Just went through this last month! The trick is to be super persistent with calling KeyBank at 1-866-295-2955 - I called literally 15 times over 3 days before getting through to someone who could actually help. When you do get through, ask them to check if your card was "returned to sender" - that's what happened to mine even though my address was correct. They can expedite a replacement for free if the original was returned. Also make sure to verify your full legal name EXACTLY as it appears on your unemployment application - even spacing matters! Got my replacement in 5 business days after that call. Don't let them tell you to "just wait" - be polite but firm that you need immediate help accessing your benefits! 🙏

Ugh I'm in the same boat! Filed in December and still waiting for my card. The most frustrating part is watching the money pile up online but not being able to buy groceries 😭 Has anyone tried going to one of those check cashing places to see if they can help? I'm getting desperate here and considering any options at this point. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this mess!

I'm scheduled for my first unemployment appeal hearing in two weeks and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! Like so many others here, I was terminated for supposed "performance issues" that magically appeared after I reported unsafe working conditions to management. Reading everyone's experiences and advice has really helped calm my nerves and given me a solid game plan. I wanted to share one additional resource that might help others - I found out that many local legal aid organizations in New York offer free consultations for unemployment cases, especially when retaliation is involved. They can't represent you at the hearing, but they'll review your documentation and help you organize your arguments. I had a 30-minute phone call with one yesterday and they confirmed that my timeline of safety complaints followed by sudden performance criticism looks like textbook retaliation. A few things I'm planning to do based on all the great advice here: 1) Create that chronological timeline everyone mentioned, 2) Request my personnel file immediately, 3) Practice my testimony out loud, 4) Research my company's written disciplinary policies to see if they followed them, and 5) Organize all my safety complaint emails by date. The most encouraging thing I've learned from this thread is that having documentation puts us in a much stronger position than we might realize. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it's made this intimidating process feel much more manageable!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! I was terminated three weeks after filing a formal complaint about our company ignoring proper lockout/tagout procedures on industrial equipment. Suddenly my five years of solid performance reviews meant nothing and everything became a "performance issue." One thing I learned that might help others - when you request your personnel file, also ask for any emails or communications about you between managers or HR. In my state, they have to provide all records related to your employment. I discovered internal emails where my supervisor told HR to "document everything" starting the day after I filed my safety complaint. It was like having a smoking gun! Also, if you're dealing with anxiety about the hearing (totally normal!), I found it helpful to write out potential questions and practice answering them. Things like "When exactly did you report these safety concerns?" and "Can you describe the specific violations you observed?" Having clear, factual answers ready made me feel much more confident. The retaliation timeline is so crucial - I made a simple two-column chart with "Safety Actions I Took" on the left and "Company Response" on the right. When you see it laid out visually, the pattern becomes undeniable. You've got solid documentation and a clear timeline, which puts you in a really strong position. Hang in there - from everything I've read, cases like ours with documented safety complaints have a good success rate!

I went through something similar last year. You definitely want to get your withdrawal request in writing - don't just call. I sent an email to the Appeals Office with my case number and a clear statement that I wanted to withdraw my appeal. They responded within a few business days confirming the withdrawal. Just make sure to keep copies of all correspondence for your records. The withdrawal doesn't create any negative marks beyond what you already had from the original disqualification.

Just want to add that withdrawing your appeal is definitely the right move if you're certain about your situation. I had a similar experience where I realized I didn't have a strong case after filing my appeal. The key thing to remember is that withdrawing doesn't hurt you any more than the original disqualification already did. When you do apply for benefits in the future (assuming it's for a legitimate reason), they'll evaluate that new claim on its own merits. The previous disqualification won't automatically disqualify you from future benefits as long as your next job separation is qualifying. Just make sure to follow the advice others gave about getting everything in writing and keeping records of your withdrawal request.

I'm a newcomer to this community and this discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I just started working remotely from Long Island for a company based in Chicago about 3 months ago, and I honestly had no clue about any of this unemployment stuff. Reading through everyone's experiences makes me feel so much more prepared and less anxious about the "what ifs." It's amazing how much the system has adapted to remote work since the pandemic. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their knowledge and actual experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate government websites alone. This community seems like such a valuable resource for people navigating these kinds of employment situations!

As someone who just went through a similar situation, I can confirm everything others have said here! I worked remotely from Westchester for a Boston-based startup and when they had layoffs last month, filing with NYS Department of Labor was completely straightforward. The key thing that helped me was having all my paperwork ready beforehand - pay stubs, employment letter, and the layoff notice from HR. The online application took about 25 minutes and I had my first payment within 2.5 weeks. One small tip: when you get to the section about your work location, be very clear that you worked from your home address in NY. I wrote something like "Remote work performed from home residence" in the additional details section just to be extra clear. The whole process was much smoother than I expected, especially after reading horror stories online about unemployment systems. Don't stress too much about it - you've got this!

I can definitely relate to the confusion around this status! I had "issue closed level 1" appear on my claim about 8 weeks ago and had the exact same panic reaction when I saw the word "closed." Like everyone else has mentioned, the NY DOL really needs to work on their terminology because it's so misleading. In my situation, they were reviewing my claim because I had filed in one state but worked in another, which apparently triggered an automatic review. Once that status appeared, it took about 6 business days for my backlogged certifications to switch from pending to paid. The "level 1" part is definitely a good sign - it means whatever they were reviewing was routine enough that a first-tier adjudicator could handle it without needing supervisory approval or more complex investigation. Based on all the experiences shared here, it sounds like you're in good shape and should see your payments start processing within the next week. The waiting is nerve-wracking, but this status is actually progress in the right direction!

I just wanted to chime in with my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact same thing last week! Like everyone else here, I was completely baffled when "issue closed level 1" appeared on my claim status. I actually called the DOL (after waiting on hold for over 2 hours) because I was so confused by the wording. The representative confirmed what everyone here is saying - it means the issue that was flagging my claim has been successfully resolved at the first review level. In my case, they needed to verify my reason for leaving my last job since my employer initially reported it incorrectly. Once I saw that status change, it took exactly 3 business days for my pending certifications to switch to "paid" and the money showed up in my account. It's definitely frustrating how unclear their system messaging is, but this is absolutely good news! Your payments should start processing very soon.