I feel u... system is straight garbage rn. took me 3 weeks to fix my account 🤮

Been through this exact same nightmare with my brother's account last month. Here's what finally worked for us: Call the 800-833-3000 tech line first thing in the morning (like 8:01 AM) - way better chance of getting through. Have EVERYTHING ready: SSN, old passwords, security questions, phone numbers they have on file, etc. If the reset tool on ny.gov isn't working, it's usually because there's a security flag on the account. Only phone support can clear that. Pro tip: if you get disconnected (happens all the time), immediately call back and tell them you got cut off - they can sometimes see the previous call attempt and fast track you. The Bronx career center on 149th is nice but yeah they literally can't touch account issues - learned that the hard way 😅 Hang in there! Once you get the right person on the phone it takes like 10 minutes to fix.

I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about a similar situation. If you need to speak with someone directly about your specific circumstances, I found claimyr.com really helpful. They have a service that connects you with actual agents and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. Sometimes these situations have nuances that only an agent can clarify.

The whole system is frustrating when you're in a bind like this. Have you considered talking to your employer about whether they could treat this as a temporary layoff instead of FMLA? Some companies are flexible if they understand your financial situation.

Whatever you do, don't just walk out. Try to get them to fire you instead if possible. Much easier to get UI benefits when you're terminated versus when you quit, even with good cause.

I went through something similar with a toxic supervisor cutting my hours unpredictably. When I filed for unemployment after quitting, I had to attend a phone hearing where they asked detailed questions about each incident. The key things that helped my case were: 1) I had screenshots of my schedule changes, 2) I wrote down specific dates when I was sent home early, and 3) I had a coworker who witnessed the verbal abuse. The NYS Department of Labor approved my claim for "constructive dismissal" since the working conditions became intolerable. Start documenting everything now - even write down what happened yesterday with the screaming incident while it's fresh in your memory. Include the date, time, what was said, and who witnessed it.

Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what! Even if your initial claim is still pending. That's super important.

I went through this same process about 3 months ago. Filed on a Wednesday and got my first payment exactly 16 days later (so just over 2 weeks). The key is making sure you have all your employment documentation ready in case they ask for it. Also, set up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail. Don't stress too much about the timing, just keep doing those weekly certifications and check your online account regularly for any requests for additional info.

That's excellent news! Glad you got it resolved. It's almost always some small technical issue that's causing the delay. Make sure to certify this coming week too so there's no interruption once the payments start flowing.

So glad to hear you got it resolved, Chloe! Your story gives me hope - I've been waiting 4 weeks now and getting really anxious. The discrepancy between your last day of work and what your employer reported is exactly the kind of thing that can slip through the cracks but cause major delays. For anyone else still waiting, this is a good reminder to double-check all the dates you entered when filing your claim against your final paystub or termination paperwork. Sometimes it's just a simple date mismatch that's holding everything up.