Just wanted to jump in and say THANK YOU to everyone sharing their experiences and strategies here! 🙏 I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now - my phone got water damaged last weekend and I can't receive the verification codes to access my unemployment account. Was starting to really panic about it but reading through all these detailed success stories is giving me hope that I can actually get this resolved. Going to try the 8AM calling strategy first thing tomorrow (Wednesday) since multiple people mentioned that's a good day for lower call volume. Got my SSN, confirmation number, and new phone number all written down and ready to go. If that doesn't work after a few attempts, I'll definitely look into the claimyr service - seems like $20 is totally worth it to avoid being stuck for weeks. Really appreciate how supportive everyone is being in this thread and sharing all the specific tips and timing strategies. Makes such a difference to know other people have gotten through this same nightmare successfully. Will definitely report back once I (hopefully) get it sorted! 💪

Been following this thread and wow, you all are amazing! 🙌 I'm actually going through the EXACT same thing right now - switched phones two weeks ago and completely forgot to update my number with unemployment beforehand. Classic mistake! 🤦‍♀️ I've been trying to call for days but kept getting discouraged by the busy signals. Reading all your success stories though has totally changed my approach. Setting my alarm for 7:55 AM tomorrow (Thursday) to try the early morning strategy everyone's raving about. Got my SSN, confirmation number, and new phone number all ready on a sticky note. The claimyr service sounds like a solid backup plan too if the free route doesn't work out. Honestly $20 is nothing compared to the stress of being locked out indefinitely. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone had luck using the callback feature on their phone system, or is it better to just keep manually redialing? Don't want to lose my place in "line" if there even is one with that system lol. Thanks everyone for turning what felt like an impossible situation into something totally manageable with the right strategy! This community support is everything 💙

Just to clarify the process - when you file your new claim, make sure you report that your hours were reduced rather than saying you quit or were fired. Reduction in hours is good cause for filing and shouldn't trigger any adjudication issues. You'll need to provide your recent pay stubs to verify your earnings for the new base period calculation.

I went through this exact situation last year - had my benefits exhaust, worked part-time for about 6 months, then had my hours cut. Filed a new claim immediately and it went through without any issues. The key is that your new base period will be different from your previous claim, so as long as you worked enough in those qualifying quarters, you're good to go. Don't overthink it - if your hours were reduced significantly, you have every right to file for unemployment benefits again. Just make sure to have all your recent pay stubs ready when you apply online.

26 weeks goes by faster than you think, especially in this job market. Start looking seriously now even though you just got approved. Better to find something early than scramble at week 25.

Also worth mentioning that if you're getting close to exhausting your 26 weeks and still haven't found work, there might be extended benefits available during high unemployment periods. It's not automatic though - you have to apply separately and it depends on the state's unemployment rate. I'd recommend checking the NYSDOL website or calling them around week 20-22 to see if any extensions are available when you're getting close to your limit.

just remember to file your weekly claims even if your claim is still processing. you can get backpay for those weeks once everything gets approved

Make sure your employer files the correct paperwork with NYS Department of Labor indicating it's a seasonal layoff - this can really speed up the process. When I worked for a tree service company, my boss would file what they called a "mass layoff notice" every fall for all the seasonal workers. It helped our claims get processed much faster than individual layoffs. You might want to ask your landscaping company if they do bulk seasonal filings. Also keep all your pay stubs from this season as proof of your work history, just in case they ask for documentation later.

Wow, this thread has been incredibly informative! I'm actually in a very similar situation - working part-time and starting my master's program next month. I had no idea about this quarterly verification requirement and honestly, reading about Freya's experience has me pretty concerned. It's absolutely ridiculous that NYSDOL implements these requirements without clearly communicating them to claimants. I'm definitely going to call them proactively before I start classes to ask about any additional verification requirements. Better to deal with it upfront than get blindsided like this. The suggestion about using specific terminology like "quarterly verification requirements for partial unemployment recipients enrolled in education programs" is really helpful. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions here - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't get from their official resources. It's sad that we have to rely on community forums to understand basic program requirements, but I'm grateful this information is available!

This entire thread is exactly why I love this community! I'm currently navigating the NYSDOL system myself (just regular unemployment, thankfully not the part-time + school situation) and the information shared here is pure gold. The fact that they can just cut off benefits for missing ONE call without proper explanation is absolutely insane. What really gets me is how @Freya Collins had to become a detective just to figure out what went wrong with her own account. The quarterly verification requirement for part-time workers in school should be clearly explained when you first report that situation, not something you have to discover after your benefits get mysteriously cut off. For anyone dealing with NYSDOL phone issues - I've had success calling exactly at 8:00 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Seems like those are slightly less busy than Mondays. Also, if you get disconnected, call back immediately - sometimes the system will put you back in roughly the same queue position. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. This is the kind of practical, real-world advice that actually helps people navigate these broken systems!