


Ask the community...
This gives me so much hope! I've been struggling to get through for my partial claim too - my retail job cut me from 30 hours to 12 hours per week in January and I keep putting off calling because I'm terrified of the phone system. Reading everyone's tips here is super helpful, especially about having all your documentation ready and calling right at 8am. One question - did anyone else have issues with their employer not wanting to provide documentation of the hour reduction? My manager keeps saying "just tell them we're slow" but I feel like I need something more official in writing. Should I ask HR directly or is there a specific form my employer needs to fill out?
Laura, you're absolutely right to want something more official than just "tell them we're slow"! I work in HR and can tell you that your employer should provide written documentation of your hour reduction. You don't need a specific form - even a simple email or letter from your manager/HR stating your previous hours, current reduced hours, and the effective date should be sufficient. If your manager is being difficult, definitely go to HR directly and explain you need documentation for unemployment purposes. Most HR departments understand this is a legal requirement and will help you get what you need. You could also ask for a copy of your schedule showing the reduction, or amended offer letter if they have one. Don't let them brush you off - you're entitled to this documentation and NYSDOL may ask for it during your claim process!
Ruby, thank you SO much for posting this! I've been dreading making the call for my partial claim after my hours got cut from 40 to 20 per week last month. Seeing that you actually got through and completed everything gives me the courage to finally pick up the phone tomorrow. I'm definitely going to follow your advice about calling right at 8am - I've been trying in the afternoons which clearly isn't working. Quick question: when you were on hold for 35 minutes, did they give you any updates about your place in line or estimated wait time? Or do you just have to sit there wondering if you're still connected? Also, did the agent ask you to have your bank account info ready for direct deposit setup, or do they handle that part separately? Thanks again for sharing your success story - it's exactly what I needed to hear today!
Update for anyone still dealing with this: I finally received my corrected 1099-G form today. It came through my online message center, not by mail. It had a cover letter apologizing for the error and explaining that it was caused by a "data processing anomaly during the annual tax form generation process." So keep checking your online accounts!
Thanks for the update! My son used that Claimyr service yesterday after nothing else worked. Got a callback within 20 minutes and they confirmed they'd send a corrected form. Said to check the message center in 3-5 business days. At least now we know what's happening!
This is really helpful to read through everyone's experiences! I'm dealing with the exact same issue - my 2025 1099-G shows identical amounts to 2024 even though I only collected unemployment for a few weeks this year versus several months last year. I've been trying to call for days with no luck getting through. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like checking the online message center and using that Claimyr service might be my best bet. Has anyone who got their corrected form noticed if the timing affected their tax filing deadline at all? I'm worried about missing the April deadline while waiting for this to get sorted out.
wait so if employers pay for unemployment insurance, why do some people act like unemployed people are freeloaders? they literally paid into this system through their work
This is such an important distinction to understand! I work in HR and I see this confusion all the time. Another way to think about it: when you look at your paystub, you'll see Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) being deducted from YOUR paycheck - that's what funds Social Security. But you won't see unemployment insurance deductions from your pay because that's paid entirely by your employer as a separate business expense. NYS Department of Labor gets funding from these employer contributions, not from Social Security. So you're absolutely not touching your retirement benefits by collecting unemployment - you're using a benefit that was already paid for on your behalf while you were working.
I'm really sorry you're going through this - the NY unemployment system can be incredibly frustrating to navigate. From what everyone is saying, it sounds like you've exhausted your allocated effective days even though your benefit year hasn't ended yet. This is unfortunately more common than people realize. A few quick suggestions that might help: - Check your online account for your original monetary determination letter - it should show exactly how many effective days you were eligible for - If you worked at all since filing your original claim (even part-time), you might qualify to file a new claim - Don't give up on trying to reach them by phone, but maybe try different times of day or consider using one of those callback services others mentioned The most important thing is to get clarity on whether you can file a new claim based on any work you've done since your original filing. That seems to be the main path forward for most people in your situation. Hang in there - I know how stressful this must be when you're depending on these benefits to pay rent.
This is exactly the kind of supportive response we need more of in this community. You've summarized everything really well and given practical next steps. The NY system really does seem designed to confuse people - I had no idea about the effective days vs BYE date difference until reading this thread. Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response!
Hey Dmitry, I went through this exact same situation last year and it's incredibly frustrating! The "0 effective days" basically means you've used up your allotted benefits for this claim period, even though your BYE date hasn't hit yet. What really helped me was understanding that the effective days system works differently than I expected - it's not just a simple countdown from your start date to your BYE date. Each week you collect uses up 4 "effective days" from your total pool, and that pool can vary based on your work history. Since you mentioned working a temp job for 2 months last fall, you might actually be eligible to file a new claim! The key is whether you earned enough during those quarters to meet NY's requirements. I'd strongly recommend trying to get through to an agent to check this - they can see your wage records and tell you immediately if you qualify. I know the phone system is a nightmare, but don't give up. Some people have had success with that Claimyr service others mentioned, though I personally got through by calling right at 8am on a Tuesday. The wait was still brutal but I eventually got someone. In the meantime, definitely look into other assistance programs like SNAP that Freya mentioned - every little bit helps when you're trying to cover rent. You're not alone in this struggle, and there might be more options available than you realize. Hang in there!
This is such helpful advice! I had no idea that temp work could potentially qualify you for a new claim. The whole effective days system is so confusing - I wish they explained this stuff better when you first file. Your point about calling at 8am on a Tuesday is noted - I'll definitely try that strategy. It's reassuring to know others have been through this exact situation and found solutions. Thanks for sharing your experience and the encouragement!
Zoe Papanikolaou
I'm dealing with this exact same situation - filed my claim about 10 days ago and my account also shows "pending eligibility review" with no payments yet. It's honestly a relief to see I'm not alone in this, though I wish none of us had to go through it. The stress of waiting for benefits when you need them to pay bills is really overwhelming. I've been calling that automated line Connor mentioned (1-888-209-8124) every few days just to confirm my certifications are going through properly. From what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like we just have to be patient even though it's really hard when rent is due. Definitely going to keep filing those weekly claims no matter what - thanks for that advice Natasha! Hoping we all see our payments soon.
0 coins
Zoe Alexopoulos
•I'm in the same exact boat - filed about 2 weeks ago and still showing "pending eligibility review" with zero payments. It's so stressful not knowing when that first payment will come through, especially when you're counting on it for rent and groceries. Thanks for mentioning that automated number, I'm going to start calling it regularly too just for peace of mind that my weekly certs are processing. It does help knowing we're all going through this together even though it sucks. Really hoping the DOL gets through these reviews faster - seems like they're backed up with everyone's claims right now.
0 coins
Amun-Ra Azra
I'm in the exact same situation - filed my claim 12 days ago and still stuck on "pending eligibility review" with no payments yet. The financial stress is real when you're depending on these benefits to cover rent and basic expenses. Reading everyone's experiences here is both reassuring (that this delay is normal) and frustrating (that the system is so slow). I've been religiously filing my weekly certifications and keeping screenshots of everything. One thing I learned from calling the automated line is that you can also check your monetary determination letter online - mine shows my benefit amount but still says "under review." Has anyone noticed if there are certain days of the week when status updates typically happen? Trying to figure out if there's any pattern to when they process these reviews.
0 coins