The NYS Department of Labor system is so outdated it's ridiculous. Half the time their website doesn't even work properly and then they lock your account for trying to access YOUR OWN BENEFITS. This state needs to invest in better IT infrastructure.

I had this exact same issue a few months ago! What worked for me was going to a local Career Center - they have staff who can help unlock your account on the spot. You can find locations at labor.ny.gov/career-center-locator. Bring photo ID and your SSN. They were able to unlock mine in about 10 minutes and helped me reset everything. Way faster than trying to get through on the phone!

Anyone else notice that the system always seems to "crash" right when you finally get through? I swear they do it on purpose 🤬

I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now - going on 6 weeks pending with zero explanation. The most frustrating part is how the system just leaves you completely in the dark. I've been following some of the advice here and wanted to add that I found success using the "Contact Us" form on the NYDOL website multiple times. I submitted the same inquiry every few days with slightly different wording, and eventually got a response that my case was escalated for review. Still waiting, but at least I know someone is supposedly looking at it now. Also, if you have any part-time work or gig income you reported, double-check those dates and amounts - apparently even tiny discrepancies can flag your account for manual review. This whole system is a nightmare but don't give up!

I was in a similar situation when I got stuck in Canada for 2 months due to visa issues. Here's what finally worked for me: 1) Contact your local NY state senator or assembly member - they have direct lines to NYSDOL that bypass the regular system 2) If you need immediate help, try claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold and connect you to an actual agent (worked for me when nothing else did) 3) For the login issue, sometimes clearing all cookies/cache and trying incognito mode helps with the location blocking 4) Keep trying that fax number but ALSO send everything certified mail to: NYS Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Division, PO Box 15131, Albany NY 12212-5131. The physical mail sometimes gets processed faster than fax. Don't give up - I know how stressful this is when you're overseas and bills are piling up! 🙏

I was stuck overseas for 3 months and went through this exact nightmare! Here's what actually worked: First, don't waste more money on international calls - the regular lines are impossible even from the US. I tried everything until someone mentioned claimyr.com and honestly it was a lifesaver. They handle all the calling/waiting and connect you directly to a real NY unemployment agent. Cost way less than my failed international call attempts and actually got results. Also, while you're waiting, send everything by certified mail to their Albany office (someone posted the address above) AND email your assembly person's office - they have special contacts at NYSDOL. The key is getting an actual human who can put notes on your account about being overseas. Once I talked to an agent through claimyr, they gave me a special email address just for international claimants and my whole situation got resolved in days instead of months. Don't let them penalize you for their broken system!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Lost my job in late September and I'm just now getting around to filing - it's been about 4 months. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I kept putting it off because I was embarrassed about needing assistance and convinced myself I'd find something quickly. The job market has been tougher than expected though. It's really encouraging to see so many people who waited similar amounts of time and still got approved without issues. I'm definitely motivated to get my application started this week after seeing all the positive outcomes. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it's made such a difference in my confidence about moving forward with this process!

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I've been unemployed for about 2.5 months after getting laid off in November and have been anxious about whether I waited too long to file. Reading everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - it sounds like NYS really doesn't penalize you for not filing immediately. I kept putting it off because I was sure I'd find something within a few weeks, then the holidays hit, and before I knew it months had passed. The guilt has been eating at me, but seeing so many people in similar situations who successfully filed after 3-5 months is giving me the push I needed. I'm going to gather my employment documents this weekend and file first thing Monday morning. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - sometimes you just need to hear from real people who've been through the same struggle to realize you're not alone and it's going to be okay!

Apply for food stamps too while ur waiting! NY has emergency benefits that can be approved in like 5 days. Made a huge difference for me when my unemployment was delayed.

I'm in a similar situation - lost my job in December and just filed last week. From everything I'm reading here, it sounds like you definitely have a shot at getting backdated, especially since you have a legitimate reason (thinking you'd find work quickly). That's exactly what happened to me too. I keep seeing people mention this claimyr service for actually getting through to someone on the phone, which seems to be the biggest hurdle. The NY unemployment phone system is absolutely brutal. I've been trying to call for days with no luck. Going to try that callback service everyone's talking about since it seems like talking to a real person is the only way to get anywhere with backdating requests. Hang in there - sounds like persistence is key with this whole mess of a system.