I went through the same thing a few months ago! The first payment is usually the slowest because they're still processing everything on the backend even though it shows "approved" online. Like others said, 2-3 business days after certification is normal, but the very first one can take up to a week. Don't panic yet - if you certified Sunday, give it until Friday before calling. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately when the deposit hit instead of constantly checking my account.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! Filed my claim two weeks ago, everything shows approved, but my first payment took 8 days to arrive after my initial certification. The waiting is definitely the worst part, especially when you're counting on that money. What helped me was calling my bank to confirm they don't have any holds on government deposits - apparently some banks flag unemployment payments as suspicious if it's your first time receiving them. Also, NYS DOL processes payments in batches, so even though you certified Sunday, it might not get sent to your bank until Tuesday or Wednesday, then take another 1-2 days to post. Hang in there!

I think it depends on your situation honestly. Mine got approved in like a week because it was straightforward - got laid off from my restaurant job when they closed permanently. But my friend who got fired is still waiting after a month because they're investigating whether it was misconduct or not.

From my experience, the decision makers are adjudication specialists who are trained staff members at NYS Department of Labor. They handle cases that need manual review - things like disputed separations, eligibility questions, or when employers contest claims. The automated system only handles straightforward cases where everything checks out immediately. Since you're at 2 weeks pending, you're likely in the manual review queue. I'd recommend documenting everything about your job separation and keeping records of your job search activities just in case they need additional info. The waiting is frustrating but try to be patient - they do eventually get through all the cases.

I've been tracking my deposits for the past few months and noticed they tend to hit earlier in the week when I file my claim right at midnight on Tuesday. If I wait until later in the day Tuesday to file, the deposit seems to push to Thursday or Friday. Also, direct deposit through certain banks like Bank of America tends to be faster than others. One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts from my bank so I know the exact moment it hits rather than constantly checking my balance. NYS Department of Labor's processing is pretty consistent - it's usually the bank processing that adds the extra day or two of uncertainty.

I've been dealing with this same issue and what helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my filing times and deposit dates. After about 6 weeks of data, I noticed that NYS Department of Labor is pretty predictable - they process batches at specific times during the week. If you file your weekly claim before 6 AM on Tuesday, you'll almost always get your deposit by Wednesday evening. File between 6 AM and 6 PM Tuesday, expect Thursday morning. File after 6 PM Tuesday or on Wednesday, you're looking at Friday or even the following Monday. Also, federal holidays definitely push everything back a day, so plan accordingly. The key is being consistent with your filing time rather than just the day.

I feel your pain! I went through almost the exact same thing last year - 10 weeks of pending status with zero communication. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I contacted my state assemblyperson's office (they have direct lines to unemployment) AND used one of those callback services to get through the phone system. The assemblyperson's office was actually really helpful - they submitted an inquiry on my behalf and I heard back within a week. Also make sure you're checking for any employer contests on your claim, that's what was holding mine up and nobody bothered to tell me. Don't give up, the system is designed to frustrate you into quitting but you deserve those benefits!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the NY unemployment system is absolutely brutal. I just went through something similar a few months ago and it's incredibly frustrating. Unfortunately there's no email address that actually gets monitored or responded to. The only way to get anywhere is by talking to a human agent, which I know sounds impossible right now. A few things that helped me: 1) Try calling the fraud hotline instead of the regular number - they can sometimes transfer you and the wait times are shorter 2) Call RIGHT at 8am when they open, have multiple phones dialing if possible 3) Consider using Claimyr or a similar callback service - I was skeptical but it actually worked for me after weeks of failed attempts 4) Contact your state assemblyperson's office immediately - they have direct contacts at unemployment and can submit inquiries on your behalf. Also double check if your employer contested your claim, that's a common cause of these endless pending statuses and they never tell you about it. Don't give up! The system wants you to quit but you've earned those benefits. Keep certifying every week no matter what while you fight this.

Wait, I thought FUTA was something we paid as employees? I've been so confused about all these unemployment taxes. My adjudication has been going on for a month and nobody at NYS Department of Labor will explain anything to me!

The whole unemployment tax system is such a mess. Employers are supposed to pay FUTA but half of them don't even understand their obligations. Then when workers need benefits, we're the ones who suffer from their incompetence.