call attempt with date/time stamps. When you finally get through to DOL, mention that you have 4 months of documented attempts. That's your "good cause" evidence for the delayed waiting week claim. Don't give up! Your benefits are waiting for you once you break through this ridiculous system.
@Mateusius Townsend - Thank you for the specific timing tip about 8:01am instead of 8:00am! That makes so much sense - everyone probably floods the system right at opening time. I m'definitely going to try that tomorrow morning. The landline phone suggestion is interesting too. I don t'have a rotary phone but my parents have an old push-button landline I could borrow. It s'worth a shot if their routing system really does treat different phone types differently. I m'going to call ID.me today using that number you provided and specifically ask for Tier 2 support. I ve'been just waiting for their automated review process but you re'right - being proactive and mentioning it s'blocking unemployment benefits might get me prioritized. The documentation aspect gives me hope - I actually do have 4 months of call logs on my phone showing multiple attempts every single day. I never thought to frame it as good "cause evidence" but that s'exactly what it is! Really appreciate you taking the time to share what worked for you. It helps to know that people do eventually break through this system, even when it feels impossible.
I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to NY unemployment problems. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone sharing their experiences and strategies here - this thread is incredibly valuable for those of us stuck in this broken system. I've been dealing with my own unemployment nightmare for 2 months now (not quite as long as some of you, but long enough to understand the frustration). Reading through all these suggestions has given me a clear action plan: 1. Try the 8:01am calling strategy with a landline 2. Contact my state representative's office 3. File a complaint with the DOL Advocate Office 4. Keep detailed documentation of everything What really struck me is how many different approaches people have had to try before something worked. It's clear there's no single solution - you really do need to attack this from multiple angles simultaneously. To the original poster - 4 months is absolutely unacceptable, but don't lose hope. Based on what I'm reading here, your persistence WILL pay off eventually. The fact that you have months of documented call attempts is actually valuable evidence when you finally get through. Thanks again to everyone sharing their hard-won knowledge. Hoping we all get resolution soon!
Join the conversation
I'm going through this exact same frustrating situation right now! After reading all these helpful suggestions, I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me yesterday. If you're still having issues with the automated PIN system, try using the keypad on your phone's dial screen instead of the number pad that sometimes pops up during the call - I found the dial screen registers the numbers more reliably. Also, when you do get through to the PIN prompt, wait for the entire message to finish before entering your number - I was jumping in too early and the system wasn't ready to receive input. One last thing - if you have an older phone or landline available, definitely try that. I switched from my smartphone to my mom's old landline and got through on the second try. The sound quality was much clearer and the system seemed to process my PIN without any issues. Hang in there everyone - this system is absolutely broken but these workarounds really do help!
This is such a helpful addition to all the great advice in this thread! The tip about using the dial screen keypad instead of the pop-up number pad is something I never would have thought of - that could definitely explain why my PIN entries aren't registering properly. And waiting for the entire message to finish before entering the PIN makes total sense - I've definitely been guilty of trying to jump ahead to save time. The landline suggestion keeps coming up and clearly works for people, so I really need to find one to try. Thank you for sharing what worked for you - it gives me hope that there's a solution out there! It's amazing how this community has come together to help each other navigate this nightmare system.
I've been dealing with this same nightmare for the past week! After trying everything mentioned here, what finally worked for me was a combination approach: I called at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday using an old landline from my neighbor's house, entered my PIN super slowly with 2-second pauses, and made sure to wait for the complete prompt before entering anything. It took three attempts but I finally got through! For anyone still struggling, I also discovered that if you get the "system error" message, sometimes hanging up immediately and calling back within 30 seconds puts you in a different queue - not sure why but it worked twice for me. Also want to echo what others said about documentation - I kept a detailed log of every call attempt with timestamps and error messages, which gave me peace of mind knowing I had proof of the technical issues if I needed to file late. This whole situation is absolutely ridiculous but don't give up - between all the strategies shared in this thread, something will eventually work!
