Good luck hun! Being a single mom is so hard, hope you find something soon 💕

I'm so sorry you're going through this tough situation. While childcare issues typically don't qualify as "good cause" for unemployment in NY, I'd still encourage you to apply and be completely honest about your circumstances. Make sure to include that daycare closure letter and explain that you actively tried to find alternative childcare but couldn't. Sometimes adjudicators will consider unique situations. In the meantime, also check if you qualify for emergency assistance programs through your county's social services department - they sometimes have emergency childcare funding or other support for parents in crisis situations like yours.

Just wanted to add my experience - I had forfeit days last summer and was able to get them reduced by calling the 209 number. The key was having all my paperwork ready and being really clear about what happened. I got through on my third try (called early morning around 8:15am) and the rep was actually pretty helpful. She looked at my account and saw it was an honest mistake with reporting part-time work, so she reduced my forfeit from 6 weeks to 2 weeks right there. Definitely worth trying the phone first before going the formal appeal route, especially if it's just a reporting error.

I'm dealing with a similar forfeit penalty situation right now and this thread has been super helpful! One thing I wanted to add - when you do call (whether through the regular 209 number or using a service like Claimyr), make sure you have your determination notice number handy. The reps can pull up your case much faster if you give them that reference number right away. Also, I've found that being polite but persistent really helps - some reps are more willing to help than others, so if the first person you talk to seems unhelpful, it's worth trying again with someone else. The early morning call time tip sounds smart too - I'm going to try that approach tomorrow!

Just checking back - any updates? Did you try calling yet? Curious if your experience is going smoother than mine did!

I had a withdrawal of determination for forfeit days back in December and wanted to share my timeline to help set expectations. Got the letter on Dec 3rd, called NYSDOL on Dec 10th (took 3 hours to get through), agent confirmed it was processing, and payments showed up on Dec 18th. The key thing is that when I called, the agent could see my account was flagged for "pending determination reversal" which meant it was actually in the system. If they can't see that flag when you call, that's when you know something is stuck and needs manual intervention. Definitely worth the hassle of getting through to an agent just for that peace of mind!

Wow, this thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm completely new to dealing with unemployment and forfeit penalties, and honestly had no idea it could be this complicated just to find out what you owe. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring (I'm not alone in this confusion!) and incredibly educational. The fact that Anderson had to try multiple different methods just to get basic account information really shows how broken the system is, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share their real experiences. The variety of solutions shared here - secure messaging, Claimyr, manual calculations, strategic calling times, and even warnings about potential interest charges - has basically created the comprehensive guide that NYSDOL should have provided from the start! I'm currently dealing with my own forfeit penalty situation and was feeling completely overwhelmed before finding this thread. Based on everyone's advice, I'm planning to start with the secure messaging approach and make sure to ask for written documentation of my balance. It's so helpful to know there are multiple backup options if that doesn't work out. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your knowledge and turning what could have been individual struggles into a collective resource. This is exactly what community support should look like!

Welcome to the community, Fatima! You're absolutely right that this thread has become an incredible resource for anyone dealing with forfeit penalty issues. As someone who also recently joined this community, I'm continually amazed by how willing everyone is to share their real experiences and help others navigate these confusing systems. Your plan to start with the secure messaging approach sounds solid based on all the success stories shared here. Even though it might take a week or two to get a response, it seems to be one of the more reliable methods for getting accurate information. And definitely follow everyone's advice about asking for written documentation - having that paper trail seems crucial for avoiding future confusion. It's really encouraging to see how Anderson's initial frustration has evolved into this comprehensive troubleshooting guide that continues to help new people months later. The fact that we need to crowdsource solutions for basic account functions is frustrating, but at least we have each other's knowledge to rely on. Good luck with your forfeit penalty situation, and don't hesitate to update us on how the secure messaging approach works out for you!

update????? did u get thru?? im having similar probs with them losing my stuff

I went through almost the exact same situation a few months ago when I was stuck in Europe dealing with a family emergency! The geoblocking is definitely real - their system automatically flags overseas IP addresses and blocks access. Here's what finally worked for me: I combined the VPN approach (used Surfshark with a New York server specifically) to access my online account, AND used the Spanish option phone trick to actually speak with someone. The key is calling at exactly 7:59 AM Eastern - I'd dial from my hotel room at 1:59 AM local time, which was painful but worth it. When I got through via the Spanish line, the agent was super understanding about the overseas situation and actually gave me their direct email for urgent cases: urgentclaims@labor.ny.gov (this might be different from the general documents email others mentioned). One thing that really helped was having my claim number, SSN, and the exact date/time I sent the original fax ready to go. The agent was able to look everything up immediately and confirm receipt. Also - and this is important - make sure you're checking your online account regularly even if you can't log in easily. Sometimes they update your case status or request additional info without calling you first, especially for overseas claimants. Hope this helps! The system is absolutely terrible but there are ways through if you're persistent. Good luck! 🍀