New York Unemployment
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Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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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
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- 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 :)
Daughter's NY unemployment stuck in review for 20+ weeks - need urgent help
My daughter applied for NY unemployment benefits back in January 2025, and her claim has been sitting in 'under review' status for over 20 weeks now! She's been certifying every single week without fail, but hasn't received a single payment. She's called NYSDOL monthly and keeps getting the runaround. About 5 weeks ago, a rep promised that a 'specialist' would call within 2 weeks - guess what? No one ever called! This seems absolutely ridiculous that NYS thinks someone can survive without income for 5+ months while they drag their feet on a decision. Has anyone else experienced such a long wait time? Any suggestions on how to actually get through to someone with authority who can resolve this and get her payments started? She's really struggling financially at this point. Thank you for any advice!!
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Need IRS phone number that bypasses the automated system - NY unemployment forum advice
I know this is the NY unemployment forum, but I'm desperate to get through to an actual human at the IRS. Every time I call, I just get stuck in their automated system and can't reach a live person. Does anyone have the direct number or an extension that lets you talk to a real IRS agent? My tax refund is tied up with my unemployment issue so they're kind of related... Thanks for any help!
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UPDATE: I tried the suggestion from earlier about using Claimyr for my IRS issue and it actually worked! Got through to someone in about 45 minutes instead of spending all day trying to call. The agent was able to fix the discrepancy between my unemployment reporting and what the IRS had on file. Might be worth checking out if none of the direct number tricks are working for you.
Thanks for the update! I'm going to try the direct extension method first thing tomorrow morning, but if that doesn't work, I'll definitely consider Claimyr. Glad you got your issue resolved!
Got a NY unemployment all access MetaBank card in mail - what's it for?
I just got something called an 'all access MetaBank card' in today's mail but I don't remember requesting it. It came with my name on it and a bunch of paperwork. Is this related to my NY unemployment benefits? I thought I selected direct deposit when I applied last month. Has anyone else gotten one of these cards? I'm hesitant to activate it because I'm not sure if it's legitimate or some kind of scam.
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The same exact thing happened to my cousin last year and it was a NIGHTMARE to fix!!!! The unemployment system in this state is completely BROKEN!! They take WEEKS to process anything and you can never reach anyone on the phone. Its absolutely CRIMINAL how they treat people!!!!
yeah my brother had same problem too. said he spent like 3 days just trying to talk to someone
Quick question - now that I've updated my direct deposit info, should I still activate the MetaBank card? Will my current payment be on there or will it go to my bank account?
Yes, you should still activate the card. Any payments that were already processed before you updated your direct deposit information will be on the card. Only future payments will go to your bank account. The paperwork that came with the card should explain how to check your balance and access those funds.
When are the next NY unemployment tax refunds being sent out for 2025 filings?
Does anyone have inside info on when the next batch of NY unemployment tax refunds will be processed? I filed in early February and still haven't received anything while my friend who filed later already got hers. Are they processing by filing date, income level, or something else? The NYSDOL website just says 'refunds are being processed in batches' but gives zero details about which batch they're currently working on. Getting a bit worried since I'm counting on that money for some overdue bills.
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has anyone got a partial refund? mine was supposed to be $743 according to my tax forms but i only got $598 deposited. no explanation why it was less.
Check if you had any existing state debts that would trigger an offset. Common reasons include: unpaid state taxes from previous years, child support arrears, unpaid parking tickets, or state university tuition debts. The NYSDOL is required to deduct these before issuing your refund, and they should have sent a notice explaining the deduction to your NY.gov message center.
UPDATE: My refund just posted to my account this morning! For anyone else waiting, I'm in the $45K-$55K income range and filed in early February. Looks like they're definitely working through Batch 2 right now. Thanks everyone for the help and information!
Lucky you! Still nothing on my end. Did they send you an email notification before it showed up or did it just appear in your account?
No notification at all - it just appeared in my bank account this morning. The only reason I knew to check was because of this thread! You might want to keep an eye on your account if you're in a similar situation.
What happens when NY unemployment benefits expire? Restaurant worker can't find job
This may seem like a stupid question but my husband's been unemployed for about 10 months now, applying for jobs almost daily. I know his NY unemployment benefits expire next month (April 2025). So my question is, after that he's basically screwed and not going to receive anything? He only has experience in the restaurant industry and with how things are looking, he's really struggling to find stable work. The few interviews he's had went nowhere. What options does he have when his benefits end? Can he attempt to recertify somehow? Apply for an extension? Any advice would be really appreciated.
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One more thing to consider: if your husband takes part-time work while looking for full-time employment, he might still be eligible for partial unemployment benefits, even under Safety Net. Many people don't realize this. As long as he works fewer than 4 days per week and earns less than the maximum benefit rate, he could receive a reduced benefit. This can be a good strategy to extend benefits while building experience in a new field. Just make sure he reports all earnings accurately during weekly certifications.
yea but u gotta be carefull with this becuz if u mess up reporting even by accident they call it FRAUD and u gotta pay everything back with penalties!!!! happened to my brother in law
Thank you all for the helpful advice. I spoke with my husband and we're going to: 1. Keep applying for jobs but expand beyond just restaurants 2. Try to contact NYSDOL directly about Safety Net benefits using that calling service 3. Look into the career center retraining programs 4. Check what part-time options might be available to extend benefits It's really scary being in this situation but your advice has given us some direction. I'll update if we learn anything that might help others.
That sounds like a solid plan. The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part, but having multiple paths forward helps. Wishing you both the best of luck - the job market is tough right now but not impossible.
Liam O'Sullivan
you guys shud try calling right when they open... my brother got thru that way
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Mei Liu
I'm so frustrated for your daughter! The system is clearly failing people who need help most. Please come back and let us know what ends up working - it helps others who are stuck in similar situations.
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AstroAdventurer
AuthorI definitely will update once we get this resolved! I appreciate all the helpful suggestions from everyone. It's been incredibly stressful for her, but at least now we have several concrete action steps to try.
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