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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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The system is SO confusing! I thought I was going to get way more than I actually got. They calculate it weird with all these quarters and base periods. Why can't they just use your last few paystubs like normal people would expect??
The base period system is designed to use a more stable earnings period rather than just recent weeks, which could be higher or lower than typical. It's supposed to be more fair over time, even though it's definitely confusing at first.
Just went through this process myself recently. One thing to keep in mind is that the weekly benefit amount also depends on whether you have any part-time earnings while collecting unemployment. If you work part-time while on unemployment, they deduct a portion of those earnings from your weekly benefit, but you can still earn up to a certain amount without losing your full benefit. Also, don't forget that unemployment benefits are taxable income - you can have taxes withheld or you'll owe when you file your tax return. The NYS Department of Labor website has a benefit calculator tool that can give you a rough estimate based on your earnings history if you want to get a better idea before you actually need to file.
That's really helpful info about the part-time work rules! I didn't know you could still earn some money while collecting benefits. Do you remember what the threshold was for how much you can earn before they start reducing your weekly benefit amount? I might need to pick up some shifts here and there to make ends meet.
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To clarify for the original poster - based on what you've described with 2 years at your previous job and 6 weeks at your current job, you would almost certainly qualify for unemployment benefits if you were laid off. Your previous job earnings would definitely count toward your base period requirements. The key is having sufficient total earnings and having worked in multiple quarters, which you clearly have.
That's such a relief to hear! Thank you for explaining it so clearly. I was really stressing about this.
Just wanted to add some additional info that might be helpful - if you do end up needing to file for unemployment, make sure you have all your wage information ready from both jobs. NYS DOL will need your W-2s or pay stubs to verify your earnings during the base period. Also, since you mentioned potential layoffs, know that if you're laid off through no fault of your own, you should definitely qualify based on your work history. The 3-month gap between jobs won't hurt you as long as your total earnings meet the threshold. Keep documentation of everything just in case!
This is really helpful advice! I didn't even think about gathering all the wage documentation beforehand. Do you know if they accept digital pay stubs or do they need physical copies? I have most of my recent pay stubs saved electronically but some of the older ones from my previous job might be harder to track down.
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Congrats on getting through! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been calling for 2 weeks with no luck. Can I ask what time zone you're in? I want to make sure I'm calling at the right 8:00am (Eastern I assume?). Also, when you say you used the 1-5-2-1 sequence, did you wait for each menu to fully play out or did you press the numbers quickly? I've been pressing buttons too fast and wondering if that's part of my problem.
Yes, it's Eastern Time! And I learned the hard way that you need to wait for each menu option to finish before pressing the next number. When I was pressing buttons too quickly, it would sometimes kick me back to the main menu or disconnect me entirely. Give each prompt about 2-3 seconds to register before hitting the next number in the sequence. Also, make sure your phone volume is up so you can hear if the system is actually accepting your inputs. Good luck - persistence really does pay off!
Just wanted to share another approach that worked for a friend of mine - she contacted the NY Department of Labor through their Twitter account (@NYSLabor) with a brief explanation of her issue and how long she'd been trying to call. They actually responded within a few hours and escalated her case internally. She got a callback within 2 business days. Might be worth trying social media pressure if the phone calls keep failing. Sometimes public visibility gets faster results than the regular channels.
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anyone try calling from a different area code? heard that might help get through faster
tried it, doesnt make a difference. systems broken no matter what number u call from
use claimyr.com instead, worked for me after 2 weeks of failing to get through
Has anyone had luck with the local offices? I'm in Albany area and wondering if it's worth driving to a physical location instead of dealing with the phone nightmare. Also heard some people have success calling the office directly instead of the main line - anyone know if local offices have their own numbers?
Brooklyn Knight
Hang in there Malik! Getting laid off is tough, but you're asking all the right questions. Based on what you've shared, you should definitely qualify - layoffs are exactly what unemployment benefits are designed for, and your 2 years of full-time work history puts you in great shape. Just to add to what others have said, when you file your claim, make sure to answer all questions honestly and completely. The system will automatically calculate your benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter during the base period, so that steady full-time income should work in your favor. Also, once you start receiving benefits, keep track of your job search activities from day one - NY requires you to make work search contacts each week you claim benefits. The requirements are pretty reasonable, but staying organized from the start will save you headaches later. You're going to get through this!
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•@Brooklyn Knight Really appreciate the encouragement and practical advice! The job search requirement is something I hadn t'fully thought about yet. When you mention keeping track of work search activities from day one, does that mean I should start job hunting immediately after filing, or is there usually a waiting period before those requirements kick in? Also, do you know what counts as valid work search contacts in NY? I want to make sure I m'doing everything right from the beginning to avoid any issues down the road.
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Adrian Connor
Malik, I went through this exact situation 3 years ago when my tech company did massive layoffs. You're absolutely eligible - being laid off is the textbook case for unemployment benefits, and your 2 years of full-time work definitely covers the base period requirements. Here's what I wish I'd known: file your claim on the first day you're officially unemployed (so if Friday is your last day, file that Saturday or Sunday). Don't wait! The sooner you file, the sooner your waiting week starts. Also, NY changed their system recently and it's actually much more user-friendly now - the online portal at my.ny.gov walks you through everything step by step. One heads up though: they'll ask about ANY income you received during your base period, including that gap you mentioned. If you did any freelance, part-time, or contract work during that time, have those details ready. The system needs to see the full picture of your earnings. Most importantly, don't let the horror stories scare you - most straightforward layoff cases process without major issues. You've got solid work history and a legitimate claim. Stay positive!
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