Does anyone know if they're going to start accepting Venmo? That would be more convenient for me than PayPal.

Update: I called NYSDOL this morning and finally got through after trying for 3 days. The agent confirmed that Chime and several other online banks have been permanently removed from their approved deposit institutions list. They said it's due to an increase in fraudulent activities using these platforms. So I'll stick with PayPal for now, even though it takes longer to get my money. Thanks everyone for your help!

Update: I tried the 8am trick but still got the busy message. Then I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and IT WORKED! They called me back in about 25 minutes and had an unemployment agent on the line. The agent fixed my issue in less than 10 minutes - turns out there was a verification flag on my account that was holding everything up. My payments should resume this week. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

For anyone else finding this thread with similar issues, here are some additional tips for reaching NY Unemployment in 2025: 1. Use the online message system for non-urgent matters 2. Try calling at 8:00am sharp or between 2:30-3:30pm on Tuesdays or Wednesdays 3. If your issue is urgent and affecting payment, consider the Claimyr service mentioned above 4. Contact your state assembly member or state senator's office for assistance 5. Check if there's a temporary callback feature available (NYSDOL sometimes activates this during high volume periods) 6. Make sure you're calling the correct number for your specific issue (regular UI vs. specialized claims have different contact lines) Hope this helps others navigating the system!

If you've tried everything and still can't get through, you might want to contact your state assembly member's office. They have direct liaisons with NYSDOL and can often expedite cases. My claim was stuck for weeks until I reached out to my assemblyman's office - they had it resolved in 2 days. Just search "[your county] NY state assembly member" to find your representative.

did u ever get thru?? im having same problem now 😭

make sure ur tax guy didnt send it to the wrong department. happened to my brother and they never forwarded it to the right place, he had to start over

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! Turns out my tax guy sent it to the general tax department email instead of uploading it through the unemployment portal. The agent was able to look it up and confirm they never received anything from him. I'm uploading my tax documents myself right now. Thanks everyone for your help!

I checked the NYSDOL website and this change was actually announced back in March 2025 through their newsletter and account portal notifications. They're requiring FDIC-insured banks now as part of their fraud prevention program. For those concerned about traditional bank fees, consider looking into credit unions. Many offer completely free checking accounts with no minimum balance requirements and have the required FDIC insurance equivalent (NCUA).

Update: I called NYSDOL this morning and got through after trying for hours. They confirmed everything everyone said here. I've opted for the direct payment card for now, and they told me it should arrive within 7-10 business days. Any pending payments will be loaded onto it once I activate it. Thanks everyone for your help with this!

anybody know if u can get partial benefits while waiting for the hearing decision? my friend said he did but i think hes confused

Update from my experience earlier this year: I was finally able to get some insight into my case status by contacting my local Workforce1 Career Center. While they couldn't expedite anything, the staff person there had access to slightly more detailed status information than what shows on the online portal. Might be worth a visit if there's one near you.

I had the exact same question last week! I got an "extra" $300 payment too and was confused. I spent hours trying to reach someone at NYSDOL by calling the regular number but couldn't get through. Eventually I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get past the phone system and connect with an agent within about 25 minutes. They showed exactly how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent confirmed that March 27 is indeed the cutoff date, so any week ending on or before that date qualifies for the supplement. Since I certified on Sunday for the week ending March 22, I got the $300. Next week will be the first one without it. Might be worth calling to confirm your specific situation if you're still confused - their online info isn't always clear.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! So it sounds like since I certified for the week ending March 22, I was still eligible for the $300, and next week will be the first one without it. Really appreciate all the clarification - the DOL communications can be so confusing sometimes!

I just went through this in January! My direct deposit info from 2023 was still there, but I still had to click "confirm" on the payment method screen for it to activate for my new claim. Easy to miss that step!

I checked my account and found my banking info was still there but it wasn't activated for my new claim! Thank you all so much - especially to the person who gave the detailed steps. I had to click "confirm" like someone mentioned, even though all my information was already in the system. Really appreciate everyone's help!

i had this SAME EXACT PROBLEM and it took me 3 weeks to get fixed!!!! the new yorK unemployment system is such a disaster. glad you got through faster than i did!

One more update: I got my back payments today! They came through as a lump sum for the two weeks I missed. If anyone else is dealing with this issue, don't lose hope. Keep trying to reach someone who can help, and definitely be specific about the "effective date showing as 0" and "data migration error" - those were the keywords that helped the rep immediately understand my problem.

Congratulations on getting through! A few practical tips for managing your partial claim based on my experience: 1. Set a weekly reminder to complete your certification - I do mine every Sunday morning so I don't forget 2. Take screenshots of every certification confirmation page as proof 3. If your hours fluctuate week to week, keep a detailed log of exactly when you worked each day 4. When doing your work search activities, apply for full-time positions even if you're hoping to just stay at your current job with increased hours 5. If your employer offers you more hours that would put you above the $540 threshold, you must accept them or risk losing benefits Most importantly, if anything changes with your work situation, report it immediately. The penalties for misreporting (even accidentally) can be severe.

My daughter had a similar situation last year with her teaching assistant job. The school reduced hours during summer session. One thing that really helped her was keeping a separate calendar just for unemployment stuff. She marked every certification day, every payment received, every hour worked, etc. Came in handy when there was some mix-up about her availability during one week and she had documentation to back up her claim. Might be worth setting something similar up for yourself!