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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!
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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!
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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.
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I'm about 12 days into "assigned to a worker" status and this thread has been a lifesaver! Reading everyone's experiences is helping me realize this is just how broken the system is right now, not something I did wrong. The complaint system that @Cole mentioned is totally new to me - I had no idea there was a separate process beyond just calling the regular number over and over. Definitely planning to try that if I hit the 3-week mark with no movement. I've been certifying every Sunday religiously after seeing everyone's advice here, even though it feels completely pointless when my balance stays at zero. But knowing it's crucial for backpay once this mess gets sorted out makes me feel like I'm at least doing something productive. The financial stress is real but honestly the uncertainty is what's killing me - I keep checking my account multiple times a day hoping for any kind of update or movement. Thanks to everyone for sharing actual timelines and strategies. This community has given me more useful information in one thread than I've gotten from multiple calls to DOL. Will definitely update if I learn anything new or if the complaint route ends up working for me. Hang in there everyone - at least we're not suffering through this nightmare alone!
I'm going through this exact same thing right now - day 6 of "assigned to worker" status and already feeling the stress! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding what we're actually dealing with. The complaint system @Cole shared is definitely something I'm going to keep in mind if the regular phone calls don't get me anywhere over the next couple weeks. I've also started certifying weekly after reading everyone's advice here, even though it feels weird when nothing else is moving. The uncertainty really is the worst part - I'd rather have a concrete timeline than this open-ended waiting game while bills keep coming. Thanks for sharing your experience and keeping us all updated on what's working (and what isn't)! It's reassuring to know we're all navigating this broken system together.
I'm currently on day 4 of having my claim "assigned to a worker" and honestly this thread is both a blessing and a curse! It's SO helpful to see everyone's actual experiences and timelines, but also terrifying to realize I could be waiting anywhere from 2-8 weeks with zero income. I called yesterday and got the usual "it's under review" with no other details - so frustrating when you're trying to figure out if you did something wrong or if there's a document missing. The complaint system that @Cole mentioned is completely new information to me and honestly gives me the first real hope I've had since this started. I had no idea there was a way to escalate beyond just calling the same phone number repeatedly! Definitely bookmarking that for if I hit the 2-3 week mark with no progress. I started certifying weekly after reading everyone's advice here even though my account balance is still showing zero. At least it makes me feel like I'm doing SOMETHING productive while everything else is stuck in limbo. The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part - I could mentally prepare for "it takes 6 weeks" but this open-ended waiting while bills pile up is brutal for my anxiety. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences and actual strategies that work. This community has already been more helpful than any official DOL communication I've received! Will definitely keep everyone posted on my progress and any new info I learn along the way.
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress too! I'm at about 2 weeks of "assigned to worker" status myself and totally understand that anxiety of not knowing if you'll be waiting days or months. The complaint system that @Cole shared has honestly been the most actionable piece of advice in this whole thread - it's crazy that none of the phone reps ever mention it as an option! I've also been doing those weekly certifications religiously even though it feels pointless when everything is frozen. The uncertainty really is worse than just knowing a concrete timeline. Hang in there and definitely keep us posted on your progress - we're all rooting for each other to get through this bureaucratic nightmare!
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The system is so backwards - you can file immediately but then they make you wait a week for no good reason. It's like they want people to suffer. At least file right away though because every day you wait just pushes back when you'll eventually get paid.
I agree it's frustrating, but the waiting week does serve a purpose - it's meant to ensure people are genuinely unemployed and not just filing frivolous claims. Still annoying when you need the money though. @de30959ad4b5 definitely don't let the waiting week discourage you from filing immediately!
Just to add another perspective - I filed my claim on the NY.gov website about 6 months ago and found it helpful to have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months ready before you start. The application asks for specific dates and wages from previous employers. Also, don't forget that you need to file your weekly certification every week even during that waiting period - missing a week can delay your benefits even more. Good luck with everything!
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Just to add - the 10% federal withholding might not be enough depending on your total income for the year and tax bracket. If you had a good job before unemployment you might want to consider making quarterly payments instead of just relying on the 10% withholding option.
ugh the whole tax thing with unemployment is so confusing, why can't they just make it simple like regular payroll taxes
I totally agree! Coming from restaurant work where taxes were automatically taken out of every paycheck, this whole "choose your own adventure" approach with unemployment taxes caught me completely off guard. It seems like they could at least make the default option more obvious or have better explanations during the application process.
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I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - I can really feel the stress and desperation in your post! I went through almost the exact same situation about 8 months ago where my benefits suddenly stopped and I couldn't get through to anyone no matter what I tried. The automated system would just hang up on me constantly and I was literally calling 15-20 times per day. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - I know it sounds sketchy at first because who wants to pay someone else just to access your own benefits, right? But I was getting desperate and figured $30 was worth it if it could save me from potential eviction. They basically keep calling the unemployment line over and over until they get through to a real person, then connect the call to you. I got connected within about 3 hours and my issue was resolved in literally 8 minutes - turned out to be some simple verification thing that was blocking my account. I also tried calling at really random times like 2:23pm on a Wednesday instead of the usual peak hours, and that seemed to help too. The system is just completely overwhelmed during normal business hours. Don't give up - your benefits are rightfully yours and the money is there waiting for you! The system is designed to be frustrating so people give up, but persistence really does pay off. Hang in there and try everything you can think of. We're all rooting for you!
