Just wanted to say I feel for you! Getting fired is never easy even when it's not your fault. The good news is unemployment benefits exist exactly for situations like this. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for filing - you paid into this system through your paychecks.

I went through something similar when I was let go for "performance issues" from my customer service job. The key thing is to file immediately - don't wait because there's a waiting period anyway. When you fill out the application, be completely honest about the circumstances. The fact that you received a warning and were actively trying to improve actually works in your favor because it shows this was performance-related, not misconduct. NYS Department of Labor distinguishes between being unable to do the job (eligible for benefits) versus unwillingness or deliberate misconduct (disqualifying). Keep records of everything - your warning notice, any emails about performance, etc. The adjudication process can take a few weeks but stay patient and respond promptly to any requests for information.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to someone at KeyBank? If not, another trick I've heard works is calling right when they open in the morning. Their customer service opens at 8am EST Monday-Friday, and apparently the wait times are much shorter if you call right at 8.

So glad you got it resolved! The security hold thing is such a pain - I wish they'd at least send a text or email notification when that happens instead of just making your money disappear with no explanation. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go. I made the switch last year and haven't looked back. No more wondering if my card will work or dealing with KeyBank's terrible customer service. Just a heads up though - it can take 1-2 weeks for the direct deposit change to take effect, so you might have one more payment that goes to the card before it switches over.

Have you considered reaching out to local community organizations or churches? Some areas have emergency transportation assistance programs or volunteer driver networks for people in situations like yours. Also, check if your county has any emergency financial assistance programs - sometimes they can help with critical car repairs that are needed to maintain employment. It's worth exhausting all these options before potentially losing your job, since as others mentioned, the unemployment qualification for transportation issues is really tough in NY.

I went through something similar a few years ago when my car died and I was working in a location with no public transit. What saved me was finding a coworker who lived somewhat nearby and offering to split gas costs for rides. Even though it was expensive, it was way cheaper than rideshare and bought me time to figure out a longer-term solution. Also, don't give up on the unemployment angle completely - if your employer fires you without giving you reasonable time to arrange alternative transportation, that could potentially be argued as termination rather than voluntary quit. The key is documenting that you're actively trying to solve the problem and asking your employer for a reasonable accommodation period. Have you asked HR or your supervisor exactly how much time they'd give you to work out transportation before letting you go?

This thread is absolutely amazing! As someone who's completely new to dealing with unemployment issues, I'm honestly shocked by how many hoops people have to jump through just to find out basic account information. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how the NY unemployment system seems almost deliberately confusing. What really stands out to me is how this community has essentially created the comprehensive guide that NYSDOL should have provided from the start. Between the secure messaging approach, Claimyr service, manual calculation methods, strategic calling times, and warnings about hidden fees - you've all basically reverse-engineered the entire system through shared experience! Anderson, congratulations on finally getting your balance sorted out - your persistence really paid off and helped create this incredible resource for everyone else. And to everyone who shared their struggles and solutions, thank you for being so generous with your knowledge. This is exactly what community support should look like! I'm definitely bookmarking this thread as my unemployment survival guide. Even though I'm not currently dealing with forfeit penalties, having all these real-world strategies documented in one place feels invaluable for navigating whatever bureaucratic challenges might come up in the future.

This thread is absolutely incredible! As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how everyone has come together to solve what should be a simple problem - finding out your account balance. Reading through all these experiences really shows how unnecessarily complicated the NY unemployment system is. What I find most valuable is how this discussion has evolved from Anderson's initial frustration into a comprehensive troubleshooting guide with multiple approaches: secure messaging, Claimyr, manual calculations, strategic calling times, and even warnings about hidden fees. It's like the community has created the user manual that NYSDOL should have provided! I'm currently not dealing with forfeit penalties myself, but I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference. The problem-solving strategies and community support demonstrated here seem applicable to so many other bureaucratic challenges. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your real experiences - both successes and failures. This is exactly what makes online communities so powerful! Anderson, huge congratulations on finally getting your balance information sorted out. Your persistence and willingness to update everyone has helped create this amazing resource that will benefit so many others dealing with similar issues.

I went through this same anxiety a few months ago! One thing that really helped me understand what was happening was looking at the "Issue Summary" section in the portal - it shows if there are any specific flags on your claim that are causing delays. Common ones are "Able and Available" or "Separation Issues" which basically mean they're verifying you're eligible to work and checking the circumstances of how you left your job. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, that's usually processed faster than paper checks once your claim does get approved. The whole process felt like forever but looking back, 2 weeks is still pretty normal timing for the initial review.

One more thing to check - if you're still anxious about the status, you can also call the automated phone system at 1-888-209-8124. It's not as detailed as the online portal but it can give you a quick status update without having to wait on hold for a human agent. Just have your SSN and PIN ready. The automated system will tell you if there are any issues flagged on your claim or if payments have been released. I found it helpful during my waiting period just to get that extra confirmation that things were moving along normally.