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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- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
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- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
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Need a working NY unemployment phone number - regular line not connecting
I've been trying to reach the NY unemployment office for THREE DAYS now about my claim issue. Every time I call 888-209-8124 it either disconnects me or puts me on hold forever until eventually hanging up. Does anyone know an alternative number that actually works? Or maybe a direct line to a specific department? I need to talk to someone ASAP about my payment that's been pending for almost 2 weeks!
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What happens after unemployment appeal hearing with NYS Department of Labor?
I had my unemployment appeal hearing last Tuesday morning via phone with the administrative law judge. The whole thing lasted about 45 minutes and my former employer participated too. The judge said she would review all the evidence and testimony before making a decision. It's been 6 days now and I haven't heard anything back from NYS Department of Labor. How long does it usually take to get the written decision after the hearing? Will they email it to me or send it by mail? I'm really anxious because I've been without benefits for over a month while this appeal was pending.
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Just curious what was your hearing about? I have one coming up next month for attendance issues and I'm nervous about what to expect
Mine was for misconduct - my employer claimed I violated company policy but I had documentation showing I followed proper procedures. My advice is to gather all your evidence beforehand (emails, attendance records, company handbook policies, etc.) and be prepared to explain your side clearly. The judge will ask both you and your employer questions. Don't be too nervous - the judge was actually pretty fair and let me present everything I needed to. Good luck with yours!
I'm going through a similar situation right now - had my hearing 8 days ago and checking my online account obsessively! From what I've read in the NYS DOL handbook, they're supposed to issue decisions within 30 calendar days, but most people seem to get them within 2-3 weeks. One thing that helped my anxiety was setting up text alerts through the NY.gov website so I get notified immediately when there's any update to my claim status. Also, definitely keep filing your weekly certifications even while the appeal is pending - if you win, those weeks need to be on file for you to get the back pay. The waiting is brutal but you're still well within the normal timeframe. Fingers crossed we both hear good news soon!
New York Unemployment: How to report hours for 24/7 dog sitting gig work?
Need help reporting hours for dog sitting gig work on my weekly claim. Its a 24/7 job where the dog stays with me for a week. Not paid hourly, just a flat rate with 1099 income. The system wants me to input hours worked but if I put in 24 hours a day it would be 192 hours for the week which seems wrong. What should I put for my hours?
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quick question - did you find the rover gig on your own or did unemployment send you there? trying to find some side work myself
found it myself! just downloaded the app and made a profile. pretty easy to get started tbh
bet, gonna check it out. thx!
Just wanted to add - make sure you're keeping detailed records of your actual work activities for each day! I learned the hard way that unemployment can ask for documentation if they audit your claim. I use a simple note-taking app to track feeding times, walks, any cleaning, etc. Takes like 2 minutes but covers you if they ever question your reported hours. Better safe than sorry!
How long does it take to receive unemployment benefits in NYC after filing with NYS Department of Labor?
I just filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor last week and I'm wondering how long it usually takes to get approved and start receiving payments in NYC. My rent is due next week and I'm getting really stressed about the timing. I worked at a restaurant in Manhattan for 2 years before getting laid off. Does anyone know the typical timeline from filing to first payment? I've been checking my.ny.gov every day but it just says 'claim under review'.
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I just went through this process last month after getting laid off from my marketing job in Manhattan. The 2-3 week timeline everyone mentioned is pretty accurate - mine took exactly 18 days from filing to first payment. One thing that really helped me was downloading the NY.gov mobile app instead of just using the website - I found it updated faster and was easier to navigate when checking my claim status. Also, since you mentioned rent stress, I'd recommend reaching out to 311 about emergency assistance programs. They connected me with a few resources that helped bridge the gap while waiting for benefits. The worst part is definitely that first waiting period, but once the payments start they're pretty consistent. Make sure you have your bank account info ready for direct deposit - it speeds things up significantly once you're approved!
Thanks for the tip about the mobile app - I didn't even know there was one! I've just been refreshing the website constantly which is probably driving me crazy for no reason. The 18-day timeline gives me hope since I'm right around that mark now. I'm definitely going to call 311 about emergency assistance programs - I hadn't thought of that resource. It's so helpful hearing from people who just went through this recently with actual timelines. The direct deposit tip is noted too - I'll double-check that's all set up correctly in my account. Really appreciate you sharing your experience!
