Hey have you checked if your benefit year expired? Sometimes people get their backpay right around when their benefit year ends and then need to file a new claim to keep getting payments.

Just following up - were you able to resolve this issue? I ask because many other claimants are experiencing similar problems right now. There appears to be a systematic issue with payments following large back pay distributions in March 2025.

quick question does anyone know if we have to report the extra $300 we got per week last march? or is that part already included in the form?

By the way, I filed a complaint with the state comptroller last year after the 1099 forms disappeared. They claimed it was a "scheduled maintenance" that somehow lasted for weeks with no prior notice!!! Don't believe their excuses - they just don't invest in proper IT infrastructure and we all suffer for it.

I had the same problem last month when they were doing some other update. What worked for me was trying to log in using the mobile site instead of the regular website. For some reason it was still working even when the main site was down. Try typing m.labor.ny.gov instead of the regular address.

For anyone still experiencing issues, the NYSDOL just posted an update on their social media. The system should be fully operational again by 9am tomorrow. They're also extending all certification deadlines by 3 days to accommodate for the downtime.

THE NY UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!! They DELIBERATELY make it hard to get your money hoping you'll give up. I had the EXACT same issue last month and had to call 67 TIMES before getting through. When I finally talked to someone they said "oh it was just a glitch in the system" and fixed it in 30 seconds. They do this ON PURPOSE to save money!!!! Everyone should file complaints with the state oversight board!

FINAL UPDATE: All my payments just hit my account this morning! 5 weeks of backpay all at once. Such a relief! If anyone else is dealing with this, definitely keep calling until you get through to someone who can actually check your specific claim status. Don't just trust when they say "it's processing" or "it should be there next week" - ask for specific details about what's causing the delay.

The REAL problem is that NYSDOL is STILL using their outdated system that flags everything as potential fraud! They need to fix their broken system instead of making US suffer. I had to wait 12 days when I changed my address last year and no one could tell me why. THEN they had the nerve to tell me I should have "planned better" when I called to complain about the delay. RIDICULOUS!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone using that Claimyr service! The agent confirmed there was a hold on my account due to the address change. She verified my identity and released the payment. She said it should be in my account within 1-2 business days. Such a relief! She also mentioned this happens pretty frequently with address changes and that I should always call immediately if my payment is even one day late in the future. Thanks everyone for your help!

That's fantastic news! So glad it worked out for you. When you get that backpay, make sure you set aside some for taxes - they don't always withhold the correct amount on backdated claims!

Great news! This is exactly how the system is supposed to work. The callback specialists have much more authority to resolve complex claims compared to the frontline phone agents. Congratulations!

I just wanted to add - if you're really concerned about privacy, you might want to set up direct deposit for future payments if you haven't already. That way there's no mail at all. You can do it through your NY.gov account under payment preferences. Much more discrete!

Slightly off topic but does anyone know how much longer they'll be sending these tourism recovery checks out? My sister worked in a hotel in 2022-2023 and lost her job but hasn't received anything yet. Wondering if she should call about it or if they're still processing applications?

WAIT WAIT WAIT... So does this mean if I work 2 hours per day, 5 days a week (10 hours total), I lose 250% of my benefit? But if I work 10 hours in just 2 days (5 hours each day), I only lose 200%??? That makes NO sense! Why does it matter HOW the hours are distributed??

Thank you all so much for the help! I think I understand now - I'll definitely answer YES to returning to work, and I'll track my hours meticulously. Since I'll be working 4 hours each day, 5 days a week, it sounds like I probably won't get any UI benefits, which is disappointing but at least I know what to expect. I'll keep certifying every week anyway to keep my claim active while I look for full-time work. Really appreciate all the explanations!

I have a question that's kinda related. I filed for unemployment but never certified for my first two weeks because I didn't understand the process. Now I'm trying to claim those weeks but the system won't let me go back. Is this the same issue or something different?

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I'm going to file my claim today and explain my situation as clearly as possible. Even if I can't get the back weeks, at least I'll start getting something going forward. I'll update here if I have any luck with the backdating request!

Hi there, I work as a career counselor and help people with unemployment issues frequently. There's currently a known issue with the NY unemployment portal for returning claimants who haven't filed since before the January 2025 system upgrade. The official workaround from NYSDOL is to: 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies completely 2. Close your browser entirely and reopen it 3. Log in to your NY.gov ID account 4. Go to "My NY.gov" dashboard (not directly to unemployment) 5. Select "Department of Labor" from the available services 6. Choose "Unemployment Insurance" 7. Then look for "Start a New Claim Application" If that doesn't work, there's unfortunately a backlog of accounts needing manual updates from the technical team. In that case, you would need to reach an agent by phone to request they enable the new claim option on your account.

UPDATE: I finally got it working! It was a combination of issues. I followed the steps from the career counselor, disabled my ad blocker, AND had to use Edge instead of Chrome (even though someone suggested Chrome would work better). The button appeared exactly where it should have been all along. For anyone else having this problem, try multiple browsers and definitely clear your cache/cookies. Thanks everyone for your help!