Just to add my 2 cents - I got my first payment exactly 5 business days after my first weekly certification was processed. Every week after that it was like clockwork, same day each week. Hang in there!

I'm going through something similar right now - applied 10 days ago and still waiting for my first payment even though my claim shows approved. From what I've read on the NYS DOL website, first payments can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks after your initial certification is processed, especially if there's any backlog in their system. Have you tried calling the customer service line? I know it's hard to get through but sometimes they can give you a more specific timeline for when to expect your payment.

Another thing to watch out for - make sure you're certifying for benefits on the right days. In NY you can usually certify starting Sunday for the previous week, and you have until the following Saturday to do it. If you miss your certification window, you could delay your payments even more. I learned this the hard way when I forgot to certify one week and had to wait an extra week to get back on track. Set a reminder on your phone!

Just went through this myself a few months ago. The waiting period is real - it's basically NYS making you wait one full week before any payments start. But here's what helped me: download the NY.gov mobile app if you haven't already. It makes the weekly certifications way easier and you can check your payment status faster than the website. Also, if your monetary determination is complete, that's actually a good sign - means they've calculated your benefit amount. You should be able to see your weekly benefit amount in your account even if no payment date is showing yet. Hang in there, the first payment is always the most stressful to wait for!

Oof, cross-state unemployment issues are the worst. Sending you good vibes, OP! 💖

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Here's what worked for me: First, make sure you have all your NJ wage statements and employment records ready. NY unemployment will need your complete work history from NJ. The trick is to file your claim with NY first (since that's where you're living now), then they'll request the wage info from NJ automatically through something called the Interstate Connection Network. You shouldn't have to manually send anything between states - they handle that part. BUT if for some reason that automated system isn't working, you can call NY unemployment and specifically ask them to do an "interstate wage request." They have a process for this. Also, pro tip: when you're on hold, use the callback feature if they have one. Saved me hours of sitting by the phone! Hope this helps - the interstate stuff is confusing but once you get it sorted, it should flow smoothly. Good luck! 🍀

Check your bank account again - sometimes the deposit comes through with a weird description that doesn't obviously look like unemployment. Mine showed up as 'NYS DOL UI BENEFIT' or something like that and I almost missed it.

I went through this same issue about 6 months ago. After my claims showed approved for almost 3 weeks with no payment, I finally got through to someone at NYS DOL who told me there was an "identity verification hold" that wasn't showing up anywhere in my online account. They had to manually release it. The frustrating part is there's no notification when these backend holds happen - your claim just sits in limbo while everything looks normal on your end. Try calling first thing Monday morning at exactly 8am, that's when I had the most luck getting through.

I feel your pain! I went through almost the exact same thing last year - 10 weeks of pending status with zero communication. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I contacted my state assemblyperson's office (they have direct lines to unemployment) AND used one of those callback services to get through the phone system. The assemblyperson's office was actually really helpful - they submitted an inquiry on my behalf and I heard back within a week. Also make sure you're checking for any employer contests on your claim, that's what was holding mine up and nobody bothered to tell me. Don't give up, the system is designed to frustrate you into quitting but you deserve those benefits!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the NY unemployment system is absolutely brutal. I just went through something similar a few months ago and it's incredibly frustrating. Unfortunately there's no email address that actually gets monitored or responded to. The only way to get anywhere is by talking to a human agent, which I know sounds impossible right now. A few things that helped me: 1) Try calling the fraud hotline instead of the regular number - they can sometimes transfer you and the wait times are shorter 2) Call RIGHT at 8am when they open, have multiple phones dialing if possible 3) Consider using Claimyr or a similar callback service - I was skeptical but it actually worked for me after weeks of failed attempts 4) Contact your state assemblyperson's office immediately - they have direct contacts at unemployment and can submit inquiries on your behalf. Also double check if your employer contested your claim, that's a common cause of these endless pending statuses and they never tell you about it. Don't give up! The system wants you to quit but you've earned those benefits. Keep certifying every week no matter what while you fight this.