Just wanted to add my recent experience to help ease some anxiety here - I filed my unemployment claim in early April after getting laid off from my finance job in Midtown. It took exactly 19 days to get my first payment, which aligns with what others are saying about the 2-3 week timeline. A couple things that helped me during the waiting period: 1) I called my utility companies to explain the situation and they were surprisingly understanding about extending due dates, 2) Many NYC food pantries don't require proof of income status and can help stretch your grocery budget while waiting, and 3) I set up account alerts for both my bank and the NY.gov site so I wasn't constantly checking manually. The hardest part is definitely the uncertainty, but based on what you've shared about your work history, your claim sounds very straightforward. Restaurant workers have been hit hard and the system recognizes this. Try to focus on things you can control (weekly certifications, having all your paperwork ready) rather than refreshing that status page constantly!
This is such practical advice, thank you! I hadn't thought about calling utility companies - that's actually brilliant and could really help with the cash flow crunch. The food pantry suggestion is also really helpful and removes some of the pride barrier since you mention they don't require income verification. I've been driving myself crazy refreshing that status page multiple times a day, so setting up automatic alerts sounds like it would save my sanity. Your timeline of 19 days gives me hope since I'm getting close to that point. It's really reassuring to hear from someone in finance who went through this recently - shows this situation can happen to anyone regardless of industry. Thanks for sharing these concrete steps I can take while waiting!
NY unemployment won't let me claim after filing - told to claim on Sunday but system blocked me
I'm so frustrated right now! I just filed a new NY unemployment claim last week, and the representative specifically told me to claim my weekly benefits starting on Sunday. But when I tried on Sunday, the system wouldn't let me do anything! Just kept giving me an error message. So I waited and tried again today (Monday) thinking maybe there was a glitch, but still nothing. Is anyone else having this problem? Am I doing something wrong or is the system just being difficult? What am I supposed to do now? Do I need to call them AGAIN? That took me like 3 hours last time!
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This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - filed my claim 10 days ago and keep getting the "unable to process your request" error when trying to certify. The rep told me to claim last Sunday but nothing worked. Reading everyone's experiences here is really reassuring - sounds like this is just how the NY system works unfortunately. I'm going to wait another week before calling again, but that Claimyr service sounds like it could save me hours of being on hold if I do need to call. Quick question for those who've been through this - when your claim finally got approved and you could certify, did you have to certify for each missed week individually or did the system let you do them all at once? Just trying to prepare for when mine hopefully gets processed!
Hey there! I can answer your question about certifying for missed weeks - when my claim finally got approved after 2.5 weeks of being stuck, the system automatically prompted me to certify for all the weeks I had missed. It was actually pretty smooth - I just had to go through each week one by one answering the usual questions (did you work, did you look for work, etc.) but I could do them all in the same session. The whole process took maybe 15-20 minutes to certify for 3 weeks of missed claims, and then I got my payment (including all the backpay) within a couple days after that. So don't worry - the system definitely keeps track of which weeks you're owed once everything gets sorted out! Hang in there, sounds like you're right on track with the typical timeline based on what everyone else has shared. The waiting is the worst part but it does get resolved eventually! 🤞
I'm experiencing the exact same issue right now! Filed my claim about 10 days ago and the rep told me to start claiming this past Sunday, but I keep getting error messages when I try to certify. It's so frustrating because you follow their instructions exactly and then the system just blocks you. Reading through all these comments has been incredibly helpful though - it sounds like this is unfortunately just a common glitch in how NY processes new claims. The disconnect between what the phone reps tell you and what the computer system actually allows seems to be a recurring theme. I'm going to wait another week before trying to call again, but I might look into that Claimyr service if the wait times are still crazy long. The fact that everyone who went through this eventually got their backpay once the claim was fully processed is really reassuring. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this is normal and not something I messed up during my application!
Charity Cohan
has anyone tried the callback feature? i heard they were testing it in some areas
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Salim Nasir
That feature is NEVER offered to me!!! I think it's a myth or maybe only for certain types of claims because I've called hundreds of times and never once got the option for a callback!
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Quinn Herbert
Just checking back - did you manage to get through? I'm curious if any of these suggestions worked for you.
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Yuki Tanaka
@Anthony Young I actually used Claimyr too after seeing Quinn s'recommendation and it cost me $19. Honestly, after spending 3 days getting nowhere with the regular phone lines, it was the best $19 I ve'spent in a while! Got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes and they resolved my pending payment issue right away. If you re'dealing with something urgent, I d'say it s'definitely worth trying before you lose more time with the traditional methods.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
@Anthony Young I was in the exact same boat last month! I ended up paying the $19 for Claimyr after reading all these success stories and it was totally worth it. Got through in about 25 minutes and the agent was super helpful - turned out I had a simple documentation issue that was holding up my payments for weeks. The way I see it, $19 is way less than the money I was losing by not getting my unemployment payments on time. Plus the stress relief of actually talking to a real person was priceless!
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