One last important note: make sure you're still certifying for benefits every week while you wait for this to resolve. Many people stop certifying when they don't see payments, but you need those certifications to get backpay for all weeks once the issue is fixed. Set a calendar reminder to certify every Sunday without fail.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in late January and it's been over 6 weeks of the same "determining benefit rate" status. What's really frustrating is that I can see in my online account that they've already calculated my weekly benefit amount ($347) but the payments just won't release. I've tried calling dozens of times with no luck getting through. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like there might be some kind of automated system flag that only a human agent can clear. I'm going to try contacting my assembly person this week since several people mentioned that worked for them. This whole system is absolutely broken - how can they send determination letters but then act like they don't know our benefit rates? Hang in there Emma, hopefully we both get this resolved soon! 🤞

same here wondering about the money amounts. my job is cutting hours so might need to file soon

@Caleb Stark - Your calculation sounds about right! With $11,500 in your highest quarter, you'd get around $442 per week ($11,500 ÷ 26 = $442.31). Just make sure you have all your wage records ready when you file - sometimes employers don't report everything correctly to the state. Also, remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld or set some aside for tax season. The good news is that $442/week for up to 26 weeks could definitely help cover basic expenses while job hunting.

That's correct - being in a probationary period when terminated doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits. What matters is your work history over the past 18 months and whether you were terminated for misconduct or quit voluntarily. If you were laid off or terminated without cause, you should be eligible regardless of probationary status.

I work at a local workforce development center and see this situation a lot unfortunately. The harsh reality is yes, you've likely lost out on a significant amount in benefits by waiting 4+ months. NYS caps the backdate at 28 days, so you're looking at losing roughly 12-14 weeks of potential payments. But don't let that stop you from filing RIGHT NOW - every day you wait is another day of benefits lost. Also worth noting that even if you get approved, the 26-week benefit period started ticking from when you first became unemployed, not when you file. So your benefit weeks are already being consumed. File today through ny.gov and don't wait for perfect information - you can always provide additional documentation later.

I went through something similar earlier this year! My payments stopped in May and I didn't get them resolved until August. The most important thing is to be persistent and document everything. When you do get through to someone, ask them to check for any "adjudication flags" or "system holds" on your account - that's usually what causes the sudden payment stops. Also, since you're now working, make sure to tell them the exact date you returned to work so they can calculate your final eligible week correctly. They should be able to process all your backpay for July through September in one lump sum once they clear whatever is blocking your account. Don't give up - you're definitely entitled to that money for the weeks you properly certified!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My payments stopped in August and I've been getting the runaround for weeks. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually really helpful - I didn't know about the secure message option through NY.gov or that service Summer mentioned for getting through the phone lines. @Harold Oh - one thing that might help while you're trying all these contact methods is to screenshot or print your weekly certification history from your online account. When I was digging through mine, I noticed it shows the dates you certified and whether payment was "pending" vs "paid" for each week. Having that ready when you do get through to someone will probably speed things up since you can point to exactly which weeks they owe you for. Also wanted to add - I've heard from other people in unemployment Facebook groups that sometimes calling the local career centers can help too. They can't process payments but they might be able to escalate your case or at least confirm what's showing in the system. Worth a shot if the main number keeps hanging up on you!

Wow, what a journey this thread has been! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim has been stuck in "pending review" for over a week and I've been getting the runaround trying to reach someone. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that there's actually a way to get through this nightmare system. I'm definitely going to try the Thursday afternoon calling strategy and maybe that Claimyr service if I can't get through by Friday. It's crazy that we have to resort to third-party services just to talk to our own state unemployment office! Thanks to everyone who shared their tips and especially to Isaiah for updating us on your resolution - gives the rest of us hope that these issues can actually be fixed once you reach a real person.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - been trying to reach someone for 4 days about a payment that's been stuck on "pending" for almost 3 weeks! Reading through this thread has been so helpful, especially seeing Isaiah's success story. I tried calling Thursday afternoon like Fiona suggested and actually got further than usual - made it to the hold music for 20 minutes before getting disconnected, which is progress compared to the immediate busy signals I was getting earlier in the week. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and try Claimyr tomorrow since so many people here had success with it. It's just ridiculous that we're paying for a third-party service to access our own state benefits, but at this point my sanity is worth more than whatever it costs. Has anyone noticed if certain times of day work better with Claimyr, or is it pretty consistent throughout the day?