Just make sure you keep track of your hours and earnings! NYS Department of Labor cross-references with employer wage reports so they WILL find out if you don't report correctly. I've seen people get massive overpayment bills because they thought they could hide small jobs.

You're absolutely doing everything right by reporting your earnings! I've been in a similar situation and the anxiety is totally understandable. Just to add to what others have said - the NYS Department of Labor actually encourages part-time work while on unemployment because it helps people transition back to full employment. The partial benefit system is designed specifically for situations like yours. Keep detailed records of your work hours and pay stubs, and continue reporting honestly each week. You're not going to get in trouble for working part-time and reporting it correctly - that's exactly what you're supposed to do!

UPDATE: You guys are all amazing! We followed the advice about uploading his wage documents with a letter specifically requesting "monetary redetermination" and "claim backdating" (used those exact terms). Called at 8:01am this morning and got through after only 4 attempts! The claims specialist confirmed there was a wage verification flag and that the ID.me completion hadn't fully processed in their system. She was able to fix both issues during the call, and said payments should start processing within 3-5 business days including the back weeks! THANK YOU ALL for your help - this community saved us so much stress and confusion!

This is such great news and a perfect example of why this community is so valuable! Your success story gives hope to everyone dealing with similar NYSDOL nightmares. The fact that you got through in just 4 calls at 8am and found a knowledgeable claims specialist proves that persistence and the right terminology really do make a difference. For anyone else reading this thread dealing with similar issues, this shows the importance of: 1. Using specific terms like "monetary redetermination" and "claim backdating" 2. Uploading wage documents before calling 3. Calling right at 8am when the lines open 4. Asking specifically for a claims specialist Thanks for taking the time to update us with the resolution - it's going to help so many people who find this thread in the future!

Hey Leila! Congrats on getting approved - that's such a relief after waiting through adjudication! In my experience with NYS DOL, once you're approved and have direct deposit set up, you should see your first payment within 3-5 business days. The good news is they definitely pay retroactively for all the weeks you were eligible during the waiting period, as long as you kept filing your weekly certifications (which it sounds like you did). Usually the retroactive amount comes as one larger payment, then you'll get regular weekly payments going forward. Keep an eye on your my.ny.gov account - the payment status will update there first before it hits your bank account. Hope this helps ease some of the stress about rent week!

Great to hear you got approved Leila! From my recent experience with NYS DOL, once approved with direct deposit you should see payment within 2-4 business days. They definitely pay retroactively for all eligible weeks during adjudication - mine came as one larger deposit for the back weeks, then regular weekly payments after that. Pro tip: the payment status in your my.ny.gov account updates before the money actually hits your bank, so you'll get a heads up. Since you have rent due next week, there's a good chance you'll get that retroactive payment in time. Keep filing those weekly certs and hang in there - the hardest part is behind you!

just wanted to say good luck with the application! being on unemployment is stressful enough without worrying about food. the system is there to help people in situations exactly like yours.

Just to add some specifics that might help - when you apply online at myBenefits.ny.gov, make sure you have your Social Security card, ID, and that unemployment award letter ready to upload. The system will ask you to verify your identity, so having all your documents ready speeds things up. Also, if you qualify, you might be eligible for expedited processing (benefits within 7 days) since your income is pretty low. Worth asking about when you apply!

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration! Been trying to reach NY unemployment for almost 3 weeks now and it's like they don't want us to get through. My claim has been "pending review" since early February and every time I call, I either get disconnected after waiting for hours or the system just hangs up on me completely. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to talk to someone about our own benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like this is a widespread problem and not just bad luck on my part. I'm going to try some of the suggestions mentioned - the early morning calling trick and maybe that Claimyr service if I get desperate enough. Has anyone had any luck with reaching out to local elected officials? I'm wondering if that's worth trying too.

I just went through this exact same nightmare last month! After reading all these comments, I wanted to share what finally worked for me. I tried the early morning calling (7:58am) trick that @Aisha mentioned for about a week straight with no luck. Then I combined it with calling the alternative number @Tyrone suggested (888-209-8124) AND selecting the Spanish option first. Even though I don't speak Spanish, when I got connected I just said "English please" and they transferred me to a bilingual agent. The whole process took about 45 minutes total wait time. The agent explained that my claim was also stuck in that new January verification system - apparently thousands of claims are backed up because of this policy change. She was able to clear it immediately and I got my benefits deposited 2 days later. Don't give up! The system is definitely broken but there are ways around it if you keep trying different approaches.