I'm so sorry you're going through this - I know exactly how stressful and overwhelming it is when your benefits just stop with no real explanation! I've been reading through all these comments and I'm honestly amazed at how many of us are dealing with the identical situation. It's both comforting and infuriating to know the system is this broken for everyone. I'm in a similar boat - my payments stopped about 3 weeks ago with that same vague "call to resolve" message and I've been calling constantly with zero success. Just endless busy signals and that automated hangup message that makes you want to scream! After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm seriously considering trying Claimyr. I'll admit I was super skeptical at first because it sounds like one of those "too good to be true" services, but seeing so many different people across all these comments saying it actually worked for them is pretty convincing. When you're facing eviction and bills are piling up, you kind of have to try everything, right? I'm also going to test out some of those off-peak calling strategies people mentioned - like calling at random times on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons instead of the usual peak hours. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops and even consider paying a third party just to access benefits we're entitled to, but the system is clearly designed to wear us down. Don't let them win! Your benefits are rightfully yours. Hang in there - based on everyone's stories here, persistence really does seem to pay off eventually. We're all in this together!
Ava Kim
I was in a similar situation last year! I'm also on SSDI and was able to get unemployment benefits while looking for part-time work that accommodated my limitations. The key thing is being completely transparent with both agencies. When I applied for unemployment, I had to provide detailed medical documentation about what types of work I could do despite my disability. NYS DOL was actually pretty reasonable once I explained my situation properly. Yes, there's always a risk of triggering a disability review, but as long as you're honest about your capabilities and limitations, you should be okay. The Ticket to Work program that someone mentioned is definitely worth looking into too - it provides some protection while you transition back to work. Don't let fear stop you from trying to improve your situation!
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Ellie Lopez
•@18d44134dd88 Thank you so much for sharing your experience! As someone new to this community, I've been researching this exact situation for a family member who's on SSDI but making progress with their condition. Your success story is incredibly encouraging. I'm curious about one specific aspect - when you mentioned being "completely transparent" with both agencies, did you find that NYS DOL workers were generally knowledgeable about disability/unemployment overlap cases, or did you have to educate them about the possibility? I've heard mixed things about whether local unemployment offices understand these nuanced situations. Also, did you end up needing to provide ongoing medical updates to maintain your unemployment eligibility, or was the initial documentation sufficient? Really appreciate you taking the time to help others navigate this complex process!
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Kaiya Rivera
•@18d44134dd88 This is incredibly reassuring to hear! I'm the original poster and have been going through all these responses feeling pretty overwhelmed. Your actual success with this process gives me so much hope. I'm particularly interested in how you handled the medical documentation piece - did your doctor need to use specific language about your work capabilities, or were general medical records sufficient? I have my next appointment with my doctor in two weeks and want to make sure I ask for the right documentation. Also, when you say you were transparent with both agencies, did you proactively reach out to Social Security to let them know you were applying for unemployment, or did you wait until you were approved? I'm trying to figure out the best order of operations here. Thanks so much for sharing your story - it's exactly what I needed to hear to feel confident about moving forward!
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Liv Park
I've been following this thread and wanted to add my perspective as someone who works with disability advocacy. The confusion about unemployment and disability eligibility is really common, and it stems from the fact that these programs use different definitions of "disability" and "ability to work." For SSDI, you're considered disabled if you can't perform substantial gainful activity at the level you did before. But for unemployment, you just need to be able and available for some type of work, even if it's different from your previous job or has accommodations. The key is having clear medical documentation that outlines exactly what you CAN do, not just what you can't do. I'd recommend getting a functional capacity evaluation from your doctor that specifies things like "can sit for 4 hours with breaks" or "can lift up to 10 pounds" rather than just "has back problems." This gives both agencies concrete information to work with and helps avoid the appearance of contradiction between being "disabled" and "able to work.
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Michael Adams
•@a45dff51643a This is such invaluable guidance! As someone new to this community, I've been feeling completely lost trying to understand how these two systems can work together. Your explanation about the different definitions of disability is a game-changer - I hadn't realized that being disabled for one purpose doesn't automatically disqualify you for another. The functional capacity evaluation approach makes so much sense. I'm curious about the practical side of this - when someone gets this type of evaluation, does it typically get shared with both Social Security and the unemployment office, or do you keep separate documentation for each agency? I'm also wondering about timing - would it be better to get the functional capacity evaluation done before applying for unemployment, or is it something that can be obtained during the application process if requested? I really appreciate you sharing your professional perspective on this. It's helping me understand that there's actually a systematic way to approach this rather than just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best!
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Aria Park
•@a45dff51643a This perspective is so helpful! I'm new to this community and have been researching this topic because I'm in a similar situation to the original poster. Your explanation about the different definitions of disability really illuminates why this seems so contradictory at first glance. The functional capacity evaluation idea is brilliant - it shifts the focus from what's wrong to what's possible, which seems like exactly the right approach for unemployment eligibility. I'm wondering about one practical aspect: when you mention getting documentation about capabilities rather than limitations, would this be something to discuss with my primary care doctor, or would I need to see a specialist or occupational therapist? Also, do you know if NYS DOL has any specific forms or preferred formats for this type of medical documentation, or do they generally accept any professional assessment that clearly outlines work capabilities? Thanks for sharing your expertise - it's giving me confidence that this process can actually be navigated successfully with the right preparation and documentation!
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