Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
$19.99StandardOne price
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
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 :)
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I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. If you run into issues getting through on the phone, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to someone about our own benefits.
I get the frustration but honestly it was worth it for me. The regular phone lines were impossible and I needed to resolve an issue with my job search log.
Ali Anderson
Just went through this whole process myself! One thing they don't tell you upfront is that you have to do 3 job search activities every week and log them in the system. It's not just about filing the weekly claim - you actually have to prove you're looking for work. Save yourself the headache and start keeping track of your job applications from day one.
Wait, 3 activities every single week? What counts as a job search activity?
Ali Anderson
•Applying for jobs, networking events, job fairs, even updating your LinkedIn profile counts. Just make sure you document everything with dates and details.
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Drake
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST VETERANS! Employers get tax credits for hiring us but they still won't do it. Meanwhile NYS Department of Labor makes us jump through hoops with job searches for positions that don't even exist. It's like they want us to fail so they can cut us off benefits.
Sarah Jones
•I feel your frustration but there are employers who do value veteran experience. The challenge is finding them and presenting your skills in civilian terms.
Same boat here. What's really frustrating is when you explain your military background and they just stare at you blankly. Like being a logistics coordinator in the Army doesn't translate to supply chain management somehow??
That's exactly the translation problem. Consider revising your resume to use civilian terminology - 'logistics coordinator' instead of your military job title, 'managed supply operations for 200+ personnel' instead of unit-specific language. Many veterans find success once they bridge that communication gap.
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I understand the frustration, but the work authorization requirement exists because unemployment benefits are considered a form of public assistance. If you're having trouble reaching local assistance programs, I've heard some people mention using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help get through to government agencies when phone lines are busy. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works for connecting with agencies.
Thanks for the suggestion, though I don't think that would help with my specific situation since I'm not eligible for unemployment anyway.
Just wanted to add that some states have their own worker assistance programs that might have different eligibility requirements than federal unemployment. It might be worth checking if NY has anything like that, though I'm not sure.
Zara Ahmed
•New York doesn't have a separate state unemployment program with different work authorization requirements. All unemployment insurance in NY goes through NYS Department of Labor and follows federal guidelines.
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Amy Fleming
The NYS Department of Labor system is a nightmare to deal with but you should still file. Getting through to someone on the phone is nearly impossible when you have questions. I've been calling for weeks trying to resolve an issue with my weekly claim and can't get through.
Sergio Neal
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it when I was having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor. They help you get through to an actual agent - there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI and the site is claimyr.com. It saved me hours of trying to call myself.
Amy Fleming
•Never heard of that but I'll check it out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to talk to a real person!
Alice Pierce
definitely file! worst case they say no but if you don't try you get nothing. the weekly claims are easy once you get used to it
Atticus Domingo
The whole system is SO confusing and they make it impossible to get through to anyone to ask questions! I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own claim status and just get busy signals or hung up on. How is anyone supposed to understand these rules when you can't even talk to a human being???
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Atticus Domingo
•Is that legit? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to get scammed.
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Beth Ford
•Yeah it's real, they just help you get through the phone queue. Much better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.
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Alice Pierce
also if you get denied you can appeal but theres like a super short deadline to do it, i think its only 30 days from when they send the determination
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