I'm in the EXACT same situation and this thread has been a lifeline! Applied February 9th, completed ID.me verification 8 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've been calling daily for over a month with absolutely no success getting through to anyone. The systematic nature of everyone's delays here is both validating and infuriating - clearly something is fundamentally broken with February 2025 processing. We all have nearly identical timelines: February applications, ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but universally stuck in pending status with zero communication. The formal complaint process that Anastasia detailed is exactly what I needed to know about. I had no idea there was an internal escalation system that could assign a dedicated case worker to actually review individual cases. After 8 weeks of feeling like I was screaming into the void, having a structured way to get real attention on my claim gives me genuine hope for the first time. My action plan based on all the excellent strategies shared here: 1. File the formal complaint today with detailed timeline and account screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling approach using the specific 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload my W-2s proactively (I also worked for multiple employers during base period) 4. Reach out via NYSDOL official social media channels I also worked for a small tech company that closed suddenly, so the employer verification issues mentioned here really resonate. Thank you everyone for sharing actual actionable solutions and success stories. After weeks of financial stress and uncertainty, this is the first concrete path forward I've found. Will definitely report back with results - we all need to support each other through this broken system!

I'm going through this exact same situation and finding this thread has been incredibly helpful! Applied February 21st, completed ID.me verification 6 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've called probably 35+ times over the past 3 weeks and haven't gotten through to a single person. The pattern everyone is describing here is remarkable - so many February 2025 applicants with ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but all stuck in pending limbo. This is clearly a systematic processing issue rather than individual account problems. I'm blown away by the actionable advice in this thread, especially Anastasia's detailed breakdown of the formal complaint process. I had no idea there was an internal escalation system that could assign someone to actually review these cases. After 6 weeks of feeling completely lost in the system, having concrete steps to try gives me real hope. My plan based on everyone's strategies: 1. File the formal complaint tomorrow with detailed documentation and screenshots 2. Try calling at exactly 8am using the 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during my base period) 4. Reach out via their social media channels I also worked for a small marketing agency that had sudden layoffs, so the employer verification complications mentioned here really resonate. Thank you all for sharing real solutions and success stories - this is the first thread I've found where people actually got their issues resolved. Will definitely update with results. We need to stick together and help each other navigate this broken system!

I just wanted to add my experience to help encourage you! I was in a very similar situation when I had to close my small landscaping business due to a herniated disc that made it impossible to do physical work. Like you, I had worked part-time at a nursery for about 7 months while getting my business established, and I was so confused about whether that would qualify me for unemployment benefits. After reading through similar discussions and finally applying, I was approved based on those W-2 wages from the nursery! The key thing I learned is exactly what others have mentioned - NYS Department of Labor only considers your covered employment (W-2 wages) when determining eligibility, not your self-employment income. Your 8 months at the garden center actually sounds more solid than my 7-month stint. The online application was much more user-friendly than I expected, and they calculated everything automatically once I entered my employment history and wage information. I'd definitely recommend applying sooner rather than later since there can be processing delays, and you want to get the claim started while you're still within the timeframe. Having gone through this process, I can say with confidence that your garden center employment should give you a strong case for benefits. Don't let the self-employment aspect discourage you - you paid into the system through that W-2 job and deserve to have your claim properly evaluated!

I just wanted to jump in here because I went through almost the exact same situation last year! I had to shut down my small auto detailing business due to a back injury, and like you, I was completely confused about unemployment eligibility as a self-employed person. I had worked part-time at a car wash for about 6 months while building my client base, and that W-2 employment ended up being exactly what qualified me for benefits. Reading through all these responses really brings back memories of how overwhelmed I felt initially. The most important thing I learned is that NYS Department of Labor treats your W-2 wages completely separately from your self-employment income - they literally don't care about your landscaping business income at all when determining eligibility. Your 8 months at the garden center sounds very promising! I'd strongly encourage you to apply online as soon as you can gather your documentation. The system will walk you through everything and automatically calculate if your garden center wages meet their base period requirements. Even though the weekly benefit amount might be modest based on part-time wages, it can provide crucial support during your recovery period. Don't let the complexity of being "mixed employed" discourage you - you paid into the unemployment system through that garden center job and absolutely deserve to have your claim properly evaluated. Best of luck with your application and your recovery!

