Hey Chris! I went through this exact same situation last year and it's so frustrating. Just to confirm what others have said - once you've exhausted your 26 weeks of benefits, you're done until your benefit year ends in May 2024. Filing a new claim now won't work because you're still in your current benefit year. The system is designed so you can only get one set of benefits per benefit year, regardless of whether you use them all at once or spread them out. Since you've been collecting since June 2023, you've likely hit that 26-week maximum. My advice: 1) Don't file a new claim yet - wait until after May 2024, 2) Document any part-time work you do between now and then as it might help you qualify for a new claim later, 3) Look into other assistance like SNAP, rental assistance, etc. to bridge the gap, and 4) If you really want confirmation from DOL, use one of those callback services people mentioned to actually get through to someone who can look at your specific account. It sucks but you're definitely not alone in this situation. The wait until May feels long but at least you'll know exactly when you can file again if you meet the work requirements. Hang in there! 💪

I'm in a similar boat and just wanted to share what I learned after finally getting through to someone at DOL. When your benefits are exhausted during your benefit year, you're basically in limbo until that year ends. The confusing part is that the system will still show your benefit year as "active" even though you can't collect anything more. One thing that might help while you wait - if you do any gig work or part-time employment between now and May, make sure those employers report your wages properly. When you file your new claim in May, having recent work history could make the difference between qualifying or not. Also, don't feel bad about applying for other assistance in the meantime. I know it feels weird after being on unemployment, but programs like SNAP are there for exactly this kind of gap. The application is actually pretty straightforward online. The waiting game sucks but at least you have a clear timeline now - May 2024 is when you can potentially file again. Just focus on job searching and documenting everything in case you need it later!

This is happening SO much lately it's not even funny anymore! Just had the same thing happen to me two days ago - sat there for over an hour like a total fool waiting for someone who never showed. What's really helped me (and echoing what others have said) is immediately taking screenshots of EVERYTHING - the meeting room, your confirmation email, the timestamp, even a quick screen recording if you can. Then I called that Virtual Meeting Support line at 518-457-2299 that @Ethan Brown shared (absolute lifesaver!) and they confirmed their agent was a no-show and marked it as "agency error" right away. Also filed under "Technical Issues" on the DOL website like everyone's suggesting - got a response in 48 hours. The most important thing is DON'T let them try to blame you for their technical failures! Document everything and use these specific phone numbers and filing methods people have shared. This thread has been a goldmine of actual solutions - we shouldn't have to become unemployment claim experts just to get help, but here we are helping each other navigate this broken system! 🤝

This is such a widespread issue right now and it's absolutely infuriating! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both validating and incredibly helpful. I went through the same nightmare last month - waited an hour and twenty minutes for absolutely nobody to show up. Following the advice in this thread, I immediately took screenshots of everything (meeting room, confirmation email, timestamps) and called that Virtual Meeting Support line at 518-457-2299 that several people mentioned. They were able to confirm their agent never even logged into the system and marked it as "agency error" in my file right away. Also filed a complaint under "Technical Issues" on the DOL website like everyone suggested - got a response within 48 hours and was rescheduled without any penalties. The key is definitely documenting EVERYTHING and using these specific channels rather than trying to reschedule through normal means. It's honestly disgraceful that we have to become experts at protecting ourselves from their system failures when we're already stressed about our benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing actual solutions that work. Hopefully they fix these technical issues soon, but until then at least we have each other's backs! 🙏

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add one more resource that might be useful - the NY.gov website has a PFL calculator tool that can help you estimate your weekly benefit amount before you apply. It's under the "Workers" section and really helped me budget for the reduced income during my leave. Also, for anyone worried about the paperwork being complicated - I was intimidated at first but honestly found it much more straightforward than I expected. The hardest part was just getting started and gathering all the necessary information. Once you have everything organized, the actual forms are pretty logical to fill out. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have issues with their employer initially not understanding the PFL process? I'm a bit worried my HR department might not be familiar with all the requirements since we're a smaller company.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share some additional insights as someone who works in HR and has helped several employees navigate PFL applications. A few practical tips that might help: First, when you meet with your HR department, ask specifically about your company's policy on benefits continuation during unpaid leave. While PFL requires employers to maintain your health insurance, some companies also continue other benefits like life insurance or 401k matching - this varies by employer. Second, if your parent lives in a different state, don't worry - NY PFL still applies as long as YOU work in New York. I've seen employees mistakenly think they can't use NY benefits if they're caring for an out-of-state family member. Finally, consider discussing a gradual return to work plan with your employer before you start your leave. Some companies are flexible about reduced hours or remote work arrangements when you're ready to come back, which can help with the transition period. This isn't required by law, but many employers are willing to accommodate if you discuss it upfront. The process really isn't as daunting as it seems initially, and it sounds like you're already getting great advice from this community. Best of luck with everything!

