OMG thank you @The Boss for that update!! 🙌 I've been checking this thread obsessively for weeks and your success story just made my day. Filed 4/17 so I'm right behind you timeline-wise. Getting that $0 determination letter was so confusing and scary - I thought maybe I wasn't eligible or messed something up. But hearing that it's just the wage verification process and that you got $405/week plus all that back pay gives me so much relief! Definitely ordering claimyr today, seems like that's the key to actually talking to someone. Can't wait to update everyone here when my benefits finally come through. This community has been a lifesaver during this stressful waiting period! 💙

Just went through this exact same thing! Filed 3/28 and got the dreaded $0 determination letter that had me panicking for weeks. Finally got through using claimyr (yes it's legit and worth every penny) and the agent explained it's totally normal - they show $0 while waiting for employer wage verification. Took about 7 weeks total but once my employer finally sent the info, my benefits updated within 3 days and I got all my back pay dating to my original filing date. The key things: keep certifying every single week even with $0 showing, check your messages daily, and don't panic! The system is just super slow but you WILL get your money eventually. Hang in there! 💪

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating NY unemployment for the past 6 months - this thread is incredibly helpful! I actually had a similar "break in claim" issue a few weeks ago but mine was caused by something slightly different. In my case, I was working irregular part-time hours (sometimes 2 days one week, 4 days the next) and the system kept flagging my certifications because it thought I was working full-time some weeks. What I learned is that if you work 4+ days in a week, you get zero benefits for that week, but you still need to certify to keep your claim active. I was skipping those weeks entirely thinking I didn't need to certify, which caused the "break in claim" error. The fix was going back and certifying for all those missed weeks, even the ones where I worked too much to get benefits. Now I certify every single week regardless of how many days I worked - it keeps the claim continuous and prevents these system errors. Just wanted to add this for anyone else who might be dealing with variable work schedules! The key is consistency in certifying, even when you know you won't get paid for that week.

having similar issue. i usually report 2 days (17-21 hrs worked) since i work part time 21 hours. But last week i only worked 10 hrs bc I fell ill. So i tried selecting 0 (0-10 hrs worked) and got the "break in claim" over and over. Then I tried to do the claim on the phone thinking it was an online issue and at the end of the prompt it submitted for processing, but it too then said I had a break and they were going to send forms for additional info! Now I cant file at all. Have to call DOL tomorrow as a result and you know what that means.. forever holding. Frustrated. Any thoughts on how to handle?

I'm so glad I found this thread! Just went through the exact same thing last month - had a forfeit week show up out of nowhere and I was completely panicking about it. Turns out it was because I accidentally reported some overtime pay for the wrong week during certification. The key things that helped me get it resolved: 1. Found the determination notice buried in my online account under "Correspondence" 2. Organized all my pay stubs and work schedules by date before calling 3. When I finally got through to an agent, I asked for the specific reason code (mine was "IR-301" for income reporting error) 4. Filed an appeal with the agent's help right on the call The whole process took about 2.5 weeks total and I got my back payment deposited automatically. The waiting week is totally normal - everyone gets that unpaid first week when starting a claim. Don't panic about future payments either! As long as you keep certifying correctly while the appeal is processing, your other weeks won't be affected. The agent told me forfeit weeks are super common and usually just reporting mistakes that get fixed pretty quickly. One tip - I called right at 8am on a Tuesday and got through on my 3rd try. Seems like Tuesday/Wednesday mornings might be less busy than Mondays. You've got this! 💪

I'm dealing with this same exact situation right now and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Just had a forfeit week show up yesterday and I was completely spiraling about it until I found all these helpful responses. Based on everyone's advice, I've already gone through my online account and found a determination notice that mentions "income verification issue" but doesn't give specifics. I'm pretty sure I know what happened though - I had some irregular shifts at my part-time job and I think I reported the hours for the wrong certification week. Going to spend today organizing all my pay stubs and creating that timeline everyone mentioned before attempting to call tomorrow. The tip about asking for the specific reason code seems crucial - definitely writing that down as my first question. It's so reassuring to see how many people got their forfeit weeks reversed! I was terrified this would mess up all my future payments but reading that you can keep certifying normally while the appeal processes gives me so much relief. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - knowing this is fixable and relatively common makes this whole situation way less scary! 🙏

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! Companies will say ANYTHING to avoid paying claims even though they've been paying unemployment taxes for years. It's not like the money comes directly out of their pocket at that point - it's already been paid to the state. But they still fight every single claim because it affects their experience rating and future tax rates.

I went through something similar last year. The key thing to understand is that your employer's obligation to pay unemployment taxes is completely separate from whether your specific claim gets approved. If they've been in business and meet the basic requirements (which sounds like they do), they've been paying quarterly unemployment taxes all along - that money is already in the system. What they're probably disputing is the reason for your separation, not their tax obligations. Document everything about your layoff and be patient with the adjudication process. NYS Department of Labor will investigate both sides and make a determination based on the facts.

Pro tip: if you use the card for grocery shopping, always choose 'credit' instead of 'debit' when they ask. Some stores charge extra fees for debit transactions but credit is usually free. Also works at gas stations.

Just want to add that Walmart Money Centers usually have free ATM access for KeyBank unemployment cards too. I've been using the one near me for months with no fees. Also, if you're ever in a pinch and need cash fast, some banks will let you do a counter withdrawal with ID even if you're not their customer - they might charge like $5-10 but it's better than those crazy bodega ATM fees you mentioned. And yes, online purchases work fine, I pay all my bills online with mine.