I went through this same anxiety a few months ago! One thing that really helped me understand what was happening was looking at the "Issue Summary" section in the portal - it shows if there are any specific flags on your claim that are causing delays. Common ones are "Able and Available" or "Separation Issues" which basically mean they're verifying you're eligible to work and checking the circumstances of how you left your job. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, that's usually processed faster than paper checks once your claim does get approved. The whole process felt like forever but looking back, 2 weeks is still pretty normal timing for the initial review.

One more thing to check - if you're still anxious about the status, you can also call the automated phone system at 1-888-209-8124. It's not as detailed as the online portal but it can give you a quick status update without having to wait on hold for a human agent. Just have your SSN and PIN ready. The automated system will tell you if there are any issues flagged on your claim or if payments have been released. I found it helpful during my waiting period just to get that extra confirmation that things were moving along normally.

Congrats Logan! 🎉 That message is definitely your official approval - you're in! I got the exact same notification about 3 weeks ago and my direct deposit hit in exactly 2 business days. Since you already have DD set up, you should see it way faster than the KeyBank card route. Mine came through around 6:30 AM on the second day, so definitely check early morning! Make sure you keep that message screenshotted for your records and don't forget to set up your weekly certification reminder - I do mine every Sunday at 9 AM sharp. The approval process was the hardest part by far, now it's just staying consistent with the weekly routine. You've officially made it through the worst of it! 💪

Congratulations Logan! 🎉 That message is absolutely your official approval notification - you've made it through the hardest part! I received the exact same message from NY DOL about 4 months ago and my direct deposit came through in exactly 2 business days, just like everyone else here is saying. Since you already have direct deposit set up, you'll definitely get your payment much faster than the 3-week KeyBank card timeline they mention. Mine actually hit my account around 5:15 AM on the second business day, so I'd recommend checking your account early in the morning! Make sure to screenshot that approval message for your records and set up a weekly certification reminder ASAP - I do mine every Sunday at 8 AM and haven't missed one yet. The approval process was definitely the most stressful part, but now it's just about maintaining that weekly certification routine. You're basically at the finish line now - congrats on pushing through all the uncertainty! 💪

one thing i learned is make sure you file your weekly claim every week even if your claim is pending or in adjudication. if you miss weeks you cant go back and get those payments later. learned that the hard way and lost out on like $1200

Just went through this process myself a few months ago. One thing nobody mentioned is that you need to have worked at least 2 quarters in your base period to qualify, and your base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you've only been at your warehouse job for 8 months, make sure those months fall within the right time frame. Also, if your hours got cut but you're still employed, you might qualify for partial unemployment benefits which could help bridge the gap while you look for something better.

My brother did this and got his benefits no problem. The voluntary part doesn't matter - what matters is WHY the layoff happened. If it's because the company needs to reduce headcount, you're good. Just document everything!

I actually just went through the NYS Department of Labor website and their handbook specifically mentions that voluntary layoffs are eligible for benefits as long as the separation is due to "lack of work" on the employer's part. The key is that you're not quitting your job - you're accepting an offer to be laid off because the company needs to reduce staff. I'd recommend calling the Department of Labor directly at 1-888-209-8124 to confirm your specific situation, especially if your severance package has any unusual terms. Also make sure to file your claim as soon as your last day of work, don't wait!

Just wanted to add my voice to this thread as someone who's been dealing with the exact same issues for the past 3 weeks. The NY unemployment system is completely broken right now - I've made over 90 calls with nothing but busy signals, and the website crashes every single time I try to certify. It's absolutely maddening when you're already stressed about being unemployed and then can't even access the benefits you've paid into. Thank you so much to everyone who's shared their experiences and solutions here! This thread has been like finding a treasure map when you're lost in a maze. I'm definitely going to try that automated phone certification number (1-888-581-5812) tomorrow morning at 6am, along with @Aaron's button sequence strategy (1, then 6, then 1). If those don't work, the Claimyr service seems to be the last resort that actually gets results. It's honestly disgusting that we need an entire community support network just to access basic unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful this exists when the official system completely abandons us. Reading about everyone's eventual success gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off. The financial anxiety is real when your safety net is broken, but we're all in this together! Will definitely update if any of these methods work for me.

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now and honestly, finding this thread feels like discovering a lifeline! I've been stuck trying to certify for the past 2 weeks with constant website crashes and have made probably 60+ calls with nothing but busy signals or that automated system that just hangs up on me. The stress of being unemployed and then not being able to access the benefits system is just overwhelming. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though - I'm definitely going to try that automated phone certification number (1-888-581-5812) that @Aaron shared first thing tomorrow morning, along with the early morning calling strategy at 6am. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to become system experts just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful everyone is sharing what actually works. The financial anxiety is so real when you're already struggling and then the safety net itself is broken. But seeing so many people eventually break through this mess gives me hope that persistence will pay off. This community support has been amazing when the official system completely fails us. I'll definitely update if any of these methods work for me - fingers crossed!