Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
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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!
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Just to add - the 10% federal withholding might not be enough depending on your total income for the year and tax bracket. If you had a good job before unemployment you might want to consider making quarterly payments instead of just relying on the 10% withholding option.
ugh the whole tax thing with unemployment is so confusing, why can't they just make it simple like regular payroll taxes
I totally agree! Coming from restaurant work where taxes were automatically taken out of every paycheck, this whole "choose your own adventure" approach with unemployment taxes caught me completely off guard. It seems like they could at least make the default option more obvious or have better explanations during the application process.
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THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO SCREW SMALL BUSINESSES! They make it impossible to get straight answers about your tax rates and then hit you with massive increases. We had THREE claims last year and our rate went up 40%!
That does sound really high. Maybe there were other factors involved?
Wait, so if I get laid off and file for unemployment, my former employer gets punished financially? That makes me feel kind of bad about filing... should I not apply for benefits?
Don't feel bad at all! This is exactly what the system is for. Employers pay into unemployment insurance specifically to cover situations like layoffs. You earned those benefits through your work, and your employer was paying for this coverage all along. File your claim.
@Kristian Bishop is absolutely right! As someone who works in HR, I can tell you that unemployment insurance is part of the cost of doing business. Companies budget for these taxes just like they budget for workers comp' or other insurance. The system exists specifically to help people like you during layoffs through no fault of your own. Please don t'let concern for your former employer stop you from getting the benefits you re'entitled to.
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Quick update on this issue - I've been handling NY unemployment claims for years, and there's actually been a rise in these "phantom forfeit days" since the system upgrade in February 2025. If you're experiencing this, specifically request that the agent check the "Penalty Enforcement and Resolution System" (PERS) database, not just the regular claims system. They need to do a cross-reference to identify duplicate penalty applications. The backpay is automatically processed once the duplicate is confirmed and removed.
Thank you SO MUCH for this specific info! I'll make sure to ask about the PERS database specifically when I call.
This is excellent advice. The PERS database is separate from the main system and often contains the historical resolution records that regular agents might miss.
Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to them? If you're still having trouble reaching someone, that Claimyr service I mentioned really did save me days of frustration. The agent I spoke with said they're seeing this forfeit day issue a lot lately and have a specific protocol for fixing it now.
That's amazing news! So glad you got it resolved quickly. It's frustrating that we have to use third-party services to reach our own state agencies, but at least there's a solution. Hope you get your back pay soon!
@Tyler Murphy That s'fantastic that you got it resolved! I m'dealing with a similar issue right now - they applied old forfeit days that I thought were settled. Going to try that Claimyr service today. Thanks for sharing the update, it gives me hope that this can actually be fixed quickly!
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Good luck with everything! I hope it works out for you. Being terminated is stressful enough without worrying about benefits too.
I went through something similar when I got terminated from my retail job for what they called "performance issues" but was really just me having a hard time during a family emergency. I was so worried I wouldn't qualify for benefits, but I applied anyway and got approved after about 3 weeks. The NYS Department of Labor really does look at the whole picture - they're not just trying to deny everyone. Since you have doctor's notes for most of your sick days, that's going to help your case a lot. Don't let the stress keep you from applying right away. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised. Also keep all your documentation organized in case they need it during the review process.
Lucas Parker
I'm dealing with this exact situation right now - single parent with unemployment benefits trying to make it work. One resource I stumbled upon that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) through your local food bank. It's different from SNAP and you can qualify even if you're already getting food stamps. Also, if you haven't already, check with your local library - many have programs that provide free meals for kids during school breaks and some even have "lending libraries" for things like winter coats and school supplies. The librarians are usually really knowledgeable about local assistance programs too. It's frustrating that NY doesn't help with dependents like some other states, but at least there are these other safety nets if you know where to look.
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Yara Nassar
•This is such valuable information, thank you! I had no idea about TEFAP being separate from SNAP - that could really help stretch our grocery budget. And I never would have thought to ask the library about assistance programs, but that makes total sense since they're so connected to the community. I'm going to call my local branch tomorrow to see what they know about resources in my area. It's honestly been overwhelming trying to figure out what's available while also job searching, but posts like this make me feel like there are more options than I realized. Really appreciate you taking the time to share what you've learned!
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Kiara Greene
I'm currently on unemployment with two kids and can confirm what others have said - NY doesn't provide any dependent allowances unfortunately. But I wanted to add that if you're struggling to make ends meet, check if your local community college has a food pantry. Many of them are open to community members, not just students. Also, churches and community centers often run free meal programs even if you're not a member. One thing that really helped me was connecting with other parents in similar situations through local Facebook groups - they often share information about temporary assistance programs and even organize informal food swaps. The lack of dependent benefits in NY is definitely a hardship, but there are people and organizations willing to help if you reach out.
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