This is such a relief to read! I filed my weekly certification on Sunday morning around 11am and I'm experiencing the exact same thing - it's like my claim just vanished from the system completely. No payment history, no pending status, absolutely nothing showing up. I've been on unemployment for about 7 months and this has never happened before. I was starting to panic thinking they somehow cut off my benefits without notice, but seeing that so many others are dealing with the identical issue makes it clear this is a system-wide problem. It's incredibly frustrating that NYSDOL doesn't communicate these processing delays to us - a simple banner on their website saying "experiencing technical difficulties, payments may be delayed" would save everyone so much stress and confusion. I have bills due early next week too so really hoping this gets resolved by Monday. Thanks for posting this @Mei Liu - knowing I'm not alone in this mess definitely helps!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Filed my weekly claim on Sunday around 7pm, got my confirmation number like always, but when I checked Monday morning - absolutely nothing. It's Friday now and my claim has completely vanished from the system. No payment history, no pending status, it's like I never even filed. I've been collecting for about 3 months without any problems until this week. Reading all these comments is honestly the first time I've felt any relief - clearly this is affecting tons of people so it's definitely a system issue and not our individual accounts. The lack of communication from NYSDOL is infuriating though. A simple notice on their website about processing delays would save us all from thinking our benefits got randomly cut off. I have my car payment due Tuesday and this uncertainty is giving me major anxiety. Really hoping this gets straightened out by Monday because we shouldn't have to stress like this on top of already being unemployed! Thanks for posting this thread - sometimes you just need to know you're not alone in dealing with their broken system.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and successfully appealed my denial! Here's what worked for me: First, don't panic - you have 30 days to appeal and that's plenty of time to build your case. Since you mentioned you were never written up or given warnings, that's actually huge in your favor. NYS Department of Labor has to prove "willful misconduct" - not just poor performance. Make sure to emphasize in your appeal that you were trying to do your job but the expectations were unrealistic or you weren't given proper support. I also recommend calling the unemployment phone line (yes, it's a pain to get through) and asking them to walk you through exactly what your employer told them. Sometimes there are inconsistencies you can address. Keep filing your weekly claims while the appeal is pending - if you win, you'll get all that back pay. The hearing itself isn't scary - it's usually just a phone call where you get to tell your side. You've got this!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - unemployment denials are incredibly stressful, especially when you know the decision was wrong. Based on what you've described, you definitely have grounds for a successful appeal. The fact that you were never formally disciplined or given written warnings is a huge point in your favor. NYS Department of Labor has to prove "willful misconduct," which means you deliberately violated company policy or acted against your employer's interests. Simply not meeting performance expectations (especially unrealistic ones) doesn't qualify as misconduct. Those emails from your supervisor about heavy workload that you mentioned could be key evidence - definitely include them with your appeal. Also document any instances where you asked for help, training, or clarification that wasn't provided. You can file your appeal online through your my.ny.gov account within 30 days of your determination letter. Don't let this discourage you - many people win these appeals when they can show their side of the story. The system may seem stacked against workers initially, but the hearing process is much more fair and balanced.

The Rochester One-Stop Career Center on East Main Street is usually your best bet for in-person help. They're typically open 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM weekdays, but like others mentioned, definitely call first. I had success there a few months ago by arriving right when they opened and specifically asking to speak with someone about "unemployment claim issues" rather than just general questions. The staff there seemed to have more access to the system than I expected. Also, if you can't get through to them by phone, try using the online chat feature on the NYS DOL website during off-peak hours (like early morning or late afternoon) - sometimes that's faster than calling.

I'm having a similar issue with my unemployment claim getting flagged every week and can't get through to anyone on the phone. Reading through these comments, it sounds like the Rochester One-Stop on East Main Street might be worth trying. Has anyone had luck recently getting actual help there rather than just being told to call the phone line? I'm willing to take time off work to go in person if they can actually access my claim and help resolve whatever is causing these flags. The weekly certification process has become such a nightmare when you can't reach anyone to explain what's wrong.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - 24 weeks in and getting really anxious about what happens next. One thing I found that might help is checking if you qualify for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) if your job loss was due to foreign trade or outsourcing. It can extend benefits and provide retraining funds. Also, some people don't know about the Work Sharing Program - if you find part-time work, you might still be able to collect partial benefits. Definitely worth looking into! Stay strong, we're all in this together 💪

I'm in a similar situation - just hit week 22 and starting to panic. One thing that's helped me is connecting with my local One-Stop Career Center. They have job search workshops and sometimes know about programs that aren't widely advertised. Also, if you're over 50, check out the SCSEP program (Senior Community Service Employment Program) - it provides training and work experience while you job hunt. Don't give up! I know it's scary but there are more resources out there than we realize. Keep documenting all your job search activities too - you never know when that info might be useful for additional programs.

The whole system is frustrating honestly. Self-employed people pay taxes but can't get the same safety net as regular employees. At least now there's more gig work that provides W-2s so maybe that helps with future eligibility.

Just wanted to add that if you do qualify based on W-2 wages, you'll still need to be available and actively seeking work to maintain eligibility. The tricky part with having your own business is that NYS DOL might consider you "not available for work" if you're still operating your consulting business, even if it's slow. You may need to show that you're genuinely looking for employee positions and not just waiting for consulting work to pick back up. It's worth discussing this specific situation with a DOL representative to understand how they handle cases where someone has both self-employment and employee work history.