Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
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!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
The whole quarter thing is just another way for them to make the system confusing and deny people benefits! I worked steadily but because my highest earnings were in the wrong quarters according to their arbitrary rules, my weekly amount got cut in half.
I get the frustration but the quarter system actually helps some people too. When I had a job that paid really well for just a few months, having those wages counted in my base period quarters helped my benefit amount.
@The Boss, don't worry too much about your scattered work history - it might actually work in your favor! The quarter system looks at your highest earning quarters during the base period, so if you had some good months mixed in with the lower ones, those higher earnings will boost your weekly benefit calculation. The key thing is making sure you meet the minimum wage requirements across those 4 quarters. If you're still confused about which specific quarters they're using for your claim, you can request a monetary determination breakdown from NYS Department of Labor that shows exactly how they calculated your benefits.
Thanks @GamerGirl99, that's really helpful to know! I was worried that having inconsistent hours would automatically hurt my case. How do I go about requesting that monetary determination breakdown you mentioned? Is that something I can do online through the my.ny.gov portal or do I need to call them directly?
Join the conversation
I'm in a very similar situation - my benefits are ending in about 3 weeks and I'm terrified. Reading through these comments is both helpful and scary. It sounds like the key is to start applying for other assistance NOW rather than waiting. I had no idea there was no automatic extension - I was definitely counting on that. Has anyone had success with the workforce development programs that @Dmitry mentioned? I'm willing to do training if it means getting some kind of income support while I'm in the program. Also going to look into that Claimyr service since calling NYS Department of Labor has been impossible for me too.
@Miles, I just went through the workforce development program application process last month! The good news is that some programs do offer income support - I found one through WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) that provides a training allowance while you're learning new skills. You have to go through an assessment at your local Career Center to see what you qualify for, but it's definitely worth it. The application process took about 2 weeks for me, so start now! Also, I second starting the SNAP application immediately - mine took almost a month to get approved and I wish I'd started sooner. The uncertainty is terrifying but there are more options than I initially thought, you just have to dig for them.
I'm going through this exact same situation right now - my benefits end in 10 days and I've been having panic attacks about it. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences, it's really helping me understand what I need to do. I had no idea there were no automatic extensions anymore. I'm going to start my SNAP application tomorrow and call 2-1-1 to see what other assistance programs are available in my area. The idea about going to the Career Center in person sounds really smart - I've been banging my head against their website for weeks with no luck. Does anyone know if the WIOA training programs have income requirements to qualify? I'm worried I might make too much from my remaining UI benefits to be eligible. This whole system feels designed to make you fail, but at least this community is helping me figure out my next steps before I hit zero.
Join the conversation
Just went through this process myself after getting laid off from a similar salary range. One thing to keep in mind is that the $504 maximum is based on the state-wide average, but it really doesn't account for regional cost differences. Since you mentioned rent being a concern, you might want to look into other assistance programs too - like SNAP benefits or utility assistance programs that you can apply for while on unemployment. Also, if you have any side income or freelance work, make sure to report it properly when you file your weekly claims. NYS is pretty strict about that and you don't want any issues down the line.
That's really helpful advice about looking into other assistance programs. I hadn't thought about SNAP benefits but that could definitely help stretch the unemployment payments further. Do you know if there are any income limits for those programs when you're receiving unemployment? Also good point about reporting side income - I might pick up some freelance work to make ends meet but want to make sure I do it by the book.
@Nia Williams That s'really solid advice about the additional assistance programs. I m'definitely going to look into SNAP since every bit helps when you re'trying to make $504 stretch in NY. Do you happen to know if there are any other state or local programs that pair well with unemployment benefits? I m'in the NYC area so cost of living is brutal. Also appreciate the heads up about reporting side income properly - better to be overly cautious with NYS Department of Labor than risk any complications with the claim.
One thing I'd add to the great advice already shared here - make sure you understand the base period calculation. NYS uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you get laid off next month and file in say February, they'll look at your earnings from roughly April 2023 through March 2024. If you've had any salary increases in the past year, that might affect which quarters give you the highest earnings for the calculation. Also, while $504 is the current max, keep an eye out for any updates to the benefit amounts - they do adjust periodically based on state wage data.