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now! Filed in December and have been stuck with $0.00 amounts for weeks while getting those recertification emails. I was honestly starting to think my claim got denied or I messed something up. This entire thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea this was so incredibly common! Reading everyone's experiences about the $0.00 being just a placeholder while they process claims has made me feel so much better. I've been certifying every single week even though it felt completely pointless when everything shows zero. What really gives me hope is seeing so many people say they eventually got approved with full backpay after weeks or even months of $0.00 amounts. The automated recertification emails regardless of actual claim status makes total sense now - no wonder it's so confusing! I'm definitely going to keep certifying religiously and try that 7:30am calling strategy if nothing changes soon. The regular phone system is absolutely impossible - I've called probably 40+ times and never gotten through to a real person. Thanks for posting this question! You've helped so many of us realize we're not alone in this unemployment waiting game. The system is clearly broken but knowing this is "normal" makes it bearable. Fingers crossed we all see some positive updates soon! 🤞

I'm literally going through the EXACT same thing right now! Filed in January and have been seeing those $0.00 amounts while getting recertification emails. I was panicking thinking I got denied until I found this thread. Reading everyone's experiences is such a huge relief - it's crazy how common this situation is! The fact that so many people eventually got approved with full backpay after weeks of zeros gives me hope. I've been certifying every week even though it feels pointless. What's really helpful is learning that the recertification emails are just automated and don't reflect your actual claim status. The NY system is clearly ancient but knowing this is normal makes the waiting less stressful. I'm going to try that 7:30am calling strategy and keep certifying religiously. The regular phone lines are impossible - I've called 50+ times with no luck. Might look into claimyr if this drags on much longer. Thanks for posting this @Sienna Gomez - you've helped so many of us realize we're not alone in unemployment limbo! The system is broken but at least we're all suffering together 😅 Fingers crossed we all see movement soon! 🤞

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - this thread has been a lifesaver! I was about to give up completely after a week of getting nowhere, but seeing all these success stories gave me hope to keep trying. For anyone still struggling, here's what I learned from reading through all these experiences: **Best times to call:** Right at 8:00 AM (start dialing at 7:59), or Wednesday afternoons 2:30-3:00 PM **Avoid:** Monday mornings (highest call volume) **Strategy:** Be prepared for 10-20+ redial attempts, use the 30-second rule between calls, have multiple phones ready **Backup options:** Alternate number 888-209-8124, contact your state assembly rep, or consider Claimyr service if you're really stuck The most important thing I learned is that persistence really does pay off. Almost everyone who kept trying eventually got through, even if it took days. The agents are actually helpful once you reach them - it's just getting past that initial phone bottleneck that's the challenge. Thank you to everyone who shared their strategies and came back to update us with their results. This kind of community support makes such a difficult situation more bearable! 🙏

I'm in the exact same boat as everyone here! Been trying to get through for 6 days now and it's been absolutely maddening. This thread is like finding gold - finally some real strategies that actually work instead of the useless "try calling later" advice on the official website. Based on everything I've read here, my game plan for tomorrow is: 1. Set three alarms for 7:58 AM and have both my cell and landline ready 2. Start dialing at 7:59:45 like Vanessa suggested 3. Be prepared for at least 15-20 redial attempts using Giovanni's 30-second rule 4. Have ALL my documents organized and ready (W2s, employer info, dates, etc.) 5. If morning fails, try the Wednesday afternoon 2:30-3:00 PM window The fact that multiple people here have actually gotten through using these exact methods gives me so much hope. I was seriously considering just giving up, but seeing Vanessa succeed on her 12th attempt today and CosmicCrusader's success story shows it really can happen. One quick question for those who got through - did you notice any pattern with which redial attempt was successful? Was it usually in the first few tries or did it tend to be after many attempts? Just trying to mentally prepare myself for the marathon tomorrow! Thanks to this amazing community for sharing real solutions. You've all been more helpful than any official government resource! 🙏