i think i got the whole thing backward when i first filed lol. thought my benefit would be higher cuz i was looking at my yearly total not the quarter thing. was disappointed when the real amount came through

To summarize for anyone else with the same question: 1. The base period (full year) determines if you're eligible for benefits 2. Your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest quarter earnings within that base period 3. The formula is approximately 1/26 of your highest quarter earnings 4. The maximum weekly benefit in NY for 2025 is $650 5. If your determination seems wrong, you can request a reconsideration Hope this helps clear things up!

One last thing to try: the NYSDOL has a Twitter account (@NYSLabor) where they sometimes respond to people having issues. Some folks have had success sending them a direct message with their contact info (never include your SSN or claim ID in public tweets). Worth a shot while pursuing the other avenues mentioned.

Quick update: I actually got mine resolved finally. Called using that service I mentioned, got through to someone who told me my claim had been stuck because they needed proof I'd been searching for work, but the notification never got sent to me due to a "system error." Once I uploaded my job search records, my claim was approved within a week and I got all my backpay. The whole thing could have been resolved in 5 minutes if I could have just gotten someone on the phone months ago. The system is beyond broken.

I think everyone's missing the real problem here - the entire NY unemployment system is DELIBERATELY DESIGNED to be impossible to navigate. They WANT people to give up so they don't have to pay benefits. It's been this way for years, and they have no incentive to fix it because frustrated people eventually stop trying. It's not a broken system - it's working exactly as intended.

Thanks everyone for your responses and suggestions! After all this hassle, my card finally arrived today - almost 3 weeks after I was approved. For anyone else dealing with KeyBank card issues, I'm going to try their direct line next time like @profile1 suggested. And I've set up direct deposit as a backup like @profile4 recommended. This whole system is so frustrating, but at least we can help each other navigate it!

For anyone still dealing with this: I work with a community assistance program, and we're seeing this issue affect quite a few people. The NYSDOL is processing these delayed payments in batches based on certification date. If you certified on the 7th like the original poster, you should see your payment by tomorrow or Friday at the latest. The technical issue was related to the system not properly recognizing certifications that crossed the calendar year boundary. It's something they've actually encountered in previous years as well. One important note: make sure your direct deposit information is current and accurate. Some people have had their payments delayed further because they changed banks recently but didn't update their profile.

I'm having a similar issue but mine says I've exhausted my benefits?? But I've only been collecting for 8 weeks! Does anyone know if this could be related to the same glitch? I'm freaking out because I have no idea what's going on and I NEED this money for my car payment!!

All of this is BY DESIGN! They deliberately make it confusing and slow so people give up and don't get the money they're owed. I bet thousands of people think that little extra on their regular refund WAS the unemployment adjustment and will never follow up. Meanwhile the state keeps MILLIONS that should be going back to workers who were laid off. CRIMINAL!

Update: My letter finally arrived yesterday! Says I'll be getting $362 back for the unemployment tax adjustment, and it should arrive within 2-3 weeks. I filed my taxes in mid-March, so it took almost exactly 12 weeks for them to process the adjustment. Hope this helps anyone still waiting - hang in there!