NY unemployment is the WORST. I've never dealt with a more incompetent organization in my life. I started getting the "file new claim" thing after certifying for 6 weeks straight. Took me forever to get it fixed.

I'm going through something similar right now. Just certified on Sunday and usually get paid on Wednesday, but nothing showed up. When I log in, it's showing "File New Claim" but also says I certified for this week - makes absolutely no sense! I haven't received any letters or emails about a hearing though. Did you ever find out what triggered the hearing requirement? I'm worried I'm going to be stuck in this limbo for weeks like some of the others here. The inconsistency with different reps giving different answers is so frustrating.

Just wanted to add that unemployment benefits ARE taxable income, so make sure you report the full amount from your 1099-G on your tax return. A lot of people don't realize this and get surprised later.

For anyone still waiting on their 1099-G, I just wanted to mention that you can actually file your taxes without it if you keep good records. The IRS says you should report all unemployment income even if you don't receive the form. Just make sure to include the total amount you received - you can calculate this from your payment history in your unemployment account. But definitely still try to get the 1099-G since it will also show any federal taxes that were withheld, which you'll need for your tax return.

I'm at day 12 of waiting for my NYS DOL claim approval and this thread is exactly what I needed to find! Filed after getting laid off from my office job and have been religiously doing my weekly certifications while stress-refreshing the claim status page multiple times a day. It's both comforting and anxiety-inducing to see the wide range of timelines here - from 2 weeks to 5 weeks. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences rather than just the official "2-3 weeks" estimate. The tips about emergency assistance programs and the Claimyr service are incredibly valuable. @Oliver Becker your professional insight about this being normal timing really helps calm my nerves, and @Javier Gomez your success story with actually reaching someone gives me hope if I need to escalate. It's wild that we all have to become experts in navigating this system just to get the benefits we're entitled to, but at least we're figuring it out together. Sending good vibes to everyone still waiting - hopefully we'll all have approval stories to share soon!

I'm at day 20 of waiting for my NYS DOL claim approval and this thread has been such a blessing to find! Filed after being laid off from my healthcare support job and have been doing my weekly certifications while trying not to panic about my mounting bills. Reading everyone's experiences here - from the 2-week approvals to the 5-week waits - has really helped me understand that this frustrating limbo is unfortunately normal. The practical advice has been incredible too. I've already applied for emergency SNAP benefits thanks to @Ravi Patel's suggestion, and I'm keeping the Claimyr option in my back pocket if I hit the 3-week mark like @Javier Gomez recommended. @Oliver Becker, your professional reassurance about normal timing has been so helpful for my anxiety. It's ridiculous that we need a support group just to navigate getting unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful this community exists. The back pay will hopefully make this stressful waiting period worth it eventually. Stay strong everyone - we've got this! 💪

Friendly reminder to everyone: screenshot your certification confirmation pages! Every time! Holiday delays are normal but system glitches happen too. Always keep proof you certified each week.

Thanks for the heads up! I'm relatively new to the system and was wondering why my payment seemed off schedule. It's frustrating that they don't send out any kind of notification about these delays - would save everyone a lot of panic. I've been checking my account obsessively all morning thinking something went wrong with my claim!

Just want to echo what others have said about being super thorough with your record-keeping! I've been on partial unemployment for about 3 months now while working at a coffee shop 15-20 hours a week. One tip that saved me a lot of headaches - I take a photo of my work schedule each week and keep all my pay stubs in a folder. The NYS Department of Labor can ask for documentation at any time, and having everything organized makes the weekly filing process so much smoother. Also, don't be discouraged if your first partial payment seems lower than expected - it took me a couple weeks to understand exactly how they calculate the deductions. The system actually works pretty well once you get the hang of it!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar boat - lost my full-time warehouse job and picked up part-time work at a grocery store. One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure you understand your work search requirements while on partial unemployment. The NYS Department of Labor still requires you to apply for jobs and be available for full-time work, even when you're working part-time. I almost got in trouble because I wasn't keeping track of my job search activities properly. Also, if anyone is struggling with the online system for filing weekly claims, I found it's way easier to use early in the morning or late at night when fewer people are online. The system gets super slow during peak hours and sometimes times out.