quick question - did you find the rover gig on your own or did unemployment send you there? trying to find some side work myself

Just wanted to add - make sure you're keeping detailed records of your actual work activities for each day! I learned the hard way that unemployment can ask for documentation if they audit your claim. I use a simple note-taking app to track feeding times, walks, any cleaning, etc. Takes like 2 minutes but covers you if they ever question your reported hours. Better safe than sorry!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - filed my claim 10 days ago and keep getting the "unable to process your request" error when trying to certify. The rep told me to claim last Sunday but nothing worked. Reading everyone's experiences here is really reassuring - sounds like this is just how the NY system works unfortunately. I'm going to wait another week before calling again, but that Claimyr service sounds like it could save me hours of being on hold if I do need to call. Quick question for those who've been through this - when your claim finally got approved and you could certify, did you have to certify for each missed week individually or did the system let you do them all at once? Just trying to prepare for when mine hopefully gets processed!

I'm experiencing the exact same issue right now! Filed my claim about 10 days ago and the rep told me to start claiming this past Sunday, but I keep getting error messages when I try to certify. It's so frustrating because you follow their instructions exactly and then the system just blocks you. Reading through all these comments has been incredibly helpful though - it sounds like this is unfortunately just a common glitch in how NY processes new claims. The disconnect between what the phone reps tell you and what the computer system actually allows seems to be a recurring theme. I'm going to wait another week before trying to call again, but I might look into that Claimyr service if the wait times are still crazy long. The fact that everyone who went through this eventually got their backpay once the claim was fully processed is really reassuring. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this is normal and not something I messed up during my application!

Wait, I thought FUTA was something we paid as employees? I've been so confused about all these unemployment taxes. My adjudication has been going on for a month and nobody at NYS Department of Labor will explain anything to me!

The whole unemployment tax system is such a mess. Employers are supposed to pay FUTA but half of them don't even understand their obligations. Then when workers need benefits, we're the ones who suffer from their incompetence.

So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when my neighbor told me about Claimyr. It's this service where they wait on hold for you and then call you when they get an actual human. It was the only thing that worked after weeks of trying. claimyr.com saved my sanity and got my claim fixed.

I've been dealing with this nightmare too! After reading all these comments about Claimyr, I'm definitely going to try it. Seems like multiple people here have had success with it. @Mateo - definitely try calling at exactly 8am like @Zoe suggested first, but if that doesn't work, the Claimyr thing seems legit based on all these testimonials. The fact that so many different people are vouching for it makes me think it's not a scam. Good luck with your claim!

Have you considered talking to your manager first about the issues? Sometimes they don't realize how their actions are affecting employees. Plus if you document that conversation and they refuse to address the problems, that could help your case if you do decide to quit and file for unemployment.

I went through something similar about 6 months ago. The key thing is that NYS Department of Labor looks at whether you had "good cause" to quit - and from what you're describing (major hour cuts, constant schedule changes without notice, hostile supervisor) you might actually have a case. The reduction from 35 to 15 hours alone could be considered constructive dismissal if it's a significant change from your original job terms. Start documenting everything NOW - take screenshots of your schedule, write down specific incidents with dates/times, and if possible get any communications in writing. When you apply, you'll need to clearly explain that you had no choice but to quit due to these unreasonable working conditions. Don't just say you quit because of a "toxic environment" - be specific about how the conditions made it impossible for you to continue working there.