I'm on day 3 of "under review" status and honestly this thread is exactly what I needed to find right now! Just filed my claim after getting laid off from my teaching assistant position and seeing that message appear with absolutely zero context had me spiraling thinking I must have filled something out wrong. It's really disappointing how the NYS DOL website gives you no clue what "under review" actually means - this discussion has been way more informative than anything on their official site! Reading everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief to understand that this adjudication process is completely normal for all new claims, not some red flag that I screwed up my application. Going to start doing my weekly certifications today based on all the advice here, even though it feels strange doing them when you don't know if you're even approved yet. Education sector layoffs have been really tough this year, so it helps to know I'm not alone in this situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines - gives me realistic expectations that this could take 1-3 weeks and that's totally normal!

I'm currently on day 7 of "under review" status and this thread has been such a godsend for my peace of mind! Filed my claim after being laid off from my customer service job at a local bank and like so many others here, I was completely freaking out thinking I had somehow messed up my application when that vague status appeared. The NYS DOL website is absolutely terrible at explaining what any of their status messages mean - it's honestly inexcusable how they leave people in the dark during such a stressful time. Reading through all these experiences has been infinitely more helpful than anything I could find on their official resources. I had absolutely no idea that adjudication was a standard verification process for ALL new unemployment claims - if I had known that from the start, it would have saved me days of unnecessary anxiety! I've been doing my weekly certifications since reading the advice here, even though it definitely feels weird certifying when you're still waiting to find out if you're even eligible. But based on everyone's shared experiences, it sounds like keeping up with those is crucial for protecting your benefit weeks once the review is complete. It's so reassuring to see that most people do eventually get approved and that 1-3 weeks is typical processing time. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their stories and timelines - this community support has been invaluable for understanding that this waiting period is just part of their normal process, not a sign that something went wrong!

I'm on day 1 of waiting and was already starting to get nervous about the "pending" status, but reading through this entire thread has been absolutely amazing for setting proper expectations! I had no idea that 2-6 weeks was completely normal processing time - I was thinking I'd hear something within a day or two and was starting to worry when I logged in this morning and just saw "pending." It's incredible how much stress and anxiety NYS DOL could prevent by simply explaining upfront that adjudication typically takes several weeks and that employer verification is a routine part of the process, not a red flag. This thread has taught me more about the unemployment process in 20 minutes than I could find anywhere on their official website! I'm definitely bookmarking this conversation and will try the 8am calling strategy if I need updates later on. Thank you to everyone who's shared their timelines and experiences - you've created exactly the kind of support and transparency that should have been provided from the beginning. It's such a relief to know that "pending" just means they're working on it, not that something went wrong with my application!

I'm on day 6 of waiting and this thread has been absolutely incredible for my peace of mind! I was starting to panic that my "pending" status meant I'd been denied or that I somehow messed up my application. Reading everyone's experiences here has taught me so much more about the actual process than anything on the NYS DOL website. It's really reassuring to learn that 2-6 weeks is completely normal, especially when employer verification is involved. The lack of communication from NYS DOL about realistic timelines is honestly shocking - they could save so many people from unnecessary anxiety by just explaining that adjudication takes time. I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy that everyone keeps mentioning if I need updates later on. Thank you to everyone who's shared their timelines and outcomes - you've created the support system that should have existed from day one! For anyone else in those first week or two and starting to worry like I was, just know that "pending" is actually a good sign that they're still working on your claim.

Just went through this exact situation last month! Got let go during my 90-day probation at a retail job and was able to reopen my claim no problem. The key things that helped me: 1. I stopped certifying the week I started work (super important!) 2. When I got terminated, I immediately went online and reopened my claim 3. Had to do a phone interview where they asked about why I was let go - just be honest 4. They asked for my start/end dates and final pay info Since it was just "not a good fit" and not misconduct, they approved me to continue with my remaining benefits. The whole process took about 2 weeks from reopening to getting my first payment back. Pro tip: if you need to talk to someone, don't waste time calling - use one of those callback services. Worth every penny to avoid the hold times!

Been in a similar spot before - the good news is you can definitely return to your remaining benefits if things don't work out during probation. Just make sure you're documenting everything from day one at the new job (emails, performance feedback, etc.) in case you need it later. And definitely stop certifying for benefits the moment you start working! That's crucial. If you do get let go, you can reopen your claim online pretty easily as long as it wasn't for misconduct. The probation period thing actually works in your favor since most terminations during that time are just "not a good fit" rather than misconduct.