The whole NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing with their deadlines and hours. They should make this information clearer on their website instead of having people guess when things are due.

I totally agree with everyone about the phone system being frustrating! One tip that's helped me - try calling right at 8:00 AM when they open, or during lunch hours around 12-1 PM when call volume sometimes drops. Also, make sure you're using the correct phone number for your specific issue (they have different lines for different problems). For weekly claims, I always submit mine on Sunday evenings just to be safe since the deadline is Sunday at midnight. The my.ny.gov portal is usually pretty reliable for online filing if you can avoid the phone calls altogether.

Wait I'm confused about something - if you appeal and lose, can you appeal again? Or is that it? Also do you have to keep filing weekly claims while the appeal is processing?

I went through this same situation with NYS Department of Labor about 8 months ago. Definitely appeal - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The 30-day deadline is firm, so don't wait. I filed my appeal online through my.ny.gov which was pretty straightforward. The hearing was conducted over the phone and lasted about 20 minutes. The hearing officer asked me to walk through exactly what happened when I was laid off, and I had my layoff notice and final paycheck stub ready to reference specific dates. My former employer didn't even participate in the hearing, which apparently happens a lot. I won my appeal and got about 6 weeks of back payments. The whole process took about 2 months from filing the appeal to getting my first check. Don't let them intimidate you - if you were truly laid off due to business reasons, you deserve those benefits.

I went through this exact same situation last month! The retroactive payments are definitely the best part - you'll get all those weeks you were waiting during adjudication. In my case, I got about 4 weeks of back payments all at once, which was a huge relief. Just be patient with that first deposit, it might take a few extra days because they're processing multiple weeks. After that, the weekly payments come much more regularly. You're through the hardest part now!

I'm currently going through the adjudication process myself and this thread is so helpful! I've been filing weekly claims for the past 2 weeks while waiting for my determination. It's really reassuring to hear that all those weeks will be paid retroactively once approved. The uncertainty has been stressful, especially not knowing if I'm wasting my time with the weekly filings. @Caden Turner, please keep us updated on how long your first payment takes - it would be great to know what to expect timing-wise!

I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! The 8-digit PIN is definitely one of the most confusing parts of the NYS DOL system. In my case, it turned out the PIN was printed on a tiny perforated stub attached to one of the forms - almost like a tear-off receipt. I had actually thrown it away thinking it was just extra packaging! If you've thoroughly checked all your paperwork and still can't find it, don't panic about the weekly certification deadline. You can file for an extension if you miss it due to system access issues, but you'll need to call and explain the situation. One thing that helped me was organizing all the DOL paperwork by date received and going through each piece systematically. Sometimes they send the PIN information separately from the main determination letter, so it might arrive a few days later. The key is to keep calling early in the morning until you get through - persistence really does pay off with their phone system.

Just went through this nightmare myself last week! After reading through all these helpful responses, I want to add that if you're still stuck, there's actually a "Forgot PIN" option buried in the my.ny.gov system that I almost missed. When you get to the login screen where it asks for your 8-digit PIN, look for tiny text at the bottom that says something like "Reset PIN" or "Forgot PIN" - it's not obvious at all. You'll need to answer some security questions using info from your original application (like your mother's maiden name or previous employer details). It took me about 10 minutes to reset it this way, which was way faster than trying to get through on the phone. Worth a shot before spending hours on hold!

ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why can't they just make it simple like other states do it?? took me forever to figure out the weekly claim thing too

Just want to emphasize what others have said about filing quickly - I made the mistake of waiting a week after my layoff thinking I needed to "settle in" first, and it just delayed everything. The sooner you file with NYS Department of Labor, the sooner that waiting period starts ticking. Also, gather all your employment info beforehand (dates, wages, reason for separation) because the application will ask for specific details and you don't want to have to start over if you're missing something.