Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this nightmare before. The NY unemployment system is absolutely broken and it's infuriating how they put all the burden on us to figure out what's wrong. I had payments stuck for 6 weeks last year because of some mysterious "fraud prevention" flag that I was never notified about. The worst part is how helpless you feel when you can't reach anyone and your bills are piling up. Really glad to see Miguel got his resolved - that gives me hope that there are still real people working there who can actually fix things when you can reach them. For anyone else dealing with this, document everything (screenshots, call logs, etc.) and don't give up. The system is designed to wear you down but persistence does eventually pay off.

This is such a helpful thread - I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Filed in early June, first few payments came through fine, but now I've been stuck on pending for 2 weeks with zero communication from NYSDOL. It's so frustrating how the burden is completely on us to figure out what's wrong when they have all our contact information. Reading about Miguel's identity verification flag that never triggered a notification is both relieving (there might be a fixable issue) and infuriating (how are we supposed to know?). Definitely going to try the Claimyr service - at this point $20 to actually talk to a human seems like a bargain compared to the stress of calling 50+ times. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

The whole nonmon determination process is just another way for NYS Department of Labor to make things confusing and stressful. They send these vague letters that nobody understands then make you jump through hoops to get answers. Classic bureaucracy BS.

I went through something similar last month. The "able and available" determinations can be tricky - sometimes they flag you if there's any inconsistency in your weekly certifications or if something in your profile suggests limited availability. Since yours is unfavorable, definitely appeal it within the 30-day deadline like Grace mentioned. When you appeal, be very specific about your availability - include your work schedule preferences, transportation, childcare arrangements if applicable, and emphasize that you're seeking full-time work. Document everything and keep copies. The appeal process can take a while but it's worth fighting if you truly are available for work.

did u ever get any letters in the mail from them? sometimes they send important stuff thru regular mail but not online for some weird reason

Final update: The money came through! All 11 weeks of backpay hit my account this morning. Such a massive relief. For anyone else stuck in pending status for months, don't give up. Finding a way to actually speak with a real person was the key for me. Thanks again to everyone for your advice and support!

Congrats on getting it resolved! Your experience is exactly why I always tell people not to just wait for the online document review - calling is so much faster even though it's a pain to get through. For anyone else reading this thread, Ruby's case is a perfect example of how the system is supposed to work. When you have recent employment that wasn't included in your standard base period, they should automatically check your alternate base period eligibility. If they don't, don't panic - it's fixable, you just need to get a human on the phone to manually trigger the review. The backpay makes it worth the hassle of calling!

I'm so glad you got this resolved Ruby! As someone new to this community, reading through your entire experience was incredibly helpful. I'm actually dealing with the exact same situation right now - they denied my claim even though I worked full-time January through March 2025. Your post made me realize I shouldn't just sit around waiting for weeks for them to review my documents. I'm definitely going to try calling tomorrow and specifically ask about my Alternate Base Period review. It's so frustrating that their system doesn't automatically catch this, but at least now I know there's a real solution. Thanks for sharing your whole journey - it gives me hope that this will actually get fixed!

Please update us when you start getting paid! I'm curious how long it'll take for your backpay to come through after such a long delay. My claim was nowhere near as old as yours.

Congratulations on finally getting some movement on your claim! Two years is absolutely insane - I can't imagine the stress you've been through. I had a similar situation last year (though only 6 months, not 2 years!) and that email is definitely good news. A few things to watch out for based on my experience: - Double-check that all your certified weeks show up in the payment history once they start processing - Save screenshots of everything as proof - If any weeks seem missing, contact them immediately because it's easier to fix while the backpay is actively being processed The waiting is almost over! Really hoping you get every penny you're owed after this nightmare delay.