Make sure you understand exactly what weeks you're entitled to back pay for. The reversal should cover from your original filing date through when the appeal was decided, minus any weeks you might have worked or had other disqualifying factors. Also, be aware that the back pay will likely be subject to taxes, so don't spend it all assuming it's your full amount.

Hey Malik! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago. One thing I wish someone had told me is to start documenting everything NOW - screenshot your online account status, save all the letters you're getting, and keep a record of when you filed each weekly claim. When I got my reversal, there was a discrepancy in how many weeks they calculated for my back pay, and having all that documentation saved me from losing out on about $800. Also, don't panic if your online account looks weird for a few days - sometimes it takes their system a bit to catch up with the appeal decision. The back pay should definitely come automatically, but it might show up as separate deposits rather than one lump sum.

UGH the NYS Department of Labor system is so unreliable!! I've had payments just randomly delayed for no reason multiple times. Sometimes it's their system glitching, sometimes it's banks being slow. It's SO frustrating when you're counting on that money and it just doesn't show up. I hope yours comes through soon!

I had this exact same issue two weeks ago! My payment showed as "issued" on the NYS Department of Labor site but didn't hit my account for 3 days. It turned out my bank (Chase) was having some technical issues with processing government payments. I'd recommend checking with your bank first to see if there are any delays on their end before going through the hassle of calling NYS Department of Labor. Also, sometimes payments get delayed if there was a federal holiday recently that affected processing schedules. Fingers crossed it shows up tomorrow!

So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when I remembered my cousin said he used something called Claimyr. I tried it the next day and got through in about an hour. It's kinda genius - they just automate the annoying part (waiting forever on hold) then connect you when a human picks up. Game changer for real.

Giovanni, I totally feel your frustration - I was in the exact same boat about 6 months ago. My claim was stuck in pending hell for almost 3 months and I was about to lose my apartment. After reading through all these comments, I actually tried that Claimyr service that multiple people mentioned and it genuinely worked. I was super skeptical at first because it seemed too good to be true, but they literally just handle the waiting on hold part and connect you once someone picks up. Got through to an actual human in under 2 hours and had my whole mess sorted out in one call. Worth every penny when you're facing eviction. The other tip that helped me was having EVERYTHING ready beforehand - all my documents, dates, previous case numbers, etc. When you finally get someone on the line, you want to be super organized so they can help you quickly. Hang in there, the system is absolutely broken but there are ways to work around it!

I'm in a similar situation - just started collecting UI last month and considering doing some gig work to supplement. Reading through these responses is really helpful! One question I have is about tracking expenses - if I'm doing DoorDash and spending money on gas, can I deduct those expenses from what I report to NYS DOL, or do I need to report the full gross amount before any expenses? I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly from day one.

Another important thing to keep in mind - when you're doing DoorDash or any gig work while on UI, make sure you're setting aside money for taxes! Since you're getting 1099 income, there won't be any taxes withheld, so you might owe at tax time. I usually put about 25-30% of my gig earnings in a separate account to cover self-employment taxes. Also, keep detailed records of all your deliveries, mileage, and expenses - it'll make tax season much easier and help you maximize your deductions when you file.

UPDATE: Finally got this figured out! For anyone else with this problem - I ended up doing THREE things that worked: 1. Used the virtual card at Target for a small purchase and got $100 cash back (thanks for that suggestion!) 2. Found a newer Chase ATM with the contactless symbol and was able to withdraw $300 (had to tap my phone to the symbol, then enter PIN) 3. For the rest, I just waited 2 more days for the bank transfer to complete The most frustrating thing is that NONE of this was explained in any of the materials I got from unemployment. You'd think they'd make it easier to actually access our benefits! Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it figured out! Your experience highlights exactly why this system is so frustrating for people who need their benefits. The lack of clear instructions from NYSDOL is really unacceptable - people shouldn't have to crowdsource solutions on forums just to access their own money. Your update will definitely help others who run into the same issues. It's crazy that something as basic as "here's how to actually use your benefits card" isn't explained properly in their official materials.