I had an agent literally LAUGH at me when I told them I couldn't pay my rent because my benefits were delayed. The system is designed to make you give up. Don't. Document everything, be persistent, and use every avenue available. The claimyr.com service others mentioned helped me finally reach someone who fixed my issue.

so the nysdol actually has a formal complaint process, but of course they dont make it easy to find 🙄 you need to call the main number, ask for a supervisor immediately (don't explain to the first person or they'll give you runaround), then tell supervisor you want to file a formal complaint against an employee. they are required to take these complaints and have a process for investigating them. dont let them brush you off!

Call your local department of social services IMMEDIATELY. When I had my C-section last year and wasn't eligible for PFL, they helped me get emergency assistance, SNAP benefits, and pointed me to other resources. Don't wait - these applications can take time to process.

i'll probably get downvoted but have you considered asking family for help? i know its not ideal but sometimes we gotta swallow our pride. my mom moved in with me for 2 months after my c-section and it was a lifesaver both financially and for recovery.

You NEED to talk to someone. Period. Nothing will happen until you get a live person who can look at the claim. Try calling every morning at 7:58am and hitting the right options the second they open. That worked for me after dozens of failed attempts.

is your husband checking his spam/junk email folders? sometimes the DOL sends important emails that get filtered out. also check physical mail - they sometimes send letters requiring response within a certain timeframe.

hot take: the backpay system is intentionally broken to save the state money. they know most people will give up eventually.

Check your spam folder!!!! My backpay notification was sitting there for 3 months before I found it. They needed additional info and I never saw the email.

have u checked ur spam folder? sometimes the important emails from unemployment go there. happened to me and i missed an important interview 😣

7 weeks is sadly normal these days. It took me 11 weeks last fall. The key is to keep certifying every week so when you do get approved, you'll get all that backpay at once. And yes, from what you described, you should definitely qualify with a family emergency absence.