Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I was in a similar situation last year! I'm also on SSDI and was able to get unemployment benefits while looking for part-time work that accommodated my limitations. The key thing is being completely transparent with both agencies. When I applied for unemployment, I had to provide detailed medical documentation about what types of work I could do despite my disability. NYS DOL was actually pretty reasonable once I explained my situation properly. Yes, there's always a risk of triggering a disability review, but as long as you're honest about your capabilities and limitations, you should be okay. The Ticket to Work program that someone mentioned is definitely worth looking into too - it provides some protection while you transition back to work. Don't let fear stop you from trying to improve your situation!
@18d44134dd88 Thank you so much for sharing your experience! As someone new to this community, I've been researching this exact situation for a family member who's on SSDI but making progress with their condition. Your success story is incredibly encouraging. I'm curious about one specific aspect - when you mentioned being "completely transparent" with both agencies, did you find that NYS DOL workers were generally knowledgeable about disability/unemployment overlap cases, or did you have to educate them about the possibility? I've heard mixed things about whether local unemployment offices understand these nuanced situations. Also, did you end up needing to provide ongoing medical updates to maintain your unemployment eligibility, or was the initial documentation sufficient? Really appreciate you taking the time to help others navigate this complex process!
@18d44134dd88 This is incredibly reassuring to hear! I'm the original poster and have been going through all these responses feeling pretty overwhelmed. Your actual success with this process gives me so much hope. I'm particularly interested in how you handled the medical documentation piece - did your doctor need to use specific language about your work capabilities, or were general medical records sufficient? I have my next appointment with my doctor in two weeks and want to make sure I ask for the right documentation. Also, when you say you were transparent with both agencies, did you proactively reach out to Social Security to let them know you were applying for unemployment, or did you wait until you were approved? I'm trying to figure out the best order of operations here. Thanks so much for sharing your story - it's exactly what I needed to hear to feel confident about moving forward!
I've been following this thread and wanted to add my perspective as someone who works with disability advocacy. The confusion about unemployment and disability eligibility is really common, and it stems from the fact that these programs use different definitions of "disability" and "ability to work." For SSDI, you're considered disabled if you can't perform substantial gainful activity at the level you did before. But for unemployment, you just need to be able and available for some type of work, even if it's different from your previous job or has accommodations. The key is having clear medical documentation that outlines exactly what you CAN do, not just what you can't do. I'd recommend getting a functional capacity evaluation from your doctor that specifies things like "can sit for 4 hours with breaks" or "can lift up to 10 pounds" rather than just "has back problems." This gives both agencies concrete information to work with and helps avoid the appearance of contradiction between being "disabled" and "able to work.
This is such valuable insight! As someone new to this community and dealing with this situation for the first time, the distinction between different definitions of "disability" really clarifies things. I hadn't thought about requesting a functional capacity evaluation specifically - that sounds like exactly what I need to bridge the gap between the two systems. When you mention getting documentation about what I CAN do rather than what I can't, that really resonates. My current medical records focus mostly on limitations and restrictions, but I can see how positive capability statements would be much more helpful for unemployment eligibility. Do you know if most doctors are familiar with functional capacity evaluations for this purpose, or is this something I might need to specifically request or explain? Also, would this type of evaluation typically be covered by insurance when it's for employment/benefits purposes rather than treatment? Thanks for sharing this professional perspective - it's helping me understand how to approach this strategically rather than just hoping for the best!
@a45dff51643a This is exactly the kind of expert guidance I've been looking for! I'm actually the original poster and your explanation about the different definitions of disability between systems finally makes this all click for me. The functional capacity evaluation idea is brilliant - I've been struggling with how to present my situation in a way that shows I'm making progress without undermining my SSDI status. When you mention getting documentation about capabilities rather than just limitations, that's a complete mindset shift for me. My current medical records are all about what I can't do because of my condition, but I can see how reframing it as "what I can do within these parameters" would be much more effective for unemployment purposes. Do you have any recommendations for how to approach my doctor about this? Should I specifically ask for a functional capacity evaluation, or would it be better to explain that I'm exploring returning to work and need documentation of my current abilities? I want to make sure I'm asking for the right thing and that my doctor understands the context. Thanks so much for this professional insight - it's helping me see a clear path forward!
Join the conversation
Has anyone actually gotten through to a human being at ny unemployment recently? I feel like I'm trying to call into a radio contest or something... just constant busy signals and disconnects.
I used claimyr.com after trying for 3 days on my own. Got connected to someone in about 90 minutes. Worth every penny since it got my claim fixed.
try calling at exactly 8:00:00 am. i mean literally time it to the second. thats how i got through last week.
Had this EXACT same situation happen to me in September! The website showing remaining days after your benefit year ends is basically a cruel joke. I made the mistake of continuing to certify for 2 weeks after my BYE date thinking those 52 remaining days meant something. Big mistake - ended up triggering a review that delayed my new claim by an extra month. Here's what I learned the hard way: File your new claim IMMEDIATELY and stop certifying on the old one. The remaining days display is just a system glitch that NY refuses to fix. Once your benefit year ends on that date, it's done regardless of what the counter says. I eventually got it sorted out but lost about 6 weeks of payments due to the delays. Don't make my mistake - get that new claim filed today if you can!
