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I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the EXACT same issue for the past three days - getting kicked out right when I reach the employment history section. It's incredibly frustrating because you spend all that time filling everything out just to get dumped back to square one with no explanation whatsoever. Reading through everyone's experiences, I realize I've been doing everything wrong - trying during lunch hours on Safari with tons of browser tabs open. Based on all the successful strategies shared here, I'm going to completely change my approach: late night (around 11pm), switch to Chrome in incognito mode, clear everything first, close all other tabs, and have all my employment details written down so I can speed through it. It's absolutely mind-boggling that we need to become technical troubleshooters just to access unemployment benefits we've rightfully paid into. The NY system desperately needs an overhaul, but thankfully this community has figured out the workarounds! Will definitely report back once I try the late-night Chrome approach. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions - you're literally saving people's sanity here!
I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to submit my unemployment claim for two days and keep getting booted at the employment history section every single time. It's beyond frustrating - you spend 20-30 minutes filling everything out just to get kicked back to the homepage with zero explanation. I've been trying during my lunch break around 1pm using Safari, so based on all the amazing advice in this thread, I'm clearly doing everything wrong! Going to completely switch up my strategy: try tonight around 11pm using Chrome in incognito mode, clear all cache/cookies first, close every other tab, turn off my VPN, and have all my employment info written down on paper beforehand. The fact that we need a PhD in website troubleshooting just to file for benefits we've paid into is absolutely insane. But I'm so grateful for this community sharing all these workarounds - you guys are lifesavers! Will definitely update everyone if the late-night Chrome strategy works for me. Keeping my fingers crossed!
You're definitely on the right track with that strategy! The 1pm Safari combo is basically guaranteed to fail based on what everyone's shared here. One thing I'd add - when you try tonight, make sure you're not just in incognito mode but also disable any browser extensions you might have running (ad blockers, password managers, etc.). Those can sometimes interfere with the NY site's finicky scripting. Also, if you have a laptop, try plugging directly into ethernet instead of using WiFi if possible - I've heard that can help with session stability. The paper backup plan is smart too because even with a good session, their timeout is ridiculously short. Really hope the late night approach works for you - so many people here have had success with it! We shouldn't have to be IT experts just to file for unemployment but at least we've got this community to help each other through the madness.
Wow, reading through all these experiences has been really eye-opening! I'm actually in almost the exact same situation as Paolo - my benefit year ended last week but I still show 38 days remaining and the system is letting me certify. After seeing Connor and Aria's overpayment horror stories, I'm definitely not going to risk it. The fact that multiple people have confirmed this is a known system glitch makes it clear that just because you CAN certify doesn't mean you SHOULD. I'm planning to file my new claim tomorrow morning following all the great advice here - especially Natalie's tip about selecting "benefit year ended" and Aileen's suggestion to have all employment info ready beforehand. It's so helpful to hear from people who actually went through this process recently! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, both good and bad. This community is amazing for helping navigate these confusing situations that the official DOL website doesn't always explain clearly.
I'm so glad you found this thread too! I was in the exact same boat just a few days ago and was really stressed about what to do. Reading everyone's experiences here - especially the warnings about overpayments - definitely convinced me to play it safe. I ended up filing my new claim yesterday morning and it was much easier than I expected. The whole process took about 25 minutes and I got a confirmation email right away. Now I just have to wait for it to be processed, but at least I know I won't be hit with any surprise overpayment notices later. Good luck with your application tomorrow!
I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My benefit year ended two weeks ago on July 20th, 2025, but I still have 41 days showing in my account and the system keeps letting me certify. I was so confused about what to do until I found this thread. After reading all these experiences, especially the overpayment stories from Connor and Aria, I'm definitely not taking any chances. It's scary to think that the system can let you keep certifying for weeks or even months, then suddenly hit you with a huge overpayment bill later! I really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences here - both the success stories from people like Natalie and Evelyn who filed new claims without issues, and the warnings from those who learned the hard way. This is exactly the kind of practical advice you can't get from the official DOL website. I'm going to file my new claim first thing tomorrow morning using all the tips shared here. Better to deal with a short processing delay than risk owing thousands back later. Will update everyone on how it goes!
I went through something similar last year and won my appeal! The key is documentation - I took screenshots of every hostile email from my supervisor, kept records of the unsafe working conditions, and even got a statement from a coworker who witnessed the harassment. Also, don't just focus on what happened - explain how you tried to resolve the issues first (like talking to HR or your manager) before you felt you had no choice but to quit. The hearing officer really cared about seeing that I made reasonable efforts to fix the situation before leaving. You got this! 💪
That's such great advice about showing you tried to resolve things first! I actually did try to work with my manager and HR before I quit, but they just brushed off my concerns. I have some emails where I documented the issues I raised with them. How detailed should I be in explaining all of this during the appeal process?
