Have you checked if there were any tax withholdings that started being deducted? Sometimes NYS Department of Labor will begin withholding federal or state taxes from your benefits if you initially opted out but then they automatically enrolled you, or if there was a change in your tax election. You can check your payment history details on my.ny.gov to see if there's a breakdown showing taxes being withheld. The difference between $372 and $298 is $74, which could be about 20% tax withholding. Also look for any notices in your correspondence section that might explain the change.

I had a similar issue where my NYS Department of Labor benefits suddenly dropped by about $70. It turned out they had automatically enrolled me in federal tax withholding even though I had originally opted out. Check your payment details on my.ny.gov - look for a line item showing "Federal Tax" or "State Tax" being deducted. If that's what happened, you can change your tax withholding preferences by logging into your account and updating your payment options. The $74 difference between your old and new payment amount is roughly what you'd expect from 20% tax withholding. Also check your inbox on the unemployment portal for any notices about tax election changes - sometimes they send notifications there instead of mailing them.

I went through this exact same situation last year and it was incredibly frustrating. After 5 weeks of pending status with no explanation, I finally got through to someone at NYS Department of Labor who told me my claim was flagged for "quality review" - basically a random audit they do on new claims. The agent said this happens to about 20% of claims and there's nothing you can do to speed it up, you just have to wait it out. The good news is that once it's approved, you'll get all the back payments from when you first filed. In the meantime, I'd recommend documenting everything - save screenshots of your weekly certifications and keep records of your job search activities in case they ask for them later. Also check if you qualify for any emergency assistance programs in your county while you wait. I know it's not the answer you want to hear, but try to hang in there - it will eventually get resolved.

I'm dealing with a similar situation - filed 5 weeks ago and my claim has been stuck in pending status with no explanation. What's really frustrating is that the NYS Department of Labor website doesn't give you any insight into what's actually causing the delay or how much longer it might take. I've tried calling dozens of times but like you said, it's nearly impossible to get through. The few times I did get connected, the agents couldn't give me any specific information about my case timeline. It's especially stressful when you're counting on these payments for basic expenses. Has anyone found any patterns in terms of what types of claims get stuck longer, or is it really just a random backlog issue? I'm trying to stay patient but it's getting harder each week that goes by without any communication from them.

Just make sure you understand that your unemployment benefits might be reduced based on your work history and wages. Since you were working part-time, your weekly benefit amount will be calculated on those earnings, not your social security amount.

I'm in a similar situation - 65 and collecting social security but was working part-time at a retail job until they cut hours completely. From what I've learned, you definitely can collect both, but be prepared for the paperwork. You'll need to report your social security income on your weekly certification, and yes, you still have to do the job search requirements even at our age. It feels a bit ridiculous sometimes, but that's the law. The good news is that your social security won't count against your unemployment eligibility, it's just something you have to disclose. Make sure you have all your employment records ready when you file - they'll want your last employer info, wages, etc. Good luck!

Just to add - make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file. The NYS Department of Labor will need your last employer's details, your wages for the past 18 months, and the reason for separation. Having everything organized will make the process much smoother.

As someone who recently went through this process, I can confirm what others have said - file immediately! There's no grace period in NY. I filed my claim the Monday after my last day of work and was able to get benefits for that first week. The online system at labor.ny.gov is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. One thing I wish I had known is that you can file your initial claim even if you don't have all your previous employer information perfectly organized - you can always update details later, but you can't go back and claim weeks you missed filing for.

One thing to keep in mind is that the base period they use for calculating benefits is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your earnings from January 2024 through September 2024. Since you've been working consistently for 8 months, you should have enough quarters to qualify. Also, don't forget that you need to have earned at least $2,600 in your highest quarter AND have total base period earnings of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter amount to be eligible.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your employer has been properly reporting your wages to the state. I had an issue where my part-time employer wasn't submitting my wage reports correctly, which delayed my claim processing. You can verify this by checking your Social Security earnings record or through the NY.gov portal. Also, if you do end up filing, make sure to keep detailed records of your job search activities since you'll need to certify that you're actively looking for work each week to continue receiving benefits.