That's a really important point about the base period calculation that I hadn't considered. Since I've been making $1500/week consistently for the past 2 years, hopefully all my quarters will be pretty similar, but it's good to know how they actually determine which earnings to use. Do you know if there's any way to see what your base period earnings look like before you file, or do you just have to wait and see what they calculate? I want to make sure I have realistic expectations going into this whole process.
@Ava Rodriguez You can actually get a rough idea of your base period earnings by looking at your wage statements or tax documents from those quarters. NYS Department of Labor also has a benefit calculator on their website that can give you an estimate if you plug in your quarterly earnings. It s'not 100% exact since they have to verify everything with your employers, but it ll'get you in the ballpark. I d'recommend doing that calculation now so you can plan accordingly - it s'much better to know what to expect than be surprised later when you re'already dealing with the stress of unemployment.
Join the conversation
Based on your work history, you should definitely qualify for a new unemployment claim! Working from September 2024 to April 2025 gives you wages in multiple quarters (Q3 and Q4 of 2024, plus Q1 of 2025), which easily meets NY's requirements. I was in a similar situation - had an old claim from 2022, then worked for about 8 months before getting laid off again in early 2024. I was nervous about reapplying but it turned out to be straightforward. The system automatically calculates which base period gives you the best benefit rate, so you don't have to worry about that part. When you file, use your existing NY.gov account and select "File a New Claim" rather than trying to reopen your old one. Have your employment dates and employer info ready, but don't stress too much about the wage amounts since they pull that data from employer reports anyway. The hardest part honestly is just getting past the anxiety of navigating their website - once you actually start the application it's pretty step-by-step. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who's been through this process recently. I'm definitely feeling less anxious about applying now after reading all these responses. One quick question - when you filed your new claim, did you notice if your weekly benefit amount was significantly different from your previous claim? I'm trying to get a sense of what to expect since my temp job pay was pretty variable month to month.
Hey Rami! I was in almost the exact same boat last year - got laid off in late 2023, collected benefits, then worked a contract job from August 2024 until February 2025 when it ended. I was super worried about whether I'd qualify again but it turned out to be no problem at all! Your work from September 2024 to April 2025 definitely qualifies you for a new claim. Since you worked across multiple quarters (Q3 2024, Q4 2024, and Q1 2025), you easily meet the requirements. The system will automatically use whichever base period gives you the higher benefit amount. When I filed my new claim, I used my existing NY.gov login and selected "File a New Claim" - don't try to reopen your old one from 2023. The application asked for all my employment info from the past 18 months, so have your temp job details ready (start date, end date, employer info, reason for separation). One thing that surprised me was how much faster the process was the second time around - I think because all my basic info was already in the system. Got approved within about 10 days and payments started right after that. Don't stress too much about the wage calculations or whether you'll qualify - your work history clearly meets the requirements. The hardest part is just getting through their confusing website interface! You've got this.
Teresa Boyd
First payment is always the slowest. After that, if you file your weekly claims on time, payments usually come within 2-3 business days. But yeah, that initial wait is brutal when you need the money.
0 coins
Juan Moreno
I'm in a similar situation - just filed last week after getting laid off from my retail job. The waiting is really stressful when bills are piling up! From what I've been reading online, it seems like NYS DOL is pretty backed up right now. I've been checking my account obsessively but the status hasn't changed from "under review." Has anyone had luck calling the customer service line recently, or is it still impossible to get through?
0 coins
Omar Fawaz
•I feel you on the stress! The phone lines are basically useless - I've tried calling multiple times and either get disconnected or stuck in hour-long holds. Your best bet is to just keep checking the online portal and maybe try calling super early in the morning like right at 8am when they open. Some people have had luck getting through then. Also make sure you're doing your weekly certifications even while it's under review - you don't want to miss any weeks once it gets approved!
0 coins