You need to act fast because once they start garnishing, it's harder to stop. Submit Form IA 735.1 to request a hearing about the overpayment. Also complete the financial hardship affidavit if the garnishment is causing you to not be able to pay for basic necessities. Make sure to include documentation of your monthly expenses.

I went through something similar last year. The key is to document everything and act quickly. First, request all records related to your case - they have to provide them under FOIL (Freedom of Information Law). This will show you exactly what notices they claim to have sent and when. Second, if you're facing financial hardship, you can request a waiver or reduction of the garnishment amount. I was able to get mine reduced from 15% to 5% by showing my monthly budget and proving the garnishment was preventing me from paying for basic necessities like rent and utilities. Don't give up - the system is designed to be overwhelming but you do have rights.

UPDATE: You guys were right!! I finally got through to NYSDOL using Claimyr (took about 25 minutes to get an agent) and they confirmed exactly what happened. There was a processing error between the Treasury Department and NYSDOL where some stimulus payments were incorrectly sent through the unemployment system to people who weren't eligible. When the error was caught, they reversed the payments but didn't notify anyone. The agent was super helpful and is sending me a formal letter explaining the error that I can take to my bank. She also gave me a special reference number to provide to the IRS if I need to follow up with them. She said they're working on a mass communication to everyone affected, but that could take weeks. Thank you all for your help! I'm relieved to finally understand what happened, though still annoyed about the overdraft fees. Going to my bank tomorrow with the case info.

Wow, this whole situation is such a mess! I'm glad you finally got some answers through NYSDOL. It's crazy how these system errors can cause so much stress and financial hardship for regular people just trying to get by. I've been dealing with a similar payment mix-up (though not as severe as yours) and this thread has been incredibly helpful. The advice about taking screenshots of everything and asking for ACH transaction reports is gold - I had no idea these were different from regular statements. Really hope your bank cooperates and reverses those overdraft fees since you now have official documentation that it was their mistake. Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress!

you need to call this number: 1-833-925-9808 - it's a special direct line for KeyBank unemployment card issues. It's not the same as the number on the back of the card. They answer quicker and can pull up a full history.

I had this exact same problem last month! What worked for me was calling that KeyBank number (866-295-2955) early in the morning around 8am - way less hold time. When you get through, specifically ask them to read you ALL transactions for the date range you need, including any fees or adjustments. Write everything down because they won't email it to you. Also ask them to explain any codes or abbreviations they mention - some deposits show up weird like "ACH CREDIT NYS DOL" or something confusing. If there's still a discrepancy after getting the full history, then you know it's a DOL issue and not just missing transaction info. The $380 difference sounds like it could be multiple small fees adding up, but definitely get that full breakdown first before assuming anything.

Hey Javier, I'm so sorry you're going through this - being pregnant and dealing with unemployment stress is absolutely awful. I went through something similar last year (though not pregnant) and here's what I learned: You're right that the website just loops you back to your existing claim - that's normal when benefits are exhausted. The key is getting through to an actual person who can check if there are any extensions or programs you qualify for, especially given your pregnancy. A few practical things to try immediately: - Call 211 for local assistance programs (as someone mentioned above) - Check if you qualify for emergency assistance through your county - Look into Short Term Disability if your pregnancy qualifies - Apply for SNAP if you haven't already I know everyone's saying to call unemployment directly, but honestly after reading all these comments about Claimyr, it might be worth the cost to skip the phone hell and get answers faster. When you're 7 months pregnant, time is really important. Also don't feel bad about the job search - anyone saying it's easy to find work while visibly pregnant has clearly never tried it. Employers are awful about this even though it's illegal. You've got this, and there ARE resources out there to help bridge the gap. Don't give up!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this while pregnant - that's incredibly stressful timing. From what I understand, NY typically allows 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits, and once those are exhausted, you usually can't file a new claim until your benefit year ends (which would be around December 2023 for you). However, given your pregnancy, there might be additional options available. Here are some things to explore: 1. **Extended Benefits** - These aren't always available but worth checking. You'll need to speak with an agent to see if NY currently offers any extensions. 2. **Disability Benefits** - At 7 months pregnant, you might qualify for short-term disability benefits, especially as you get closer to your due date. 3. **Emergency Assistance Programs** - NY has emergency assistance for pregnant women and families in crisis situations. The biggest challenge is actually reaching someone at the unemployment office. I've been seeing people in this thread mention Claimyr as a way to get through faster - might be worth considering given your time-sensitive situation. Also, definitely keep pursuing other assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and any county-specific emergency aid. Being pregnant should help you qualify for expedited assistance in many programs. Don't lose hope - there are safety nets available, even if they're not well-advertised. You're being smart by reaching out and asking for help now rather than waiting.

Not to sound like a conspiracy nut but try calling from a different area code if possible. I was using my NY cell and getting disconnected constantly. Used my mom's phone with an out-of-state area code and got through first try. I think they might be filtering calls from certain area codes that are high-volume.

I've been dealing with this exact same issue! After reading through all these suggestions, I'm going to try a few different approaches. First, I'll attempt calling from a different phone number early in the morning like Connor suggested. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into contacting my state representative - that seems like a really good option that I hadn't considered. The claimyr.com service that several people mentioned sounds promising too, though I'm a bit hesitant about paying for something that should be free. Has anyone tried the different phone numbers that Omar mentioned? I'd love to know which specific 888 number works best. This whole situation is so stressful when you're already dealing with financial pressure from being unemployed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!