Hey Cole, I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare right now. Been laid off since January and my claim has been "under review" for 3 weeks. I've tried all the usual numbers and tricks but honestly what finally worked for me was using that Claimyr service people are mentioning. I was skeptical at first because it costs money and I'm already broke, but I figured my sanity was worth more than what they charge. Got connected to a real person in about 2 hours when I'd been trying on my own for literally weeks. The unemployment rep told me there's a massive backlog right now due to fraud prevention measures they put in place. My benefits got released 3 days after that call. Also definitely email your state senator like others suggested - that's a free option that actually works. Hang in there, the system is designed to frustrate us but don't give up!

Man, I feel for you Cole. I went through the exact same thing last month - laid off in January and couldn't get through to anyone for almost 3 weeks. The frustration is real when you're watching your savings disappear and can't get answers. I tried all the usual tricks (calling at 7:30am, different numbers, etc.) but what finally worked was a combination approach. First, I emailed my state senator's office explaining my situation - they actually responded within 24 hours and said they'd escalate it. At the same time, I bit the bullet and used that Claimyr service everyone's talking about. I was super skeptical because I'm already broke, but after wasting literally hours every day calling, I figured my time was worth more than what they charge. Got through in about 90 minutes and the rep told me my claim was flagged for identity verification (even though I never got notified). She cleared it up in one call and I got paid 2 days later. The combination of the senator's office pressure and actually reaching a human seemed to do the trick. Definitely try the free route first, but don't be afraid to explore other options if you're desperate. This system is intentionally broken to discourage people from collecting what they're owed. Don't let them win!

I'm in a similar boat at week 19 and this thread is really helpful! Just want to add that I found out you can actually see your exact benefit year end date and remaining weeks when you log into your my.ny.gov account under the "View Benefit Payments" section. It shows both your monetary balance AND your week counter, which cleared up the confusion I had about whether it's the money or the weeks that matter (it's the weeks). Also, for anyone struggling with the phone system, I've had better luck calling right at 8am when they open or during lunch time around 12:30-1pm. Still takes forever but at least I don't get the busy signal immediately.

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through this exact situation last year. Hit my 26 week limit in March 2024 and benefits stopped even though I still had like $800 left in my monetary balance. That was confusing at first but the 26 week rule is firm. After my benefit year ended (the full 52 weeks from when I first filed), I was able to file a new claim since I had worked part-time for a few months and earned enough wages to qualify again. The waiting period for the new claim was shorter than my original application too. Don't panic when you hit week 26 - start planning for other income sources or assistance programs, and keep track of any work you do because it might help you qualify for a new claim later. The job market has been tough but there are resources out there if you know where to look.

I feel your pain! I had the same issue a few months ago and was getting nowhere with the regular phone lines. What finally saved me was contacting my local assemblyperson's office - they have a constituent services department that can sometimes help expedite unemployment issues. I called my assembly member's district office, explained the situation, and they were able to reach out to the DOL on my behalf. Got a call back from a DOL supervisor within 3 days and my payment hold was resolved that same week. You can find your assemblyperson here: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/ Worth a shot while you're also trying the phone strategies others mentioned. Sometimes going through an elected official's office gets better results than the regular channels. Make sure to mention that your employer is contesting and you need to provide your side of the story about the hour reduction - that shows it's not just a routine inquiry.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim has been pending for 3 weeks after my employer disputed it. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try a combination approach: calling at 8:05am on Wednesday using the "technical support" option, and if that doesn't work within a few days, I'll contact my assemblyperson's office. For anyone else reading this thread later, it seems like the key strategies are: - Call at off-peak times (8:03-8:05am, Tuesday/Wednesday, or 1:15pm) - Try different menu options ("technical support" vs "claim status") - Use registered phone number - Have all documentation ready - Consider Claimyr service as backup - Contact assemblyperson's office for contested claims Alice, I hope you get through soon - the reduced hours situation should definitely qualify you for benefits under constructive discharge rules once you can explain it to someone. Keep us posted on what works!

The whole unemployment tax thing is so confusing. I thought government benefits weren't supposed to be taxed? Like why do they give you money and then want some back??

Just wanted to add that you can also make estimated quarterly tax payments if you're worried about owing too much at the end of the year. Since you mentioned receiving about $8,000 in benefits, you might owe around $800-1,200 in federal taxes (depending on your tax bracket) plus whatever NY state taxes apply. If you're still collecting, definitely turn on the 10% federal withholding ASAP. And don't stress too much - this catches a lot of people off guard their first time dealing with unemployment taxes!

Just to add - make sure you understand the difference between state unemployment and federal unemployment taxes too. Even if you don't pay state unemployment on yourself, you still might have other tax obligations depending on your business structure and income level.

Great point about federal vs state taxes! As someone who just went through setting up my own LLC last year, I learned this the hard way. Even though I don't pay state unemployment on myself as a single-member LLC, I still had to deal with federal self-employment taxes and quarterly estimated payments. The IRS and NYS Department of Labor have completely different requirements, which adds another layer of confusion. Definitely recommend talking to a tax professional early on to avoid surprises at tax time.