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!

This whole situation is absolutely ridiculous! I've been in the same boat for over a month now. What's really helped me is setting up multiple alarms throughout the day to try calling at different times - not just 8am when everyone else is calling. I've had better luck around 11:30am and 3:45pm. Also, keep your phone on speaker and just let it ring while you do other stuff, don't hang up even if it seems hopeless. Sometimes after like 45 minutes of ringing it'll actually connect you to someone. The system is completely broken but persistence is literally the only way through this mess. Stay strong everyone! 💪

I actually work for a company that helps people navigate these government systems, and I can confirm that the 24-hour lockout is standard for failed login attempts on my.ny.gov. However, I'd recommend trying the password reset option first before waiting the full 24 hours - it often bypasses the lockout immediately. If that doesn't work and you can't get through to tech support, you might also try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then using a different browser entirely. Sometimes the lockout is tied to your browser session rather than just your account. Also, pro tip: when you do get back in, write down your login info somewhere secure so this doesn't happen again during a stressful week!

This is such a common issue and it's so frustrating when you're already stressed about unemployment! I went through the same thing about 6 months ago. The good news is that everyone here is giving you solid advice - the 24-hour automatic unlock is pretty reliable. But definitely try the password reset trick first like others mentioned, it worked for me when I was in a similar panic. Also, if you do end up having to wait the full 24 hours and miss your Sunday deadline, don't freak out completely. You can call the claims center and explain it was due to a system lockout. They have records of when accounts get locked so they can verify your story. I had to do a late certification once due to technical issues and they processed it without any problems. Hang in there - you'll get through this!

I've been getting unemployment for about 8 months now and can share what I've learned about the timing. NYS Department of Labor typically releases payments Monday evening after processing your weekly certification (assuming you filed by Sunday night). The actual deposit time depends entirely on your bank - I have Capital One and usually see mine around 3am Tuesday morning. If it's showing as "released" in your my.ny.gov account, that's a good sign! Just be patient, it should hit your account within the next 12-24 hours. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when you're counting on that money.

I've been on unemployment for about 4 months and can confirm what others are saying - Tuesday morning is definitely the norm. I have Bank of America and mine usually hits between 2-5am on Tuesday. The key thing is that "payment released" status on my.ny.gov - once you see that, you're good to go, just waiting on your bank's processing time. One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure you're checking the right account if you have multiple accounts with your bank. I spent a whole day panicking thinking my payment was missing when it had actually gone to my savings account instead of checking! Also worth noting that holidays can delay things by a day, so keep that in mind around federal holidays.

Just wanted to add that sometimes adjudication happens because there's a question about your job separation. Like if your employer contests your claim or if there's any confusion about whether you quit or were fired. NYS Department of Labor has to investigate these situations to make sure benefits go to the right people.

I went through this same process last year and it's definitely nerve-wracking! One thing that helped me was checking the NY Department of Labor website regularly for any updates or requests for additional information. Sometimes they'll ask for documents or clarification and you might miss it if you're not checking. Also, if you were laid off or fired, make sure you have any documentation from your employer (like a termination letter) ready in case they need it. The waiting is the worst part but try to stay patient - most claims do get approved eventually if you're eligible.

I just wanted to chime in with my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact same thing last week! Like everyone else here, I was completely baffled when "issue closed level 1" appeared on my claim status. I actually called the DOL (after waiting on hold for over 2 hours) because I was so confused by the wording. The representative confirmed what everyone here is saying - it means the issue that was flagging my claim has been successfully resolved at the first review level. In my case, they needed to verify my reason for leaving my last job since my employer initially reported it incorrectly. Once I saw that status change, it took exactly 3 business days for my pending certifications to switch to "paid" and the money showed up in my account. It's definitely frustrating how unclear their system messaging is, but this is absolutely good news! Your payments should start processing very soon.

I've been dealing with this exact same status for the past week and was getting so anxious about what it meant! Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief. It sounds like "issue closed level 1" is basically the system's way of saying "we reviewed your claim, found no major problems, and cleared it for payment" - they just chose the most confusing possible way to word it. I had no idea what "level 1" meant either, but it makes sense that it indicates a straightforward review that didn't need escalation. Based on what everyone is sharing, it seems like 3-6 business days is pretty typical for payments to start processing after this status appears. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and experiences - this is way more helpful than anything I could find on the official DOL site!