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.

ugh the whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple and pay people right away when they lose their job

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your application, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that helps you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I had questions about my claim status.

UPDATE: I FINALLY got through!!! I tried the Claimyr service after struggling for days more, and I was connected to an agent within 45 minutes. The verification was actually really quick once I got someone on the phone - just had to confirm some employment details and explain why I left my last job. They told me my claim had been flagged because my employer didn't respond to their initial verification request (typical). My claim is now fully processed and I should receive payments within 3 business days. Such a relief! Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!

Wow, thank you for updating us with your success story! I'm still in the middle of this nightmare myself - been trying for over a week now. Hearing that Claimyr actually worked for you gives me hope. I was hesitant about using a third-party service, but at this point I'm willing to try anything. The fact that your employer didn't respond to their verification request is infuriating - why do WE have to jump through hoops because THEY can't be bothered to respond? Anyway, so happy you got it resolved and will definitely be trying Claimyr tomorrow!

Just wanted to update everyone - I followed the advice here and submitted my reconsideration request with all the properly labeled documentation. I also checked the box for the alternate base period since I had higher wages in my most recent quarters. I tried calling for a few days with no luck, then used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Got through to an agent who confirmed they received my reconsideration request and said I should have an answer within 7-10 business days. They also noted that one of my employers hadn't reported my wages correctly, which was likely the source of the calculation error. Thank you to everyone who provided actual helpful information! I'll update again when I get the final determination.

This thread is exactly what this community should be about! I've been lurking here for months seeing the same confusion over and over. Reading through all these responses, it's clear that having knowledgeable people like Laura Lopez and Brianna Muhammad makes a huge difference. For anyone else dealing with benefit calculation issues, here's what I learned from my own experience last year: Don't assume the first calculation is correct, especially if you had multiple jobs or recent pay changes. The reconsideration process really does work if you have your documentation in order. One thing I'd add - if you're self-employed or had 1099 income during your base period, make sure those earnings are included too. A lot of people forget about contractor work when gathering their wage documentation. Really hoping Debra gets a positive outcome on her reconsideration. Keep us posted!

the whole system is designed to make it as difficult as possible to get benefits. they hope you'll just give up and find a job before they have to pay you anything. but stick with it, you paid into this system and you deserve the benefits

Just wanted to add that if you're filing online (which I highly recommend), make sure to do it during off-peak hours like early morning or late evening. The NYS DOL website tends to crash or run really slowly during business hours when everyone is trying to access it. I learned this the hard way when I kept getting timed out halfway through my application. Also, save your progress frequently if the system allows it - nothing worse than having to start over because the site kicked you off. The online system is available 24/7 so there's no rush to do it during the busiest times.