Good luck getting through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about this. I've been trying to get clarification on part-time work rules for weeks and can never get through. The phone system is impossible and their website doesn't give clear examples for different situations.

just dont report small amounts like under $100 nobody checks that stuff anyway

I'm on day 10 of waiting for my unemployment claim review after being laid off from my retail job when the store closed permanently. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! It sounds like I'm right at the edge of that typical 7-10 business day window that most people have mentioned. The "under review" status has been driving me absolutely crazy - I've definitely been one of those people checking the portal multiple times a day hoping for some kind of update. It's wild how much stress this process creates when you're already dealing with the uncertainty of unemployment. The suggestion about limiting portal checks to once daily is brilliant and something I really need to implement. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it really helps to know this waiting period is completely normal even though it feels endless when bills are piling up!

I'm on day 3 of waiting for my claim to be reviewed after being laid off from my accounting firm due to downsizing, and this entire thread has been such a godsend for my anxiety! Before finding this, I was convinced that "under review" meant something was wrong with my application. It's incredibly reassuring to see that the 7-10 business day timeline is so consistent across everyone's experiences, regardless of when they applied. The obsessive portal checking is so real - I've been refreshing it probably every few hours thinking somehow it would magically update with more information. I'm definitely going to try that once-a-day rule that multiple people have recommended. It's frustrating that NYS DOL's system is so opaque compared to other government services, but knowing this wait is completely normal makes it so much more bearable. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and timelines!

Wow, reading through all these responses is so reassuring - I thought I was the only one dealing with this nightmare! 😅 I've been stuck on this maiden name issue for about 10 days now and was starting to feel like I was going crazy. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet that might help: check if you might have used your mom's confirmation name or religious name instead of her legal maiden name. My mom is Catholic and I just realized I might have used her confirmation name "Marie" instead of her actual maiden name when I was quickly filling out forms. Also, if your parents were divorced and your mom went back to using her maiden name, you might have accidentally entered her married name from when you were growing up instead of her original maiden name. I know that sounds confusing but family name history can be surprisingly complicated! I'm definitely going to try the systematic approach everyone's talking about - making a list of every possible variation including all the brilliant suggestions here (hyphens, capitalization, middle initials, birth years, professional names, etc.) and working through them methodically. This community is amazing for coming together to solve this bureaucratic puzzle! I'll report back if I crack my personal code. Thanks everyone for making me feel less alone in this struggle! 🙏

I'm going through this exact same frustrating issue right now! 😤 I've been trying to update my direct deposit for almost a week and that stupid "mother's maiden name doesn't match" error keeps blocking me. Reading through everyone's detective strategies has been incredibly helpful though - I never would have thought of trying so many different variations! One thing I want to add that might help others: if your mom ever legally changed the spelling of her name (even slightly), you might have used the newer spelling when you originally signed up but their system has the old version stored. My mom changed her name from "Catherine" to "Kathryn" when she got married decades ago, and I'm wondering if I used the updated spelling without thinking about it. Also, for anyone dealing with the phone call anxiety - I totally get it! But after reading all these success stories, I'm feeling way more confident about calling tomorrow morning right when they open. At least now I have specific things to ask them to check in their system instead of just feeling helpless. This community support is honestly what's keeping me sane through this bureaucratic nightmare. It's ridiculous that we need to become genealogy detectives just to access our own benefits, but at least we're all figuring it out together! I'll definitely update this thread when I crack my personal security code mystery. Thanks everyone! 🙏

I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now and this entire thread has been a godsend! Just noticed a forfeit week on my payment history this morning and I was absolutely panicking until I found all these detailed responses. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like these forfeit weeks are usually caused by simple reporting errors during certification - which is probably what happened to me too. I had some confusing part-time work schedules last month and I'm pretty sure I mixed up which weeks to report certain income under. Already found a vague determination notice in my online account that just says "payment discrepancy" but nothing specific. Planning to follow everyone's game plan here: - Organize all my pay stubs and create a detailed work timeline - Call DOL and ask for the specific reason code (this tip seems crucial!) - Have all my documentation ready to explain what actually happened The fact that so many people here got their forfeit weeks reversed and received back payments is giving me so much hope right now. I was terrified this would mess up all my future certifications but knowing I can keep filing normally while an appeal processes is such a relief. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's incredible how helpful this community is for navigating these confusing situations! Definitely feeling way more confident about tackling this now 🙏

I just went through this exact same situation about 6 weeks ago and I completely understand that panic feeling when you see those $0 payments! The combination of a waiting week AND a forfeit week is definitely stressful. From my experience, the forfeit week almost always means there was some kind of discrepancy in your work or income reporting during certification. In my case, I had reported some freelance work for the wrong week and the system flagged it as inconsistent. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Check your online account under "Determinations" and "Correspondence" - sometimes there's a PDF explaining the forfeit that's easy to miss 2. Gather ALL your pay stubs and work records for those weeks in question 3. Create a detailed timeline of when you actually worked vs. what you reported during certification When you call DOL (and yes, you'll need to call), ask the agent for the specific "reason code" for your forfeit - don't accept vague explanations. They can see way more detail on their system than what shows up in your online account. The good news is that most of these situations are totally fixable once you prove what actually happened. I got my forfeit week reversed and received back payment about 3 weeks later. Keep certifying for your current weeks while this gets resolved - the forfeit won't affect future payments as long as you report correctly going forward. The waiting week is completely normal - everyone gets that unpaid first week when starting a claim. But definitely get to the bottom of that forfeit ASAP. You've got this! 💪

Great question! I was worried about this exact same thing when I first started collecting unemployment. Your cousin might be thinking of situations where people commit fraud or make errors on their claims. As long as you've been honest about your job search activities and haven't worked without reporting it, you're totally in the clear. The whole point of unemployment insurance is to bridge the gap until you find new employment - getting hired is the success story they want to see! Just make sure to report your new job start date on your final weekly certification and you'll be all set.

Your cousin might be confusing unemployment with other benefits or maybe heard about someone who had to repay due to fraud. The unemployment system is actually designed to support you while you're looking for work, and finding a job is the intended outcome! I went through the same worry when I got hired after collecting for about 2 months. Just make sure on your final weekly certification to accurately report your last day of unemployment and your job start date. The NYS DOL website has a section that explains this - you're only required to repay if you received benefits you weren't entitled to (like working unreported hours or being unavailable for work). Since you've been following the rules and actively job searching, you should have nothing to worry about. Congrats on the new position!