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If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- 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 :)
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I just went through this exact same situation two weeks ago when I moved from Queens to Rochester! The frustrating part is that even after you update your address with NYSDOL online, the Key Bank system doesn't automatically sync with it. I had to call Key Bank separately and wait on hold for like an hour. Pro tip: If you're planning to move again in the future, consider switching to direct deposit BEFORE you move. I wish I had done that from the start. The whole Key Bank card system seems like it's designed to create problems whenever there's any change to your account. Also, make sure to keep receipts or screenshots of any calls you make to either NYSDOL or Key Bank about address changes. I had to call back twice because the first representative didn't properly update my information in their system.
That's exactly what happened to me! The lack of sync between NYSDOL and Key Bank systems is so confusing. I spent hours thinking there was something wrong with my unemployment claim when it was just a card issue. Your tip about keeping screenshots is smart - I wish I had documented my calls better. It would have saved me from having to re-explain everything multiple times. Definitely switching to direct deposit as soon as the funds clear from my card!
I'm so glad you got this resolved! I had a very similar experience when I moved apartments in Brooklyn last year. The whole two-system thing (NYSDOL + Key Bank) is incredibly confusing and they really don't make it clear that you need to update both separately. One thing that might help others - I found that calling Key Bank early in the morning (like 7-8 AM) gets you through much faster than calling during business hours. The wait times are brutal during peak hours. Also, for anyone reading this thread who hasn't had this problem yet: seriously consider setting up direct deposit from day one of your unemployment claim. I switched after my moving nightmare and it's been smooth sailing ever since. No more worrying about card blocks, address issues, or those annoying inactivity fees. Just straight deposits to your regular bank account. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update - posts like this really help the community!
This is such valuable advice, especially about calling early in the morning! I wish I had known that yesterday when I was stuck in phone tree hell for hours. Your point about setting up direct deposit from day one is spot on - I'm definitely doing that for anyone I know who files for unemployment in the future. It's crazy that they don't make the two-system setup more obvious upfront. Thanks for taking the time to share these tips - this community really does help people avoid these headaches!
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I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been dealing with the exact same issue for the past week. After reading through everyone's suggestions, I decided to check multiple places and finally found my unemployment number in three different locations: on an old payment confirmation email that was buried in my inbox, in the "View Claim Details" section of my ny.gov account (it was labeled as "UI Number"), and surprisingly on a screenshot I had taken of my account weeks ago when I was first trying to figure things out. It's honestly ridiculous that we all have to become detectives just to find our own claim information, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing all these different strategies. For anyone still searching, definitely try the mobile app suggestion and check your email spam folder - those were two places I almost missed!
This is exactly what I needed to read! It's so encouraging to hear that someone actually found their number using the suggestions from this thread. I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed trying to track mine down, but knowing that you found it in multiple places gives me hope. I'm definitely going to check that "View Claim Details" section first since you mentioned it was labeled as "UI Number" - I probably walked right past that without realizing what it meant. The screenshot idea is brilliant too, I think I might have taken some photos when I was first setting up my account. Thanks for sharing your success story and confirming which methods actually worked - it really helps to know I'm not just chasing dead ends!
I completely understand your frustration! I went through this exact same issue about a month ago and it drove me crazy. After reading through all these amazing suggestions from everyone, I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me - if you've ever used the "Contact Us" or "Submit a Question" feature on the ny.gov unemployment portal, check your email for any automated response confirmations they sent back. Mine had my unemployment number right in the subject line! Also, if you've set up direct deposit for unemployment payments, sometimes your bank's online portal will show the unemployment number in the transaction details under "memo" or "reference" fields. It's honestly insane how many different places they scatter this one crucial piece of information. The NYS DOL system desperately needs a user experience overhaul - your unemployment number should be displayed prominently on your main account dashboard, not hidden across dozens of random locations. Keep trying all these suggestions everyone has shared - you'll definitely find it!
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I've been stuck in pending status for almost a month now and this thread is honestly the most helpful resource I've found anywhere! The Wednesday 8:15am strategy sounds legit based on all the success stories, especially knowing there's actual staffing reasons behind the timing rather than just luck. I'm definitely going to try this approach tomorrow morning - already set my alarm and organized all my paperwork (claim ID, SSN, employment info, etc.) into a checklist like @Keisha suggested. It's wild that we need to become phone system strategists just to get our own benefits, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works vs the useless official DOL website. If the strategic calling doesn't pan out after a few solid attempts, I'll absolutely check out that claimyr.com service that multiple people have mentioned. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get my claim moving - my landlord is already asking about next month's rent and I'm getting seriously stressed. Thanks everyone for sharing real experiences instead of generic advice. This thread has given me more hope than weeks of trying to navigate this broken system alone! Will report back on how tomorrow goes 🤞
I'm in the exact same boat as you @Evelyn! Been trying to get through for 2 weeks now and it's driving me absolutely crazy. After reading through all these comments, I'm definitely convinced the Wednesday 8:15am strategy is the way to go - seeing so many actual success stories gives me real hope for the first time in weeks. What really sold me is that multiple reps have confirmed there's genuine staffing reasons behind the mid-week timing (processing weekend backlogs) so it's not just random luck anymore. I'm going to try this approach tomorrow and definitely following @Keisha's advice about making that organized checklist with all my info ready - claim ID, SSN, employment dates, bank details, etc. I always get so flustered when I actually reach someone that I forget the most basic stuff they need! It's honestly insane that we have to become unemployment phone ninjas just to access our own money, but this community has been way more helpful than anything on the official DOL website. If the strategic calling doesn't work out, that claimyr.com service sounds promising based on all the positive feedback here. Thanks everyone for sharing what actually works - you've kept me from completely giving up! 🙏
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I had issues getting through to KeyBank when I needed help with my unemployment card too. Ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent who could help coordinate with KeyBank. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling around.
How much does that service cost? I'm already broke waiting for my unemployment money lol
It's worth checking out - they focus on getting you connected quickly rather than keeping you on hold forever. The time saved is usually worth it when you're dealing with urgent card issues.
The whole KeyBank system is a nightmare tbh. Why can't NYS Department of Labor just do direct deposit like normal jobs? This debit card thing is so outdated and causes nothing but problems when you lose it or it gets damaged.
You can actually switch to direct deposit! Just log into your my.ny.gov account and change your payment method in the NYS Department of Labor section.
Zara Ahmed
You can also check your claim status online through the NY DOL website to see if there are any holds or issues that might be delaying card shipment. Sometimes there are identity verification steps that need to be completed before the card gets sent out. Also, if you need money urgently for rent, you might want to ask family/friends for a short-term loan since even if you get the card tomorrow it can take a day or two to activate it and access funds. Definitely try the KeyBank tracking and calling their unemployment card line - they're usually more helpful than the general DOL phone system.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•That's a great point about checking for identity verification holds! I just logged into my NY DOL account and you're right - there was actually a pending identity verification step I hadn't completed yet. No wonder the card hasn't shipped. Thanks for the tip about asking for a short-term loan too, that's probably my best bet for making rent while I get this sorted out.
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GalacticGuru
If you're still having trouble after checking all the suggestions above, you might want to consider requesting a replacement card. KeyBank usually allows you to request a replacement if your original card hasn't arrived after 15 business days. There's typically a small fee (around $5-10) but it might be worth it for peace of mind. You can usually do this through their website or by calling their unemployment card line. Also, make sure to update your address with both NYS DOL and KeyBank if you've moved recently - mismatched addresses are a common cause of delivery delays. Hope you get this resolved soon!
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