Tell your friend to file ASAP regardless! There's a time limit and even if they get initially denied they can always appeal. Better to have the claim in the system than miss the deadline completely.

From what I understand about NYS Department of Labor rules, theft accusations fall under "misconduct" which can disqualify someone from benefits - BUT the employer has to actually prove it happened. If there's no video evidence, witnesses, or documentation, that's going to be really hard for them to do. Your friend should definitely file the claim immediately since there are strict deadlines. Even if they get initially denied, they can appeal and request a hearing where both sides present their evidence. The lack of proof will likely work in their favor during the appeal process. Don't let the accusation alone stop them from trying - the system is designed to give people a fair chance to dispute these claims.

honestly just file and see what happens. the worst they can say is no and youll know for sure instead of guessing

I went through this exact situation last year! With your $800/week income, you should definitely file. The process is actually pretty straightforward - you can do it all online through the NYS Department of Labor website. Just make sure you have your Social Security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and your most recent pay stub ready. One tip: file on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday if possible - those are typically less busy days and the system runs smoother. Also, even if your hours are just cut (not completely eliminated), you might still qualify for partial benefits if your reduced earnings are below your weekly benefit amount.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a newcomer here and my benefit year is ending next month, so this is exactly what I needed to read. From what I'm gathering, the most important things are: 1) File your new claim during the last week of your current benefit year (not after it ends), 2) Any remaining balance from your old claim doesn't carry over, 3) Your new weekly benefit amount will be recalculated based on wages from a new base period, and 4) Getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone is nearly impossible right now. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences with this process - it's so much more helpful than trying to decipher the confusing information on the official website. I'm definitely going to start gathering all my employment documentation now so I'm prepared when the time comes to file my new claim.

Wow, thank you all for sharing your experiences! I'm new to this community and this thread is a goldmine of information. My benefit year doesn't end until later this year, but I'm already feeling anxious about the process after seeing how confusing it can be. A few questions based on what I've read here: Does NYS Department of Labor send any kind of notification before your benefit year ends, or do you just have to keep track of the date yourself? And for those who had to file new claims - did your Direct Deposit information carry over automatically or did you have to set that up again? I'm trying to prepare as much as possible in advance since it sounds like getting help from their phone system is basically impossible right now. Really appreciate this community for sharing real experiences instead of just the confusing official guidance!

Just remember that even if you find part-time work, you might still be able to collect partial benefits as long as you report your earnings correctly on your weekly claims. Don't stop filing just because you pick up some temporary or part-time work!

@Chloe Wilson - One thing to keep in mind is that your benefit year is exactly 52 weeks from when you first filed, regardless of how many weeks of benefits you actually receive. So even if you only get 20 weeks of benefits instead of the full 26, you can't file a new claim until that full year is up unless you have enough new earnings to establish a new benefit year. Make sure to keep track of both your remaining benefit weeks AND your benefit year end date in your online account!

I can add my voice to everyone confirming that 888-581-5812 is absolutely legitimate! I got calls from this exact number about 6 weeks ago when my claim had been stuck in pending status for nearly a month. Like you, I was super suspicious at first - especially with no voicemail left. When I finally answered their third call, it turned out they needed to verify my work authorization status because there was some confusion with my documentation. The representative was completely professional and had all my application details readily available, which convinced me it was real. Here's what I learned from the experience: Don't wait for them to keep calling. After our phone conversation, I asked the rep what would have happened if I kept missing their calls, and she told me they would have eventually sent a written request for the information, but that could add 2-3 more weeks to the processing time. Given that you're already at 3 weeks pending, I'd definitely recommend calling the main line (888-209-8124) tomorrow morning and mentioning you missed a verification call. They can usually see right away what they were trying to reach you about and either handle it immediately or schedule a direct callback. The good news is that if they're calling, it means someone is actively working your case! My payment came through just 4 days after I provided the verification they needed.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who responded to this post! As someone who's new to dealing with unemployment benefits, I was genuinely terrified that I had fallen for some kind of scam. Reading all of your experiences has been incredibly reassuring and educational. It's clear from everyone's responses that 888-581-5812 is definitely legitimate and that these verification calls are a normal part of the process when claims are pending. I had no idea that they rarely leave voicemails - that was really throwing me off and making me more suspicious. I'm planning to call the main NYSDOL line (888-209-8124) first thing tomorrow morning and mention the missed verification call. Based on everyone's advice, it sounds like being proactive will help speed things up rather than waiting around for them to call back. This community is amazing - you've all helped turn what felt like a crisis into a manageable situation. I'll definitely update this thread once I get everything sorted out in case it helps other people in similar situations. Thanks again everyone!