This system has always frustrated me because it creates this adversarial relationship between workers and employers when it comes to unemployment claims. Employers have a financial incentive to deny legitimate claims, which is why so many people have to go through the whole appeals process with NYS Department of Labor even when they clearly qualify. It would make more sense if employees contributed something too so employers wouldn't have such a strong motivation to fight every claim.

Thanks everyone for explaining this! I had the same misconception as the original poster. It's actually pretty interesting how the system works - employers essentially "pre-pay" for potential unemployment claims through their ongoing tax contributions. I'm curious though, does anyone know what the current wage base is in NY? Like up to what salary amount do employers pay the SUTA tax on?

This thread has been super informative! I'm actually in HR at a small company and we get questions about this from new employees all the time. One thing that might help clarify - New York employers pay unemployment insurance taxes at both the state level (to NYS Department of Labor) and federal level (FUTA). The state rate varies based on the employer's experience rating, but employees never see any of this on their paystubs. We always tell new hires that if they don't see an unemployment deduction, that's exactly what they should expect to see!

As someone who recently went through the unemployment claims process in NY, I can confirm everything mentioned here is accurate. When I filed my claim with NYS Department of Labor, they calculated my benefits based solely on the wages my previous employers had reported - there was no mention of any employee contributions because there aren't any. The whole system is employer-funded through their unemployment insurance taxes. Just make sure your employers are correctly reporting your wages each quarter, since that's what builds your eligibility and determines your benefit amount if you ever need it.

I'm about 4 weeks into waiting for my reconsideration decision and can totally relate to the anxiety! What's helped me stay somewhat sane is treating this like a part-time job - I dedicate 1-2 hours every few days to calling, checking my portal, and following up rather than letting it consume my entire day. I've also started reaching out to local mutual aid groups on Facebook - a lot of communities have emergency assistance funds specifically for people stuck in unemployment limbo. The uncertainty is the worst part, but reading all these experiences here makes me feel less alone in this process. Definitely going to try that state senator contact tip when I hit the 6-week mark! We've got this! 💪

I'm going through this right now too - just hit the 6 week mark waiting for my reconsideration decision and the stress is unreal! Reading everyone's experiences here has been so helpful though. I've been following a lot of the advice shared - set up the text alerts, keeping detailed logs, and I'm planning to contact my state senator's office this week since I'm at that 6-8 week threshold. One thing I wanted to add is that I found out through a friend that some local credit unions have emergency hardship loans specifically for people waiting on unemployment decisions - might be worth looking into if you're really struggling with bills. The interest rates are usually way better than payday loans or credit cards. Hang in there Aisha, this whole system is broken but we're all pulling for each other! 💙

Just want to add that if you're really strapped for cash while waiting, check if NY has any emergency assistance programs available. I know some people who got help through local food banks and utility assistance programs while their unemployment was stuck in processing. The 211 helpline (dial 2-1-1) can connect you to local resources. It won't solve the unemployment issue but might help with immediate bills while you wait for this bureaucratic nightmare to sort itself out.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see you found that employment verification notification! I had the exact same thing happen - ID.me went through fine but then I was stuck for weeks. Turns out they needed my employment docs too but the notification was buried in a tiny corner of the dashboard. Once I uploaded my W-2 and last few paystubs, it took exactly 8 business days for everything to activate and my first payment to process. The weekly certification button appeared first, then about 3 days later the actual money hit my account. Make sure you certify every week even while waiting - you can backdate missed weeks but it's easier to stay current. The whole process is incredibly frustrating but you're on the right track now!

This thread is so helpful - I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Filed my claim in mid-January and have been stuck in ID.me verification limbo for 6 weeks now. I've been certifying every week religiously but haven't seen a penny. What's really frustrating is that when I finally got through to someone last week, they said my case was "escalated to a specialist" but couldn't give me any timeframe. The agent literally said "it could be tomorrow, it could be next month" - like thanks for nothing! 🙄 I'm definitely going to try contacting my assembly member after reading all these success stories. I'm in Queens so I'll look up who represents my district. Also going to check if there are any discrepancies between my ID.me info and my claim - I never thought about that before but it makes total sense. The stress of not knowing when (or if!) the money will come is almost worse than not having it. At least with regular unemployment you know what to expect. This new system is clearly broken and it's affecting so many people. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!

I'm in a very similar situation and wanted to share what finally worked for me after being stuck for 8 weeks. Like many of you, I was getting nowhere with the regular phone lines and the "your claim is under review" responses. What actually got my claim moving was filing a complaint with the NY Department of Labor's Office of Special Investigations. You can do this online through their website under "Report Fraud/File Complaint" - but instead of reporting fraud, you file a complaint about processing delays. I explained that my claim had been pending for over 2 months without any clear explanation or timeline. Within 3 business days of filing the complaint, I got a call from a different department and my claim was processed that same week. All my back payments showed up 2 days later. The key is to be specific in your complaint - mention how long you've been waiting, that you've verified with ID.me successfully, that you're continuing to certify weekly, and that regular customer service hasn't been able to provide any resolution timeline. I know it feels like just another bureaucratic step, but it worked when nothing else did. Worth trying if you've already been waiting more than 6-8 weeks!