I'm dealing with this same nightmare right now! Been trying to certify for the past 6 days and it's absolutely infuriating. The phone system just gives me that "all representatives are busy" recording and immediately hangs up - no option to hold, no queue, nothing. My online account is completely locked with some "security verification needed" error that provides zero instructions on how to actually verify anything. What's really getting to me is that I followed all the rules, filed on time, and now I can't even access the system to certify through no fault of my own. My rent is due in 5 days and I'm starting to panic about missing this payment cycle completely. After reading through all these responses, I'm going to try calling at exactly 7:58am tomorrow morning and also test that technical support line at 800-833-3000 for the verification issue. If those don't work, I might have to try Claimyr even though it's frustrating to pay for something that should just work in the first place. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's both comforting and maddening to know so many of us are stuck in this broken system together. At least we're helping each other find solutions!

I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare right now! Been trying to certify for 5 days straight and it's like the system is designed to keep us out. The phone just gives me that infuriating "all representatives are busy" message and hangs up immediately - no hold option, no queue number, nothing. My online account keeps showing "session expired" errors even when I just logged in seconds ago. What's really stressing me out is that my certification window closes in 2 days and I haven't been able to get through once! I've tried calling at different times throughout the day but it's always the same result. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both a relief and incredibly frustrating - relief that it's not just me, but frustrating that so many of us are stuck in this broken system. I'm definitely going to try that 7:58am calling strategy tomorrow morning that several people have mentioned. Also going to clear my browser cache and try a different device for the online portal. If those don't work, I might have to look into Claimyr too - it's ridiculous that we should have to pay a third party just to access our own benefits, but missing payments would be even worse. Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and experiences. At least we know we're not alone in this mess!

Just went through this exact situation about a month ago! When your adjudication case closes, it means DOL finished reviewing your eligibility and made their determination. The pending status after that is just processing time - super frustrating but completely normal. Mine took 14 days after adjudication closed to finally see payments hit my account. Keep doing those weekly certifications no matter what (that's crucial for backpay) and check your payment history every morning since they usually update overnight. When it finally processed, I got all my backdated weeks in one lump sum. If you need peace of mind, that claimyr service everyone's mentioning is legit - used it myself and got through to an agent who confirmed everything was on track. The waiting sucks but hang in there, sounds like you're in good shape! 💪

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed about 6 weeks ago, sent everything back immediately, and my adjudication closed last week but I'm still stuck on pending. It's been so stressful not knowing what's happening or when I might actually see any money. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly such a relief - sounds like this waiting period after adjudication closes is totally normal and most people eventually get their backpay once the system catches up. I've been doing my weekly certifications religiously and checking that payment history tab way too much (probably like 5 times a day lol). Based on what everyone's sharing, it seems like anywhere from a few days to 3 weeks is pretty typical for payments to start processing after adjudication closes. Definitely going to look into that claimyr service if I don't see any movement in the next week - $20 seems totally worth it for some actual answers instead of just wondering what's going on. Thanks so much @Miguel Castro for posting this and thanks to everyone sharing their timelines and advice! It really helps to know we're all going through this together. Fingers crossed we all see some positive updates soon! 🤞

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed in mid-December and been in adjudication for 4 weeks. It's so stressful not knowing what's happening or when it might resolve. Have you received any correspondence from NYSDOL explaining what specifically they're reviewing? I got one generic letter saying they need to verify my employment separation but nothing since then. Really hoping both our cases move forward soon!

I'm dealing with this too and it's incredibly stressful! Filed in late November and I've been in adjudication for 6 weeks now. From what I've learned talking to others and researching online, reduced hours situations like yours can definitely trigger adjudication because they need to verify it qualifies as "good cause" for leaving. The frustrating part is the complete lack of communication - you'd think they could at least give us a timeline or status update. I've been keeping detailed records of all my job search activities and weekly certifications just in case they ask for them later. Stay strong and keep filing those weekly claims - from everything I've read, the back pay makes it worth the wait once it finally goes through.

I went through this same situation a few months ago - 6 weeks in adjudication hell. What helped me was documenting everything: screenshots of my claim status, dates I called, any emails or messages. When I finally got through to someone, having all that info ready made the conversation much more productive. Also try calling right at 8am when they open - that's when I had the most luck getting through. The adjudication process is frustrating but most claims do eventually get approved if you were legitimately unemployed through no fault of your own.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - 4 weeks in adjudication and it's incredibly stressful not knowing what's happening. From what I've researched, the most common reasons for adjudication delays are: 1) They're verifying your employment history with previous employers, 2) Your separation reason needs additional review (like if you quit vs were laid off), or 3) There's a discrepancy in your application that needs clarification. The frustrating part is they don't tell you which one it is. I've been keeping a log of all my call attempts and plan to try the 8am strategy mentioned above. Has anyone had success with contacting their local career center instead of the main DOL number?

I'm in a very similar situation - 59 years old, just got laid off from my office job last week, and I have a pension from a government job I left 8 years ago that pays about $480/month. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I was honestly losing sleep over whether to report the pension or not, but it's clear from everyone's experiences that transparency is absolutely critical. The consensus seems to be that as long as it's from a previous employer (which mine is), it shouldn't affect my benefits. I'm planning to file my claim this weekend and will make sure to include all the pension information upfront. It's such a relief to hear from so many people who went through this successfully. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this community is a lifesaver when you're navigating something this stressful!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! I'm 56 and got laid off from my construction job three weeks ago after 15 years. I have a pension from my previous employer (a different construction company) that pays me $325 monthly. I was really stressed about how this would affect my unemployment claim, but reading everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring. It sounds like since it's from a previous employer and not my current one, I should be okay as long as I'm completely transparent about it. I'm going to file my claim tomorrow and make sure to include all the pension details right from the start. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps to know I'm not alone in this situation and that there are people who've successfully navigated this with NYS Department of Labor!