Join the conversation
Look I worked for unemployment before (not anymore thank god lol). Here's the deal - regular UI benefits last 26 weeks from your initial claim date. Extensions might be available depending on the state's unemployment rate. The website won't show your end date clearly, but you can calculate it yourself: find your initial claim date and add 26 weeks. The system sends notice when you're getting close to exhausting benefits but sometimes these get lost. Best way is definitely to call and confirm. Use claimyr.com if you don't want to waste time on hold - we actually recommended it to people when I worked there because the phone lines are so backed up. Keep all your documents and screenshots. The system is old and glitchy, and sometimes info disappears.
wait they actually recommended claimyr? wild
yup! anything to reduce call volume tbh. system is overwhelmed
Another tip - if you log into your account and go to "View and Maintain Account Information" then click on "Monetary and Issue Summary" it sometimes shows your benefit year dates there. Not always reliable but worth checking. Also your first payment voucher usually has your claim effective date on it, so you can count 26 weeks from there. The whole system is a mess but those are the few places that might actually show useful info without having to call.
This is really helpful! I just checked and found my benefit year dates under "Monetary and Issue Summary" - finally! Thanks for the detailed instructions, way better than trying to calculate it myself from the claim date.
Join the conversation
This is exactly what I'm going through right now! Been stuck in this same loop for over a week - can't certify online, can't reach anyone by phone. It's so frustrating when you're depending on these benefits and the system just breaks down like this. I'm going to try the 8am calling strategy tomorrow and staying on the line longer like people suggested. Really glad to see Diego got his resolved - gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!
Same boat here! I've been dealing with this certification block for about 10 days now and it's been absolutely maddening. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been super helpful though - I had no idea about the verification flags or the new call system changes. Definitely going to try the 8am sharp strategy and stick it out through those repeating messages. It's reassuring to know that once you get through, they can usually fix it right away and you get all your back weeks. Thanks for keeping this thread updated with real solutions!
Just want to add another tip that worked for me - if you have multiple phones available (like a cell and landline, or ask family members to help), you can try calling from different numbers simultaneously at 8am. I did this last week and got through on my second phone after about 15 minutes while my first phone was still getting busy signals. Once you're in the queue on one line, you can hang up the others. Also, make sure you have your Social Security number, claim confirmation number, and recent work history ready before you call - they'll ask for all of this to verify your identity and remove the flag. The whole process took about 5 minutes once I actually got an agent on the line.
That's a really smart strategy with using multiple phones! I never thought of that. I've just been using my cell phone and getting frustrated when I can't get through. Do you know if there's a limit to how many times you can call from the same number? I'm wondering if calling too frequently from one number might actually hurt your chances of getting through. Also, did they give you any explanation for why these verification flags get triggered so often? It seems like a lot of people are dealing with this same issue lately.
Amina Toure
I actually work in benefits administration (not for NYS specifically) and wanted to clarify something important that hasn't been fully addressed here. The timing of when your disability began versus when you were receiving unemployment is crucial. If you become disabled AFTER you started receiving unemployment benefits, there's typically a grace period where you can continue receiving UI while pursuing disability - but you must report the change in your condition during your weekly certifications. The problem arises if you were already disabled when you applied for unemployment but didn't disclose it. I'd strongly recommend calling NYS Department of Labor AND consulting with a disability attorney before making any moves. Document everything with your doctor too - you'll need medical evidence of when your condition worsened if there are any questions later.
0 coins
Nia Jackson
•This is really valuable insight from someone who actually works in benefits administration. The distinction you made about WHEN the disability began versus when unemployment started is so important and I don't think most people realize that. It makes sense that there would be a grace period if your condition worsens after you're already receiving UI benefits. Thank you for emphasizing the documentation aspect too - having clear medical records showing the timeline of when symptoms got worse could really protect someone if questions come up later. For @Chloe Mitchell and @Katherine Harris who are both dealing with this situation, this seems like the most comprehensive advice in this thread about how to handle it properly.
0 coins
Miles Hammonds
I just wanted to add one more important point that might help everyone here. If you do decide to apply for disability while on unemployment, make sure to keep detailed records of every conversation you have with NYS Department of Labor, including dates, times, and the name of whoever you spoke with. Also save any emails or written correspondence. I've seen situations where people got conflicting information from different representatives, and having documentation helped resolve issues later. Additionally, if your doctor is recommending disability, ask them to put in writing exactly when your condition became severe enough to prevent work - this timeline documentation could be crucial if there are any overpayment disputes down the road. The system is definitely confusing, but being proactive about documentation can really protect you.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
•This is excellent advice about keeping detailed records! I'm new to dealing with government benefits and honestly didn't think about documenting every conversation. That makes so much sense though - especially with how hard it is to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor in the first place. I'm wondering, do you recommend any specific format for keeping track of these conversations? Like should I write down exactly what they tell me word for word, or just the main points? Also, when you mention asking the doctor to document when the condition became work-preventing, should that be a separate letter or can it be part of the regular medical records? I want to make sure I'm protecting myself properly if I end up in this situation.
0 coins