I've been dealing with NY unemployment for a few months now and can confirm that 888-581-5812 is absolutely a legitimate NYSDOL outbound number! I got several calls from this exact number when my claim was pending, and each time it was because they needed to verify something specific about my employment history or eligibility. The fact that they didn't leave a voicemail is actually pretty typical for them - I noticed they rarely leave messages, which definitely adds to the confusion about whether it's legitimate or not. But given that your claim has been pending for 3 weeks, this is almost certainly them trying to resolve whatever issue is holding up your claim. My advice: call the main claims line (888-209-8124) first thing tomorrow morning and tell them you missed a call from their verification department. They'll be able to see in your file what they were trying to reach you about and either handle it right then or schedule a callback. Don't wait for them to call again - being proactive will definitely speed up your claim processing. When they do contact you (either by calling back or when you call them), they should only ask for partial information to verify your identity - things like last 4 digits of SSN or your birth date. They won't ask for full banking details or passwords. That's how you know it's legitimate. The waiting is incredibly stressful, but this is actually good news - it means your claim is actively being worked on, not just sitting in limbo!

I had this exact same experience about 2 months ago! Got a missed call from 888-581-5812 and was super paranoid about scams too, especially since they didn't leave a voicemail. But everyone here is right - it's definitely a legitimate NYSDOL number. In my case, they were calling because they needed to verify my reason for leaving my last job. Apparently something in my initial application didn't match what my employer reported to them. I was so nervous about missing their call, but when I called the main number the next day and explained the situation, they were able to connect me directly to the verification team. The whole thing took about 20 minutes to sort out over the phone - they just needed me to clarify a few dates and explain the circumstances around my job separation. My claim was approved within 48 hours after that call. Since you've been pending for 3 weeks, there's definitely something specific they need to verify with you. I'd recommend calling 888-209-8124 first thing tomorrow morning and telling them you missed a verification call. They can see exactly what's holding up your claim and get you connected to the right person immediately. Don't stress too much about missing one call - they really do understand that people are cautious about phone scams these days!

Just wanted to follow up - did you manage to get through? I found that using a landline (if you have access to one) sometimes works better than a cell phone. Something about how their phone system processes the calls.

So glad you got through! The 7:58am trick really does work - I've recommended it to several people and it seems to be the sweet spot before the lines get completely jammed. Congrats on getting your claim completed! For anyone else still struggling, definitely try calling right before 8am on a Wednesday or Thursday. And yes, having all your employment info ready is crucial - they move fast once you're connected and don't want to waste time looking things up.

Just keep checking your account daily. Sometimes the status changes without any notification. Also make sure you're keeping up with any job search requirements even during the review - they'll ask about that later if you get approved.

I went through the same thing about 6 months ago - the "under review" status is totally normal and doesn't mean there's a problem with your claim. NYS DOL has to verify everything before they can start paying benefits. In my case, it took about 3.5 weeks and then I got approved with full backpay. The key thing is to keep filing your weekly certifications even while it's under review - don't skip any weeks or you'll lose those payments even after approval. Also, they do contact your former employer automatically to verify the reason for separation, so you don't need to do anything on that front. Try not to stress too much about it!

Just wanted to add that when you're working part-time while on unemployment, make sure you report your work hours AND gross earnings for each week, not just one or the other. NYS Department of Labor needs both pieces of info to calculate your partial benefits correctly. Also, if you do file a new claim, they'll look at your base period earnings to determine your new weekly benefit amount - so if you earned more in recent quarters, your new claim might actually have a higher weekly benefit rate than your old one. Worth checking into!

@Shelby Bauman Just to clarify the timing aspect of your situation - if your regular UI claim ended in October, that benefit year has definitely expired (benefit years are 52 weeks). So you'd need to file a completely new claim, not reopen the old one. The good news is that if you worked last year after your original claim was filed, those earnings might qualify you for a higher weekly benefit amount on the new claim. When you file the new claim, make sure to mention the part-time seasonal work situation upfront so they can explain exactly how the partial benefit calculations will work. NYS Department of Labor is pretty good about walking you through the process once you get connected with them.

Just wanted to say hang in there - most pending claims do get approved eventually, especially for layoffs. The waiting is the worst part but try to stay patient.

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago when I was laid off from my marketing job. My claim was pending for exactly 3 weeks before it got approved. The key thing is to keep filing your weekly certifications like others mentioned - that saved me from losing any back pay. I also recommend checking your online account every few days to see if any new documents or information are requested, even though it sounds like you're already doing that. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking but layoffs due to budget cuts are usually pretty straightforward for them to verify.