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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Same boat here! Filed last week and still waiting to hear back from them. The uncertainty is killing me because I need to know if I should look for summer work or wait for unemployment to kick in.
I went through this exact situation last year as a paraprofessional! I was able to get unemployment benefits for the summer because my district couldn't guarantee me hours for the following school year at the time I filed. The key thing NYS Department of Labor looks at is whether you have "reasonable assurance" of employment for the next academic year. Since paraprofessionals often don't get their contracts renewed until late in the summer (or sometimes not at all), many of us do qualify. I'd recommend filing as soon as your last day of work ends - don't wait too long because there can be delays in processing. Make sure you have all your employment documentation ready and be completely honest about your school employment status when filling out the application.
This is really helpful, thank you! I'm in almost the exact same situation - my district hasn't said anything about next year's contracts yet. Did you have any issues with the application process or did it go smoothly once you filed? I'm worried about making mistakes on the forms since this is my first time applying for unemployment benefits.
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This thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm currently on unemployment and my mom in Mexico has been dealing with some serious respiratory issues. I was absolutely terrified that if I needed to go help care for her, I'd lose my benefits entirely. Reading through everyone's experiences - it's amazing how many people have successfully handled international family medical emergencies by following the proper process with NYS DOL. The consistent pattern of calling ahead, being completely transparent, having medical documentation ready, and requesting official claim suspension (rather than trying to file weekly while away) seems to be the key. What really gives me confidence is seeing how understanding the representatives have been when people are honest about legitimate family health crises. I'm definitely going to start gathering documentation from her doctors now so I'm prepared if her condition worsens. Thank you to everyone who shared their personal stories during what were obviously very difficult times - knowing there's a compassionate process in place takes so much stress off an already overwhelming situation.
@Ruby Garcia I m'so sorry to hear about your mom s'respiratory issues - that must be really scary for you and your family. This thread has been such a lifeline for me too! I had the exact same fears about losing benefits if I needed to travel for a family emergency. It s'incredible to see how many people have successfully navigated these situations across so many different countries by being proactive and honest with NYS DOL. Your plan to gather medical documentation ahead of time is really wise - it seems like having that ready makes the whole process much smoother when you need to call for an emergency suspension. I hope your mom s'condition improves and you won t'need to use this information, but it s'such a comfort to know there s'a legitimate, compassionate process in place. The fact that representatives have been consistently understanding about genuine family medical crises really shows there s'more humanity in the system than any of us realized. Thanks for adding your perspective - it helps to know so many of us were dealing with the same worries about this situation.
Wow, this thread has been absolutely life-changing for me! I had no idea NYS DOL had provisions for family emergencies like this. My sister in Montreal just got diagnosed with cancer and I've been panicking about potentially having to choose between being there for her during treatment and keeping my unemployment benefits. Reading everyone's real experiences has shown me there's actually a proper, compassionate process in place. The consistent advice about calling NYS DOL immediately, being completely honest about the medical emergency, having all documentation ready (hospital info, doctor's notes, etc.), and requesting an official temporary claim suspension rather than trying to file weekly while unavailable for work in NY makes perfect sense. It's incredibly reassuring to see so many successful examples of people who handled similar international family medical situations without losing their benefits or facing penalties. I'm going to start gathering her medical records and oncology team contact information right away so I'm prepared to call NYS DOL as soon as we have a clearer treatment timeline. Thank you to everyone who shared their personal stories during such difficult times - this community knowledge is absolutely invaluable when you're already dealing with unemployment stress and family health crises. You've all given me hope that I can be there for my sister without destroying my financial safety net.
@Sofia Perez I m'so sorry to hear about your sister s'cancer diagnosis - that must be absolutely devastating for your whole family. This thread has been such a blessing for all of us dealing with these impossible situations! Your plan to gather all her medical records and oncology team information ahead of time is exactly the right approach based on everyone s'experiences here. It s'amazing how this one question has revealed that NYS DOL actually does have a heart when it comes to legitimate family medical emergencies. The fact that you can be there for your sister during her cancer treatment without losing your benefits is such a relief - no one should have to make that awful choice. I m'keeping you and your sister in my thoughts, and I hope her treatment goes as smoothly as possible. This community really came through with life-changing information that none of us knew existed!
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I just wanted to share another method that worked for me when I couldn't find my account number anywhere - if you have the NYS DOL mobile app installed, sometimes the account information shows up more clearly there than on the desktop website. The app interface is a bit different and might display your account details in a more obvious spot. Also, if you received any automated phone calls from NYS DOL after filing your claim, they sometimes include your account number in the voicemail message. I know it's frustrating when such an important piece of information seems to disappear, but don't give up! Between all the suggestions everyone has shared here, you should be able to track it down. The system definitely needs better user experience design - having your account number prominently displayed on the main dashboard would save everyone so much hassle!
Great point about the mobile app! I didn't even know NYS DOL had a mobile app - I'll definitely download it and see if that shows my account info more clearly. And you're absolutely right about checking voicemails - I actually do remember getting an automated call but I didn't listen to the whole message because I assumed it was just a generic confirmation. I'll go back and check that recording. It's really encouraging to see how many different ways people have found their account numbers. You're so right about the user experience - it shouldn't be this hard to find such basic information! Thanks for adding another helpful option to try.
