I'm going through the exact same situation and it's absolutely infuriating! Filed my claim in late July and have been stuck in pending for over 2 months now. Called in early October and got the identical "high priority unit" script with that same 518 number - surprise, surprise, no call ever came. What really gets me angry is how they act like 8-12 weeks is somehow normal processing time when their own website used to say 2-4 weeks. I've been certifying weekly without fail, documenting every job application, checking my messages constantly - basically jumping through every hoop they've set up - and still absolutely nothing. The financial strain is becoming impossible. I'm borrowing money from friends just to keep my car insurance active so I can continue job searching. Meanwhile, DOL acts like telling us to "keep waiting" with zero timeline or accountability is acceptable customer service. After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm convinced the "high priority unit" is just where they dump claims they don't want to deal with. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy this week and also look into contacting my assembly member like Matthew suggested. At this point we clearly need to escalate outside of DOL's broken system. Thanks for sharing your stories everyone - it's both comforting and terrifying to see how widespread this disaster has become. We need to keep pushing and sharing what actually works because they're clearly not going to fix this mess on their own!

I'm also dealing with this exact same issue and it's incredibly frustrating! Filed my claim back in early August and have been stuck in pending status for almost 3 months now. Called DOL in late September and got the identical story about the "high priority unit" and that 518 number - naturally, never received any call. What's really disheartening is seeing how many of us are going through this exact same experience. The consistency of everyone getting told about this mysterious "high priority unit" but then waiting months with no follow-up really suggests it's become their standard stalling tactic. I've been doing everything they asked - certifying weekly, keeping detailed job search records, checking my online account religiously - but still nothing. The financial pressure is becoming overwhelming. I'm now having to choose between paying utilities or buying groceries, and I've had to ask family for help which is humiliating when I should be receiving benefits I've paid into for years. It's maddening that they can just tell us to "keep waiting" indefinitely with zero accountability or realistic timelines. Reading through all these experiences, I'm definitely going to try the strategies people have shared - the early morning calling approach, visiting my local DOL office in person, and maybe even that Claimyr service if I can't get through otherwise. I'm also going to look into contacting my state representative as Matthew suggested, since it's clear we need to escalate outside of DOL's broken system. Thank you all for sharing your stories and suggestions. It helps to know we're not alone in this nightmare, even though it's terrifying to see how widespread this problem has become. We need to keep supporting each other and sharing what actually works since DOL clearly isn't going to fix this mess on their own!

I went through something similar with NYS Department of Labor last year. One thing that really helped my case was writing down everything I could remember about the hostile incidents - even small details like dates, times, and exactly what was said. I also reached out to former coworkers who witnessed some of the behavior and asked if they'd be willing to provide statements if needed. The adjudicator told me later that having multiple sources backing up my story made a big difference. Your sister should also keep records of her job search efforts since she'll need to show she's actively looking for work. The whole process was stressful but definitely worth it - I ended up getting approved after the initial review. Tell her not to get discouraged if it takes a while to hear back!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share some additional resources that might help your sister. The NYS Department of Labor website has a specific section called "Voluntary Quit - Good Cause" that lists all the acceptable reasons for quitting that still qualify you for benefits. Besides hostile work environment, other qualifying reasons include unsafe working conditions, significant changes to job duties or pay, discrimination, and domestic violence situations. They also have a phone line specifically for questions about eligibility before filing - though as others mentioned, it can be hard to get through. One tip I learned is to call right when they open at 8 AM for the best chance of reaching someone. Your sister should also know that if she gets denied initially, the appeals process is pretty straightforward and many people who get denied on first review are approved on appeal. The most important thing is that she files soon and is completely honest and detailed about her situation.

Pro tip for everyone struggling with the NY unemployment website - if you're using an older browser or have strict privacy settings, some of the navigation elements might not load properly. I had this issue where the Payment History section wasn't showing up at all until I switched to Chrome and disabled my ad blocker temporarily. Also, make sure you're fully logged out and back in if you've been on the site for a while - sometimes the session gets wonky and certain pages won't display correctly. The website definitely has its quirks but these tricks usually help when things aren't working as expected!

Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble finding these documents, you can also request them by mail if needed. I had to do this once when the website was down for maintenance during tax season. You can call the NYSDOL customer service line and request they mail you a paper copy of your 1099-G and payment history - it takes about 7-10 business days to arrive, but it's a good backup option if you're running into technical issues with the website or need official hard copies for your records.

I went through something similar when I first applied. One thing that really helped me was creating a spreadsheet with all my pay periods, hours worked, and what was actually reported vs what I earned. It made it much easier to spot discrepancies when I compared it to what NYS Department of Labor had on file. Also, don't forget that your base period might not include your most recent earnings - there's often a lag, so your highest earning quarters might not even be in the calculation period. You can check this by looking at exactly which quarters they used for your base period in your determination letter.

I'm dealing with a similar issue and it's so frustrating! I worked as a server for almost 3 years and my weekly benefit is only $195. What really gets me is that I was actually pretty good about claiming most of my tips compared to other servers I knew, but it still wasn't enough to make a real difference in my benefit calculation. The whole system seems set up to penalize service industry workers who rely on tips. Has anyone had any luck getting their employer to provide additional documentation about actual earnings? My old manager said they might be able to help but I'm not sure what kind of paperwork would even be useful since most of our tip income was never formally tracked anyway.

I'm dealing with this same exact issue! Started yesterday afternoon and I've been pulling my hair out trying to get in. Reading through all these comments is such a relief - I was convinced something was wrong with my specific account. Just tried the mobile browser approach that everyone's recommending and I'm still getting the session expired error, but I'm going to keep trying different combinations. The NY.gov ID app trick sounds really smart - going to try logging into that first then switching to browser like @StarStrider suggested. Really grateful that so many people have shared what worked for them. It's frustrating that this is such a recurring issue, but at least we know NYSDOL is aware and will allow backdated certifications. Going to keep trying the mobile/tablet route since that seems to be the most successful workaround. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to call their support line. 🙏

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Been locked out since yesterday trying to certify and getting that same misleading "session expired" message. This thread has been SO helpful - I was starting to panic thinking my account was specifically broken. Just tried the mobile browser trick that so many of you mentioned and I'm still getting the error, but I'm not giving up! Going to try the NY.gov ID app approach next, then maybe hit it during off-peak hours like early morning. It's such a relief to know this is a system-wide issue and that NYSDOL will allow backdated certifications. I was seriously stressing about losing my benefits over what's clearly a technical problem on their end. Thanks everyone for sharing your workarounds and experiences - this community support is honestly better than their official help resources right now! Will keep trying and update if I find anything that works. 🤞