@ca96349f75f6 Be as detailed as possible! Include dates, times, names of people involved, and exact quotes from emails if you have them. The more specific you can be, the stronger your case will be. I actually created a timeline document with everything laid out chronologically - it really helped me stay organized during the hearing and showed the officer that this wasn't just one isolated incident but a pattern of problems. Don't worry about being too thorough - they want to see the full picture of why a reasonable person would feel they had no choice but to quit.
Hey Evelyn, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I went through a similar disqualification a few months back and it's absolutely stressful. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of all my communications with NYSDOL - dates, times, who I spoke with, reference numbers, everything. Also, when you file your appeal, make sure you clearly explain not just WHAT happened at your job, but HOW it made continuing to work impossible. The key phrase they look for is "good cause" which basically means any reasonable person in your situation would have quit too. Don't just say your boss was difficult - be specific about how their behavior created an intolerable work environment. And definitely don't wait on filing that appeal! The 30-day deadline is strict. You've got this! 🤞
Ugh, this exact same thing happened to me back in October! Card arrived with $0 balance even though my online portal showed $1,680 in "released" payments. I was literally crying because my rent was already 10 days late and my landlord was threatening eviction. After reading through posts like this one, I realized it's unfortunately super common with NY unemployment. I tried the regular phone number for almost two weeks - either constant busy signals or I'd wait 3+ hours on hold just to get disconnected right when I thought I was about to talk to someone. Finally got desperate enough to try that claimyr service everyone mentions (was really skeptical at first). Got connected to an actual agent in about 75 minutes and found out they had put some random "fraud protection hold" on my account that nobody bothered to tell me about. The agent removed it immediately and said my payments would hit the card within 24-48 hours. Sure enough, all my back payments showed up exactly when she promised. I know it's terrifying when you desperately need that money, but don't give up! There ARE real people who can fix this issue, you just have to find a way to actually reach them. Try calling right at 8am when they open, but if you can't get through after a few days, that callback service might be worth considering. You will get your money - it's just way more complicated than it should be!
Oh my god, thank you for sharing this! I'm literally going through the exact same nightmare right now and was starting to panic that I'd never see my money. The fact that they put a "fraud protection hold" without any notification is just insane - how are we supposed to know these things exist? I've been trying to call for days with no luck, so I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try that claimyr service too. It's ridiculous that we have to pay someone else just to talk to our own government, but at this point I'm desperate. Your story gives me so much hope that this will actually get resolved! Did the agent give you any explanation for why the hold was put on your account in the first place?
This exact same thing happened to me 3 months ago! My card showed up empty but online said $1,248 was "released." I was panicking because I needed that money for my kids' daycare payment. After trying the regular number for over a week with no success, I finally used claimyr.com that everyone here keeps mentioning. Got through to an agent in about 90 minutes and discovered they had sent my payments to an old direct deposit account I forgot was still in the system from 2 years ago! The account was closed so the money just bounced around somewhere. The agent was super helpful - she cancelled the old direct deposit info, switched everything to my card, and reissued all the back payments. Took about 3 business days but I got every penny I was owed. Don't wait for this to fix itself - it absolutely won't. You need to talk to a real person to figure out exactly where your $1870 went. Try calling at exactly 8am when they open, but if you can't get through after a few days, that callback service might be worth the cost for your peace of mind. You WILL get your money, just unfortunately have to jump through more hoops than should be necessary!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I was starting to lose hope that I'd ever see my money. The fact that your payments went to an old direct deposit account without you realizing it makes me think that might be what happened to me too - I should probably check if there's any old banking info still in my system. It's crazy that these issues are so common but they never bother to explain what might go wrong when they send out the cards. I'm definitely going to try calling at 8am tomorrow, and if that doesn't work I'll look into the claimyr service. Thanks for sharing your experience and for the encouragement - knowing that you got every penny back gives me hope this nightmare will end soon!
Jade Lopez
This exact thing happened to me! The key is having proof you communicated with your supervisor. Show the phone records, any texts or emails. If you have your old schedule showing you weren't scheduled for the 15th that's golden. I won my hearing after 5 weeks of waiting. If you need help getting through to someone while you wait, try claimyr.com - worked for me when I needed answers fast.
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Mateo Warren
•did u have to pay back benefits while waiting for hearing?
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Jade Lopez
•nah they continued paying me but some get cut off. depends on ur case
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Simon White
Yo this is so frustrating! Same thing happened to my friend last year - employer straight up lied saying she abandoned her job when she had medical documentation for missing work. The good news is you have phone records which is HUGE evidence in your favor. Make sure you get your phone bill that shows the exact time/date you called on the 16th. Also if you can get any copy of your work schedule showing you weren't supposed to work the 15th, that's gonna destroy their argument. Document everything and stay organized for your hearing - you got this! 💪
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Sean Flanagan
•This is really good advice! @014cf2a0535d definitely get that phone bill ASAP - having the exact timestamp of your call on 12/16 is gonna be clutch evidence. Also maybe check if your workplace has any digital scheduling system where you can screenshot or print proof you weren't scheduled the 15th? Even if it's just a text or email about the schedule that could help your case big time!
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