I had this exact same problem a couple months back and it was so stressful! After trying all the usual places (email, my.ny.gov dashboard, etc.), what finally worked for me was calling the automated phone system at 1-888-581-5812 and following the prompts for "claim information." Even though I didn't have my account number to enter initially, there's an option to use your SSN and date of birth instead, and then the system actually reads your account number back to you before proceeding. It's kind of buried in the menu options, but if you listen carefully to all the prompts, you'll find it. Also, once I got my account number this way, I immediately saved it in three different places - my phone notes, a screenshot, and wrote it on a sticky note by my computer. The NY unemployment system is definitely not intuitive, but don't panic about deadlines - they're usually pretty understanding if you explain you had trouble accessing your account info. Hope this helps!
This is such a helpful tip about the automated phone system! I never thought to try calling and using my SSN instead of the account number I was looking for. That's actually brilliant - getting the system to tell you your own account number. I've been so focused on trying to find it online that I didn't consider the phone option might have a workaround. I'm definitely going to try this method since I've been going in circles with the website. And you're absolutely right about saving it in multiple places once you find it - I've learned that lesson the hard way with other important numbers that I thought I'd "definitely remember." Thanks for sharing this alternative approach, it gives me hope that I can get this sorted out today!
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I'm in a similar situation but haven't filed yet because I wasn't sure if the overpayment would block me. This thread is super helpful! One thing I'm wondering about - if they take 25-30% from each payment, does that percentage stay the same until the overpayment is paid off, or do they adjust it based on how much you still owe? Also, has anyone had luck setting up a separate repayment plan so they don't have to take as much from your weekly benefits?
Great questions! From what I understand, the percentage they deduct usually stays consistent until the overpayment is fully recovered - so if they're taking 25%, they'll keep taking 25% of each weekly payment until you've paid back the full amount. As for separate repayment plans, yes, you can sometimes arrange that! You'd need to contact them directly to set up a payment plan, which might allow for smaller deductions from your weekly benefits. It's definitely worth asking about when you file your claim or speak to an agent.
I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now - about $1,900 from 2022 that I'm still paying back through weekly deductions. Just wanted to add that when you do file your new claim, make sure to report ANY income accurately, even small amounts from odd jobs or gig work. That's how a lot of these overpayments happen - people forget to report something or don't realize certain income counts. The good news is that once you're in the system paying back the overpayment, they usually don't hit you with penalties or interest as long as you keep filing honestly. Also, keep copies of everything - your weekly certifications, any correspondence from DOL, etc. It helps if there are ever questions later.
This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I needed - thank you! I'm definitely going to be super careful about reporting everything this time. You mentioned keeping copies of weekly certifications and correspondence - do you recommend keeping physical copies or are digital screenshots enough? Also, when you say "certain income counts" that people don't realize, what are some examples of income that might get overlooked? I want to make sure I don't accidentally create another overpayment situation down the road.
Isabel Vega
I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! Been calling the 888-209-8124 number for almost 2 weeks straight with my claim stuck in "pending review" and it's absolutely maddening. Either immediate busy signals, 2+ hour holds that end in disconnection, or that infuriating "call volume too high" message. This thread is incredibly helpful though - way more useful than anything on the DOL website! I'm definitely going to try the Spanish line transfer trick tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM based on all the success stories here. Also planning to have all my documents ready and do the rapid callback method if I get busy signals. It's so encouraging to read that most of these issues are simple 5-minute fixes once you actually reach an agent. Makes the broken phone system even more frustrating, but at least gives me hope that resolution is possible! Has anyone noticed if certain days of the week work better? I've been trying mostly Mondays but maybe mid-week would have less volume. Also seriously considering that Claimyr service as backup since the stress of constant failed attempts is really getting to me. Thanks everyone for sharing real solutions instead of the useless official advice - this community support is keeping me sane through this nightmare!
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Freya Larsen
I've been dealing with this same nightmare for over a month now! My claim has been stuck in "pending review" since late February and I've called that 888-209-8124 number probably 400+ times with absolutely no success. The system is completely broken. Reading through this entire thread has been both frustrating and hopeful - frustrating because it confirms how widespread this problem is, but hopeful because of all the real strategies people are sharing. I'm definitely going to try the Spanish line transfer trick tomorrow morning at exactly 8:00 AM. The success rate with that method seems much higher based on everyone's experiences. I also just submitted a request through my assembly member's office after seeing multiple people mention that route. Found a specific unemployment assistance form on their website and got an auto-reply saying they'll contact DOL within 2 business days. The most infuriating part is knowing these are usually simple 5-minute fixes once you reach someone. Three weeks of stress and hundreds of failed calls for what will probably be a basic system glitch. At this point I'm seriously considering the Claimyr service too - my mental health can't take much more of this phone system nightmare. Thank you to everyone sharing what actually works instead of the useless official advice. This community support is literally the only thing keeping me sane right now. Will definitely update with results from tomorrow's Spanish line attempt!
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