This is exactly the kind of systematic approach that seems to work with this broken system! The combination of all the best tips from this thread - the 8 AM Tuesday timing, landline, slow PIN entry, waiting for prompts, and the immediate callback strategy - is brilliant. I'm definitely going to try that 30-second callback trick if I get a system error, that's such a specific workaround that I never would have discovered on my own. It's really encouraging to hear that persistence with the right strategy actually paid off for you! I've been keeping notes too but I should make them more detailed like you did. Thank you for sharing your success story - it gives me hope that I can get through this mess too. Going to line up all these strategies and give it another shot tomorrow morning!
Join the conversation
I went through this exact situation about 18 months ago and want to share what I learned. First, don't ignore that 30-day window - it's crucial. I initially panicked and almost let the deadline pass, which would have been a huge mistake. The "fraud penalties" designation is often applied automatically by their system when there's any discrepancy in reporting, even if it was genuinely unintentional. I was able to get mine reduced from $3,400 to $1,800 by appealing and providing documentation that showed I had misunderstood the reporting requirements for part-time work while collecting benefits. The appeals process took about 4 months, but it was worth it. Even if you end up owing something, getting those fraud penalties removed can save you a significant amount. My advice: call them immediately to discuss your options, gather any documentation you have from that time period (pay stubs, work schedules, emails with employers), and don't be afraid to appeal if you genuinely believe it was an error. The system is definitely flawed, but there are ways to fight back if you're persistent.
@3103851ab1f5 Thank you so much for this detailed breakdown! Your success story is exactly what I needed to hear right now. I'm especially interested in understanding how you documented that you misunderstood the reporting requirements - did you have to show what information was available to you at the time, or did you focus more on demonstrating that your mistake was reasonable given the circumstances? I'm in a similar boat with part-time work reporting, and I'm worried that I don't have enough documentation from over a year ago. Also, when you called initially to discuss options, did they give you any sense of whether your case had a good chance for appeal, or is that something you only find out after going through the formal process? I have about 20 days left on my deadline and trying to figure out the best strategy.
@3103851ab1f5 Your story is really encouraging! I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation and I'm wondering about the timeline - you mentioned the appeals process took about 4 months. During that time, were you required to make any payments while the appeal was pending, or did they put everything on hold until the decision was made? I'm trying to figure out if I should set up a payment plan as a backup while also filing an appeal, or if appealing automatically pauses any payment requirements. Also, did you have to attend any hearings or was it all handled through paperwork? I'm nervous about potentially having to argue my case in person if that's part of the process.
I'm going through this exact situation right now and it's so overwhelming! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both terrifying and helpful. I received my overpayment notice about 10 days ago for $2,100 with fraud penalties, and I've been losing sleep over it. Like many of you, I honestly thought I was following the rules correctly when reporting my part-time work while collecting benefits. The worst part is trying to get someone on the phone - I've called probably 15 times and either get disconnected or stuck on hold for hours. I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy that several people mentioned. Has anyone had success with requesting detailed documentation from NYS DOL about exactly how they calculated the overpayment? I feel like I need to understand their math before I can decide whether to appeal or just set up payments. This whole system seems designed to intimidate people into just paying without questioning anything.
Amy Fleming
dont overthink it just file and be honest about everything. the worst that happens is they tell u to wait a week or two
0 coins
TechNinja
I went through this same situation a few months ago. The important thing to remember is that vacation pay is allocated to specific time periods - usually the weeks immediately following your last day of work. So if you got laid off on a Friday and have 2 weeks of vacation pay coming, that pay typically covers the next two weeks. During those weeks, you might not be eligible for unemployment benefits (depending on the amount), but after that period ends, your regular benefits should kick in. Definitely file your initial claim right away though - there's usually a waiting period anyway, and you don't want to delay the process. Just be upfront about the vacation pay situation when you do your weekly certifications.
0 coins
Ella rollingthunder87
•This is really helpful! So basically the vacation pay acts like I'm still "employed" for those specific weeks it covers? That makes sense. I'm glad to hear I should file right away rather than waiting. Did you have any issues with the timing of when you reported the vacation pay - like if it came in a different week than expected?
0 coins