I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - got a forfeit hearing notice for misreporting some gig work hours. Based on what I've seen in my case and from calling around, they typically continue payments during the hearing process unless there's been a formal determination of fraud (which doesn't sound like your situation). The good news is that forfeit weeks are different from overpayments - you won't have to pay money back, you'd just lose those weeks from any future claim. Since yours sounds like an honest reporting mistake rather than intentional fraud, you have a good chance of getting it reduced or dismissed entirely. I'd definitely recommend trying to get through to an actual agent to confirm your specific situation. The automated system and online messages don't always give the full picture. And like others said, keep certifying every week no matter what - you can only get backpay for weeks you properly certified for if things get delayed.

I went through a forfeit hearing about 8 months ago for a similar reporting error with part-time work. In my case, they absolutely continued paying my regular weekly benefits throughout the entire hearing process. The key thing to look for is whether you've received any official "determination" notice that specifically mentions stopping payments - if you only got the hearing notice, you should keep getting paid. My advice: document everything that shows your mistake was unintentional. I brought printouts of the confusing reporting interface, my actual work records, and even emails with the unemployment office showing I was trying to report correctly. The hearing officer appreciated seeing that I wasn't trying to hide anything. Also, don't panic if the hearing gets rescheduled - mine was pushed back twice, but payments continued the whole time. The whole process took about 8 weeks total, but I never missed a payment. Keep certifying every single week though - that's crucial for getting any backpay if there are delays. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, and I ended up with just 2 forfeit weeks (which only matter for future claims). The hearing officers deal with genuine mistakes vs. fraud all the time, so being upfront about the confusion will work in your favor.

tried calling from different phones thinking it might help... spoiler alert: it dont 😭

Ugh I feel this so hard! Been dealing with the same nightmare for weeks. What finally worked for me was calling the Spanish line (888-209-8124) even though I speak English - they transfer you to English speakers but the wait times are way shorter. Also try calling right at 4:55pm before they close, sometimes less busy then. The whole system is a joke but hang in there!

I'm experiencing the exact same frustrating situation - filed my claim in early December and I'm now at 6+ weeks stuck on "pending" with zero communication from NYS DOL. Like everyone else here, I've made countless attempts to call but either get disconnected immediately or wait hours on hold just to get cut off. What's really striking to me is how many of us are sharing nearly identical experiences - same filing timeframe, same "pending" status, same inability to reach anyone by phone. This clearly points to a major systemic failure in their processing system rather than individual case issues. I've started documenting every call attempt and weekly certification, and I think the suggestions about contacting state representatives are spot on. When this many people are experiencing identical delays for basic unemployment claims, there needs to be accountability. The financial stress is bad enough, but the complete lack of transparency about what's causing these delays or any realistic timeline is making the situation so much worse. Hang in there everyone - hopefully our collective voices will eventually force some action and answers from the department.

I'm in the exact same boat - filed my initial claim in mid-December and it's now been 6+ weeks of just staring at "pending" with no explanation whatsoever. What's really frustrating is that I keep filing my weekly claims religiously like we're supposed to, but there's absolutely no feedback about what's actually happening with my case. I've tried calling at every possible time - early morning, lunch break, late afternoon - and it's always the same story: either immediate busy signal or hours on hold just to get disconnected. The financial stress is one thing, but the complete information blackout from NYS DOL is what's really getting to me. At least if they told us "your claim is waiting for X" or "expect delays of Y weeks" we could plan accordingly. Instead we're all just left guessing while rent and bills keep coming. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it's oddly comforting to know this is a widespread system failure and not something I did wrong with my application.

The NYS Department of Labor wage determination process is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it. They're calculating your weekly benefit amount based on your highest earning quarter in the base period. If you had any issues with unreported wages or worked for employers who went out of business, that can delay things. But in most cases it's just verification.

I went through wage determination about 6 months ago and it took exactly 2 weeks for me. What helped was that I kept all my pay stubs and had my employment dates ready when I first filed. The NYS Department of Labor will also look at any severance pay you received - that might affect your benefit start date but won't reduce your weekly amount. Just be patient, Omar, since you worked for the same company for 3 years your wage history should be pretty straightforward to verify.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Had my hearing last Tuesday and the waiting is killing me. My employer also claimed misconduct but I have emails showing I was following all their procedures. The judge seemed to really listen to my side of things and asked good questions about their documentation (which was pretty weak tbh). From reading everyone's responses here, it sounds like 4-6 weeks is realistic even though they say 30 days. I'm trying to stay positive but it's hard when you're running low on money. At least we're not alone in this - the system really does seem broken when people are waiting months for basic decisions. Fingers crossed we both get good news soon! 🤞

I'm in a similar boat - had my hearing two weeks ago and the anxiety is real! My employer tried to claim I was "insubordinate" but I had documented everything showing I was just questioning unsafe practices (which is literally my right). The judge seemed really interested in my documentation and kept asking my employer for specific examples they couldn't provide. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - the range from 2 weeks to 8+ weeks is wild! I've been checking my mailbox obsessively and refreshing my online account multiple times a day. The worst part is not knowing if no news is good news or if something got lost in the system. For what it's worth, your case sounds strong with the performance reviews and evidence of following guidelines. Department restructuring layoffs disguised as "misconduct" seems to be a common tactic employers use. Hopefully we'll both get good news soon and can finally breathe again!