This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now - approved for benefits but showing $0 weekly amount. Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like there are so many different reasons this can happen (wage verification, identity verification, address issues, multiple employers not responding, etc.). It's frustrating that the system doesn't clearly tell you WHY it's showing $0 or what specific steps you need to take to fix it. The fact that @Laura Lopez got it resolved by actually talking to someone confirms what others have said - you really do need to speak with a specialist rather than hoping the system fixes itself. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied two weeks ago, got approved, monetary determination shows $387/week, but my account is stuck at $0. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and frustrating - it's clear this is a widespread issue with multiple possible causes. I'm going to try calling tomorrow morning at 7:55am like @JaylinCharles suggested, and if that doesn't work I might look into that Claimyr service @Eloise Kendrick mentioned. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get the benefits we were already approved for. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - at least now I know I'm not alone in dealing with this mess!

I'm going through something very similar right now - had to close my small electrical contracting business due to a wrist injury that requires surgery. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! Like you, I worked part-time at a hardware store for about 10 months while building up my client base, and I've been hesitant to apply because I wasn't sure if that would be enough. But hearing from so many people who had success with their part-time W-2 employment is really encouraging. The fact that NYS Department of Labor separates W-2 wages completely from self-employment income makes perfect sense now. Your 8 months at the garden center sounds like it should definitely qualify you, especially since others here got approved with similar or even shorter employment periods. I think I'm going to follow everyone's advice and apply online this week too. Best of luck with your application - it sounds like you have a strong case!

I just wanted to add my experience to help encourage you! I was in a very similar situation when I had to close my small landscaping business due to a herniated disc that made it impossible to do physical work. Like you, I had worked part-time at a nursery for about 7 months while getting my business established, and I was so confused about whether that would qualify me for unemployment benefits. After reading through similar discussions and finally applying, I was approved based on those W-2 wages from the nursery! The key thing I learned is exactly what others have mentioned - NYS Department of Labor only considers your covered employment (W-2 wages) when determining eligibility, not your self-employment income. Your 8 months at the garden center actually sounds more solid than my 7-month stint. The online application was much more user-friendly than I expected, and they calculated everything automatically once I entered my employment history and wage information. I'd definitely recommend applying sooner rather than later since there can be processing delays, and you want to get the claim started while you're still within the timeframe. Having gone through this process, I can say with confidence that your garden center employment should give you a strong case for benefits. Don't let the self-employment aspect discourage you - you paid into the system through that W-2 job and deserve to have your claim properly evaluated!

I just dealt with this exact same nightmare last week! After reading through everyone's suggestions, here's what finally worked for me: Log in on a desktop computer (super important - mobile hides everything), then look for "UI Online Services" in the main menu. From there, click on "View Claim Details" and then look for a tab called "Determinations" or "Monetary Determinations." Your award letter should be downloadable as a PDF from there. If you can't find that tab, try going to "Messages/Correspondence" and check for any emails with "Monetary" in the subject line - they sometimes bury it there too. The NY unemployment website is absolutely terrible and they seem to move stuff around constantly just to mess with us! If you're still stuck by Thursday, definitely try that claimyr callback service people mentioned - I was skeptical but it really does work and saved me hours of being on hold. Hope you get it sorted before Friday! 🤞

I just went through this exact same frustrating experience a few months ago! After trying everything mentioned here, what finally worked for me was a combination approach: First, I logged in on a desktop computer (not mobile - this is crucial!) and looked for a section called "Benefit Year Information" or "Claim Summary" - it's usually in the main navigation menu. From there, I found a link to "Download Forms" or "Request Documents" that wasn't visible on mobile. If you still can't find it, try going to your original confirmation emails from when you first applied - NY unemployment automatically sends a copy of your monetary determination as an attachment, but it might be buried in your spam folder. The subject line was something like "UI Benefits Approved - Monetary Determination." As a last resort, I ended up calling at exactly 8:01 AM on a Wednesday morning and actually got through after only 45 minutes on hold (try mid-week, not Monday or Friday). The rep was super helpful and emailed me the document immediately while I was still on the phone. Don't let your leasing office charge you late fees over this - most are understanding about unemployment documentation issues if you explain the situation and show you're actively trying to get it!

Same thing happened to me! Got a random KeyBank card last month and was totally confused since my unemployment ended in September. Turns out it was the Tourism Worker Recovery Fund - I got $2,100 for working at a restaurant in Manhattan before COVID. The card had my full name and came in an official envelope with NY State logos. I was super paranoid about scams but called KeyBank directly and they confirmed it was legit. Activated it right away and the money was available immediately. If you worked in hospitality before March 2020 and filed for unemployment, you're probably eligible. No application needed - they automatically identified people through the unemployment system. Just make sure the card has your actual name on it and came in official packaging!

This is such a relief to read everyone's experiences! I was in the exact same boat - got a random KeyBank card yesterday and immediately thought it was some kind of scam since my UI benefits ended last summer. I worked at a boutique hotel in SoHo for almost 2 years before everything shut down in March 2020. The card has my full name and came in an official white envelope with the NY State and KeyBank logos, so after reading all these comments I'm feeling much more confident it's legitimate. Going to call the number on the back to activate it today! It's honestly amazing that they're finally doing something to help hospitality workers who got hit so hard during the pandemic. Wish they had communicated about this program better though - I had no idea it even existed until stumbling across this post. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories! 🙏

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Completed my ID.me verification 8 days ago and the unemployment system still doesn't recognize it. It's so frustrating because you can see on the ID.me side that everything is verified and complete, but their old system just won't update. From reading all these comments it sounds like this is unfortunately super common and can take weeks to resolve on its own. I might have to try that claimyr service people keep mentioning - seems like actually talking to a human is the only way to get this fixed quickly. Thanks for posting this, at least now I know I'm not alone in this mess!

This is such a common problem and it's absolutely maddening! I went through the exact same thing last year - completed ID.me verification, got all the confirmations, but the unemployment system acted like it never happened. What worked for me was finally getting through to a live person who explained that there's literally a manual step someone has to do on their end to connect your ID.me verification to your unemployment file. It's not automatic at all! I ended up using claimyr.com after weeks of frustration, and the agent I got connected to fixed it immediately. She said she sees this issue multiple times every day. The whole "modern" verification system is just a band-aid on their ancient backend. Hang in there - once you get to talk to someone who knows what they're doing, it'll be resolved super quickly!