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I went through this exact same situation last year with a $3,200 overpayment. The NYS DOL definitely cannot just drain your bank account without warning - that's not how their process works. They'll first send you multiple notices giving you options to either appeal or set up a payment plan. I was terrified they'd take all my money too, but they actually worked with me on a $150/month payment plan that I could afford. The important thing is to respond to their letters and communicate with them. If you ignore it completely, that's when they can eventually pursue more aggressive collection methods, but even then they have to go through legal channels first. Don't panic about your rent money - you have time to work this out properly.
I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Like others mentioned, the NYS DOL does follow a process - they can't just surprise you by emptying your bank account. I got my first overpayment notice about 6 weeks ago and was panicking, but after reading all the responses here I called them (took forever to get through) and they walked me through the payment plan options. They were actually pretty reasonable about working with my budget. The key thing everyone's saying is true - don't ignore the notices! That's when things can get more complicated down the road. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this stuff.
Really appreciate you sharing your experience! It's so reassuring to hear that the NYS DOL staff actually worked with you on a reasonable payment plan. I was also terrified about the whole situation when I first got my notice, but this thread has given me hope that it's manageable if I handle it properly. Did you find it helpful to have any documentation ready when you called them, like bank statements or proof of income? I want to be prepared when I make that call.
To answer your question about mentioning the previous disqualification - you don't need to volunteer that information, but if they ask directly you should be honest. Focus on your current job loss and the fact that it was through no fault of your own. Make sure you have documentation from your employer about the layoff if possible.
I went through something similar a few years back. Got disqualified initially but was able to file a new claim when I got laid off from my next job. One thing that helped me was keeping all the paperwork from my layoff - the WARN notice, any emails about the company restructuring, etc. Having that documentation ready made the process smoother when they reviewed my claim. Also, don't stress too much about the previous disqualification - like others said, they really focus on your most recent job separation. Good luck!
This is really helpful advice about keeping documentation! I actually do have the layoff notice and some emails from HR about the company downsizing. It sounds like having that paperwork ready will definitely help my case. Thanks for sharing your experience - it makes me feel more confident about filing the new claim.
@Mateo Sanchez - I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. First thing you should do is log into your my.ny.gov account and check your "Benefit Year" dates - it'll show when your current benefit year ends. If it's been a full year since you first filed, you might be eligible for a new benefit year if you worked enough during that time. The key is whether you have sufficient wages in quarters that weren't used for your original claim calculation. Even if you only worked part-time or had a brief job during your benefit year, those wages could potentially qualify you for a new claim. Don't give up - many people don't realize they might be eligible for a second benefit year!
@Alejandro Castro This is exactly what I needed to hear! I just checked my benefit year dates and it looks like my original benefit year is ending next month. I did work for about 3 months part-time during my benefit period, so hopefully those wages will count toward a new claim. Did you have any issues with the timing - like do you have to wait for your benefit year to completely end before filing the new claim, or can you file right away after exhausting your 26 weeks? I m'worried about having a gap in benefits while waiting for the new claim to process.
@Alejandro Castro @Anita George I just went through this process last month! You can actually file a new claim as soon as your benefits are exhausted - you don t have'to wait for the benefit year to end. The key thing is that NYS looks at your base period "wages, which" are typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you worked during your benefit period, those wages will likely fall into a new base period for your second claim. Just make sure you have enough wages to meet the minimum requirements. When I filed my new claim, my weekly benefit amount was actually higher because my recent part-time work counted toward the calculation. The processing time was about the same as my first claim - roughly 2-3 weeks.
I'm in a similar situation right now - my benefits ran out 3 weeks ago and I'm scrambling to figure out my options. Reading through all these responses is really eye-opening, especially about potentially qualifying for a new benefit year. I had no idea that wages earned during my benefit period could count toward a new claim! I worked a temporary holiday job for about 6 weeks in December while still collecting partial benefits. Now I'm wondering if those wages might be enough to establish a new base period. Has anyone here had success with relatively small amounts of wages from temporary work counting toward a new claim? I'm going to check my my.ny.gov account tonight to see my benefit year dates and wage history. Really grateful for all the detailed info everyone shared - this community has been more helpful than any official NYS website!
I've been dealing with NY unemployment for about 4 months now and can definitely relate to the holiday stress! From what I've experienced, when you certify on Saturday before a federal holiday Monday, your payment almost always gets pushed to Wednesday. The DOL processes everything on Sunday night, but since banks don't handle ACH transfers on federal holidays, it creates that extra day delay. I actually keep a little calendar now marking all the federal holidays so I can plan my budget around these delays. It's frustrating that they don't make this clearer on their website, but once you know the pattern it's pretty predictable. Your payment should definitely hit by Wednesday morning - try not to stress too much about it!
This is so helpful, thank you! I'm relatively new to the unemployment system and had no idea that federal holidays created such predictable delays. The idea of keeping a calendar with all the federal holidays marked is brilliant - I'm definitely going to start doing that. It's amazing how much anxiety these delays cause when you're already stretched thin financially. Really appreciate you sharing your experience and the timeline breakdown!
I've been on NY unemployment for about 8 months and unfortunately yes, federal holidays always delay payments by at least one business day. Since you certified Saturday before a holiday Monday, you're looking at Wednesday for your deposit. The system processes claims Sunday night, but banks don't handle ACH transfers on federal holidays, so everything gets pushed back. I learned to always check the federal holiday calendar when budgeting because this happens every single time. Your payment will definitely come through - just plan for Wednesday instead of Monday/Tuesday. It's super frustrating when you're counting on that money, but the delay is pretty predictable once you know the pattern!
Kaitlyn Otto
I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Filed 4 weeks ago, approved, but no card. Called every day this week and can't get through. The frustration is real. I saw someone mention contacting your state rep - definitely going to try that. Also going to look into that claimyr service people are talking about. We shouldn't have to jump through this many hoops just to get what we're entitled to. Hang in there, hopefully we both get our cards soon! 🤞
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Chloe Delgado
•Ugh yes, solidarity! 😫 It's so maddening that we have to become detectives just to get our own benefits. I'm definitely going to try the state rep route too - seems like multiple people have had success with that. Let me know if the claimyr thing works out for you! We've got this 💪
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Charlotte White
•Same here! I've been approved for almost a month now and still nothing. The worst part is not knowing if it's lost in the mail, sent to the wrong address, or just never sent at all. I'm going to try calling that KeyBank number someone mentioned earlier and see if they can at least tell me if a card was issued to my name. This whole system is such a nightmare when you're already stressed about money 😤
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Jacob Lewis
I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Applied 3.5 weeks ago, got approved, but still no debit card. I've called probably 50+ times and either get disconnected or stuck in phone tree purgatory. What's really frustrating is that my online account shows payments have been "issued" but obviously I can't access them without the card. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here - especially contacting my assembly member and that claimyr service. It's ridiculous that we have to become professional phone warriors just to get basic unemployment benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, at least I know I'm not alone in this mess! 🙃
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