Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
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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!
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- 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 :)
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Sergio Neal
I'm also navigating this for the first time and it's definitely overwhelming! From what I've gathered from everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the 2-3 week timeline is pretty standard if everything goes smoothly. One thing that's been helpful for me is keeping detailed records of everything - screenshots of when I filed, copies of all the forms, dates of weekly certifications, etc. That way if there are any issues or delays, I have documentation. Also, I've been treating the job search requirement seriously from day one even though the payments haven't started yet. Better to stay on top of it than scramble later. Hang in there - we're all figuring this out together!
That's really smart advice about keeping detailed records! I hadn't thought about documenting everything but that makes total sense in case there are issues later. Quick question - what exactly counts for the job search requirement? Do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs per week or is it more flexible than that? I want to make sure I'm doing everything right from the beginning.
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Just want to add - when you get the money order, double check that they put the correct amount on it before you leave the store! I had them mess up the amount once and had to get a new one. Also, some places charge different fees for money orders so shop around a bit. Post office is usually cheapest at like $1.45 but grocery stores can be $3-5. And yeah definitely keep that receipt stub - if anything goes wrong you'll need it to trace the money order. Good luck, the whole process is stressful but you'll get through it!
This is really helpful advice! I didn't even think about checking the amount before leaving - that would be such a nightmare to discover later. I'll definitely shop around for the best money order fee too, every dollar counts when you're already paying a penalty. Thanks for the tip about keeping the receipt stub safe!
I've been in your exact shoes and it's so stressful! Here's what worked for me: Get the money order from USPS (cheapest fee), make it payable to "New York State Department of Labor", write your UI claim ID in the memo line, and put your full name + last 4 of SSN on the back. Mail it certified with return receipt so you have proof of delivery. The hardest part is following up after they receive it - their phone system is brutal. I wasted days trying to get through until someone here recommended claimyr.com. They got me connected to an actual agent who confirmed my payment was processed and my benefits resumed within a week. Saved me so much stress and time compared to calling endlessly. Keep certifying weekly even while waiting for this to resolve! Your benefits will backpay once everything is cleared up. You got this! 💪
This is super helpful, thank you! I'm definitely going to go with USPS for the money order since you mentioned they have the cheapest fee. Quick question - when you say "last 4 of SSN on the back," do you mean just the numbers or should I write "SSN: 1234" or something like that? Also, did you include any kind of cover letter with your payment or just send the money order by itself? I want to make sure I don't miss anything that could slow down the process.
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Hey @Yuki Sato, I see you're getting lots of good advice here! I went through this same process last year and want to echo what others are saying - file immediately online, don't wait even a day. The NY DOL website is labor.ny.gov/unemployment. Make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the last 18 months ready. Since you mentioned needing to pay rent in 3 weeks, definitely set up direct deposit during the application - it's much faster than waiting for a debit card. And yes, keep certifying every single week even while your claim is pending! That's crucial. The whole process is frustrating but you'll get through it. Good luck!
This is really comprehensive advice, thank you! I'm definitely going to apply today. One quick question - when you say "employment history for the last 18 months," do they need exact dates or is it okay if I'm off by a few days? I started my job in like early September 2023 but can't remember if it was the 3rd or 5th.
@Lena Kowalski Close dates are fine - they re'not going to reject your claim over being off by a couple days on start dates. Just get as close as you can remember. The important thing is having your employer names, addresses, and approximate timeframes. They mainly use this info to verify your work history and calculate your benefit amount. Don t'stress too much about being perfect with every single date!
Sorry to hear about your layoff @Yuki Sato - that's always stressful! Everyone here has given great advice. I'll add one thing that helped me: if you run into any technical issues with the website (which happens a lot), try applying super early in the morning like 6-7 AM or late at night after 10 PM when fewer people are online. The system is way less glitchy during off-peak hours. Also, don't panic if your first payment seems to take forever - mine took about 3 weeks from approval to actually hitting my bank account, but once it started flowing it was consistent. Hang in there!
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Mae Bennett
The whole system is backwards if you ask me. Why should there be a cap on what employers pay in when some of us make way more than that wage base? Meanwhile they're always complaining about the unemployment fund running low...
Mei Chen
•I see your point about the cap seeming unfair, but there's actually some logic to it. The wage base cap helps keep unemployment insurance affordable for small businesses while still funding the system. If employers had to pay UI taxes on unlimited wages, it could hurt job creation, especially for higher-paying positions. The trade-off is that the system pools risk - everyone contributes based on the cap, but benefits are calculated on actual wages up to reasonable limits. It's not perfect, but it balances keeping the program solvent with not over-burdening employers.
Libby Hassan
Thanks for all the helpful explanations! I work in HR and deal with this regularly. Just to clarify a few things - the $12,300 wage base for 2025 is correct, but it's worth noting that this amount gets adjusted periodically based on economic factors. Also, while your benefits aren't capped by the wage base, New York does have a maximum weekly benefit amount (currently $504 per week). So if you're a high earner, your replacement rate might be lower percentage-wise, but you'll still get much more than someone earning at the wage base level. The system is designed to provide adequate support while keeping employer costs manageable across different business sizes.
This is really helpful info from an HR perspective! I didn't realize the wage base gets adjusted periodically. Do you know how often they review it or what factors they use? Also, that $504 weekly maximum is good to know - helps me understand why some people say their unemployment was less than expected even with decent salaries.
James Martinez
I'm dealing with this same issue right now - been waiting almost 2 weeks for my card and getting really worried about bills coming due. Reading through everyone's advice here is really helpful. I'm going to try calling KeyBank tomorrow morning at 8 AM like Luca suggested, and also double-check my address in the portal just to be safe. It's so frustrating that the phone system for NYS DOL is basically useless when you actually need help. At least it sounds like KeyBank is more responsive once you can get through to them. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes me feel less alone in this mess!
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Sofia Perez
•Hang in there James! I was in your exact position last month and the stress was unreal. The 8 AM KeyBank call strategy really does work - I got through in about 15 minutes versus the hours I wasted trying to reach NYS DOL. Make sure to have your social security number and claim confirmation number ready when you call. Also, if for some reason KeyBank gives you the runaround, you can also try visiting a local KeyBank branch with your unemployment approval letter - sometimes in-person visits get faster results. The waiting is the worst part but you'll get through this!
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Paolo Esposito
I went through this exact nightmare last year! Three weeks is way too long - you're absolutely right to be concerned. Here's what finally worked for me: I called KeyBank at 1-866-295-2955 right when they opened at 8 AM on a weekday. The wait time was much shorter in the morning. When I got through, I explained that I never received my initial unemployment card and needed it expedited since I had bills due. They were able to overnight a replacement card at no charge since the original was clearly lost in transit. The key is being persistent with KeyBank directly - don't let them bounce you back to NYS DOL since their phone system is basically broken. I had my replacement card in hand within 48 hours. Also, once you get the card, definitely set up direct deposit through the KeyBank online portal so you don't have to deal with this card replacement hassle again if it gets lost. I know the stress is overwhelming when rent is due, but you should have your money very soon if you call first thing tomorrow morning!
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