Just wanted to add one more thing - if your landlord is threatening eviction due to late rent, make sure to get documentation from NYSDOL about your pending payments. New York has temporary protection if you can prove you're waiting on unemployment funds. Ask the agent for a "Notice of Pending Unemployment Benefits" when you speak with them. You can present this to your landlord to potentially get more time.

UPDATE: I finally got through this morning! Called right at 8:00am like suggested and asked for a Tier 2 payment specialist. Had to wait about 25 minutes, but finally spoke to someone helpful. Turns out my account was flagged for "quarterly review" which they're doing to random accounts. The agent cleared the hold while I was on the phone and said I should see all three payments in my account within 2-3 business days. She also sent me the benefits notice documentation to show my landlord. Thanks everyone for your help!

When I was waiting for my waiver decision, I finally called and learned there was a problem they never notified me about. After struggling to get through on the phones, I used Claimyr to get connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. The agent discovered my application was missing a signature on page 3 (which I had no idea about). I resubmitted that day and had my approval within a week. Sometimes calling is the only way to find out what's really happening with your case. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE to see how it works.

One final tip: if you do call, make sure to request that the agent documents the call in your case notes. This creates a paper trail showing you're actively following up. If you reach the 12-week mark with no resolution, you can escalate to a supervisor and reference your previous inquiries, which strengthens your case for expedited review.

One more important note: if you're using tax software to file your return, make sure you enter your 1099-G information correctly. The software should guide you through this, but many people make errors when entering unemployment compensation. The full amount from Box 1 of your 1099-G needs to be reported on Schedule 1 of your federal tax return, which then transfers to your Form 1040.

Thank you everyone for the help! Sounds like I definitely need to report the full amount from my 1099-G. I'm going to check if I can still set up withholding for my remaining benefits to avoid a bigger surprise next year. Not the news I was hoping for, but at least now I know what to expect.

Just called the tax department (took FOREVER to get through) and they confirmed these refunds are legit but the rep said NOT EVERYONE will get one! You only qualify if you had unemployment income AND your adjusted gross income was under $150,000. Also they said some people might get notices AFTER the refund is deposited so don't panic if you haven't gotten an email yet!

I just checked my NY tax account online and there's a new section that shows "Unemployment Benefit Adjustment" with a status. Mine says "Processing - Expected issue date: May 13, 2025" with the amount! Everyone should check their online accounts if they have one set up.

UPDATE: Finally got through the ID verification! For anyone else with only a PO Box, I ended up doing the video call referee option. Had to wait about 45 minutes but the agent was super helpful. I showed them my driver's license, social security card, and explained my PO Box situation. They were able to verify me through their system by asking additional security questions about my history. My claim is now processing and they said I'll receive all the backpay for the weeks I missed while dealing with this. Such a relief!

I had to do this for my mom too. She's elderly and doesn't have internet bills or anything in her name. The video call thing worked but she had to wait like 2 hours to talk to someone! That was back in November though so maybe its faster now