Just remember that even if your employer doesn't respond in 10 days, you still need to keep filing your weekly claims and doing your job search activities. The 10-day employer response window doesn't affect your ongoing requirements as a claimant.

@Sarah Ali - I went through something similar last year. In my experience, most employers either respond within the first few days or don't respond at all. The 10-day window is pretty firm, and the Department of Labor moves things along fairly quickly once that deadline passes. Since you mentioned not parting on good terms, just make sure you have any documentation that supports your side of things (like emails, write-ups, etc.) in case they do contest it. The good news is that the burden of proof is usually on the employer to show cause for termination that would disqualify you from benefits.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! My claim has been stuck in "assigned to a worker" status for 16 days and it's absolutely maddening. I've called 4 different times and each rep gives me a completely different story - first it was "routine processing," then "possible wage discrepancy," then "employer verification needed," and yesterday someone told me they couldn't see any notes at all about why it was flagged! The complaint system that @Cole mentioned is honestly the first actionable advice I've gotten through this whole ordeal. I had no idea there was a separate complaint process through their website - definitely going to try that if I hit the 3-week mark. It's insane that we have to become detectives just to get basic information about our own claims. I've been religiously certifying every Sunday even though my account balance stays at zero and it feels completely pointless. But reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like that's crucial for getting backpay once this mess finally gets resolved. The financial stress is bad enough, but the complete lack of transparency about timelines or what's actually being reviewed is what's really driving me crazy. At least knowing we're all stuck in the same broken system together helps a little bit! Thanks to everyone sharing their timelines and strategies - this thread has been more helpful than any official DOL communication I've received. Will definitely update if I learn anything new or if filing a complaint actually gets me some real answers!

I'm in the exact same boat right now - my claim has been "assigned to a worker" for 8 days and I'm already starting to panic after reading everyone's timelines here! Got the same vague "it's under review" response when I called yesterday with zero specifics about what they're actually reviewing or how long it might take. The complaint system that @Cole mentioned is completely new information to me and honestly sounds like the most promising strategy I've seen so far. It's crazy that we have to dig through community forums just to learn about basic processes that the DOL reps apparently don't even know about or won't tell us! I started certifying weekly after reading the advice here even though it feels like I'm just going through the motions while my account sits at zero. But it sounds like that's going to be crucial for getting backpay once this nightmare finally resolves. The uncertainty is definitely the worst part - I could handle a definitive "it will take 4-6 weeks" but this open-ended limbo while bills are piling up is brutal. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and actual actionable strategies. This thread has been infinitely more helpful than anything I've gotten from official DOL channels. I'll definitely update if I learn anything new or if I end up trying the complaint route!

Another option if you're still stuck - check any correspondence from when you first registered your business or got your workers' compensation insurance. The unemployment account number is sometimes included in those initial business registration packets. Also, if you've ever had to file any employment-related forms with the state (like new hire reporting), those documents might have your account number referenced on them.

If you're an LLC that hasn't hired employees yet, you might not have been assigned an unemployment account number automatically. In New York, you typically only get assigned this number when you register as an employer (which happens when you hire your first employee or proactively register). If you haven't hired anyone yet but want to set up the account preemptively, you'll need to complete Form IA 100 (Initial Report of Employment) which you can find on the Department of Labor website. This will trigger the assignment of your unemployment insurance account number.

This entire thread has been absolutely incredible to follow! As a newcomer to this community, I'm blown away by how Maxwell's journey unfolded and how everyone came together to help troubleshoot the delays. The progression from initial confusion about the 3-week wait to discovering the "employer dispute - pending hearing" status code to final resolution really illustrates how important it is to dig deeper when payments are delayed beyond the normal timeframe. What strikes me most is how the system seems deliberately opaque - getting a monetary determination letter that makes you think approval is imminent, but then having to hunt through payment history for cryptic status codes to understand what's actually happening. Without this community's collective knowledge about checking those codes, Maxwell might still be wondering what was wrong. The documentation advice everyone shared is invaluable - creating timelines, saving all written communications, keeping coworker contacts, even screenshotting company portals. I'm definitely implementing all of these strategies proactively for my own claim. The 5-week timeline for employer disputes gives much more realistic expectations than the initial hope for quick approval after the monetary letter. Huge thanks to Maxwell for documenting the entire journey and to everyone who shared their experiences and wisdom. This thread is a perfect example of why communities like this are so essential for navigating confusing government processes!

Wow, what an amazing journey to follow from start to finish! As someone completely new to unemployment claims and this community, Maxwell's experience has been like a masterclass in navigating the system. The progression from that initial 3-week panic to systematically identifying the employer dispute issue to final resolution shows how crucial community knowledge is for these processes. What really strikes me is how the NY unemployment system seems designed to be confusing - getting that monetary determination letter creates the expectation of quick approval, but then you have to dig through payment history to find cryptic status codes to understand delays. Without this community's collective wisdom about checking those codes, so many people would just be left wondering what went wrong. The documentation strategies everyone shared throughout this thread are pure gold - creating detailed timelines, saving all written communications, keeping coworker contacts for potential witnesses, even screenshotting company portals. I'm implementing all of these proactively for my own claim that just started. The realistic 5-week timeline for employer disputes is so much more helpful than unrealistic expectations. This thread perfectly demonstrates why communities like this are essential - experienced members sharing hard-earned knowledge with newcomers facing the same confusing systems. Maxwell, thanks for documenting every step of your journey, and thanks to everyone who contributed their experiences. This should honestly be pinned as the definitive guide for handling employer dispute cases!

Just wanted to share my recent experience to hopefully ease some anxiety! I was in the exact same situation about 6 weeks ago - pending adjudication with no updates for what felt like forever. NYS DOL did call me after 16 days, and honestly it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. They left a clear voicemail with a reference number and gave me 3 business days to call back. The interview was straightforward - mostly verifying the information I had already provided online about why I left my job. The whole call took about 30 minutes and the representative was actually quite helpful and patient. My biggest tip: write down all your employment dates, reasons for leaving, and any documentation you have BEFORE they call, so you're not scrambling to find information during the interview. Also, I noticed they called between 10 AM and 3 PM on weekdays, so try to keep your phone handy during those hours. Your two weeks of waiting is still within the normal timeframe, so try not to stress too much. They will contact you when they need additional info!

I had a very similar experience with NYS DOL calling during adjudication! They reached out to me after about 19 days of pending status. What really helped me was making sure my voicemail greeting was professional and clear, and I kept a notepad by my phone with all my work history details written down. The call came on a Tuesday around 11:30 AM and they left a detailed message with a case reference number, giving me until Friday to call back. The actual interview was about 20 minutes and mostly focused on verifying the circumstances around leaving my previous job. One thing that surprised me was how thorough they were - they had clearly reviewed my entire file before calling. My advice is to also check your email regularly because they sent me a follow-up email with the same reference number after leaving the voicemail. The waiting is definitely stressful but try to stay patient - two weeks is still well within the normal range for adjudication. Keep your phone close and charged, especially during business hours!