I just went through this exact process last month! You can definitely reopen your claim since it's only been 6 months. One tip that really helped me - when you log into my.ny.gov, if you don't see the "reopen claim" button right away, try clicking on "View Claim History" first, then the reopen option should appear. Also, have your recent pay stubs ready because they might ask for them to verify your employment dates. The whole process took about 10 days for me from reopening to getting my first payment. Good luck!

I'm in a similar situation - my job ended 2 weeks ago after 8 months of employment, and I had about 4 months left on my original claim when I started working. Reading through these responses has been super helpful! Just wanted to add that when I called the DOL yesterday (took 3 hours to get through), they confirmed that you should definitely reopen rather than file new if you're within your benefit year. The agent also mentioned that if you worked full-time for more than 10 weeks, they might need to do an earnings review to see if your weekly benefit amount changes, but the process is still faster than starting over. Planning to reopen mine tomorrow - fingers crossed it goes smoothly!

just a heads up the rules change sometimes so whatever you find online might be outdated... always verify with current NYS Department of Labor guidance

Also worth mentioning that certain non-profit organizations may have different UI tax requirements - some 501(c)(3) organizations can elect to reimburse the state directly for unemployment benefits paid to their former employees instead of paying regular UI taxes. And clergy members are typically exempt from UI coverage unless they specifically elect coverage. The NYS Department of Labor publication "Employer's Guide to Unemployment Insurance" has all these details, though like someone mentioned, make sure you're looking at the most current version since rules do change.

I'm dealing with this same EXACT situation right now!!! My payment was released Monday and still nothing in my account today (Thursday). Called NYSDOL and they said everything looks fine on their end and to just wait. So frustrating when the bills are piling up. Let me know when yours finally hits so I can get some hope lol

Hey there! I've been through this exact same situation with Varo and NY unemployment. From my experience, it usually takes 1-3 business days after the "released" status shows up. Since you mentioned it was released on the 15th (Tuesday), I'd expect to see it by today or tomorrow at the latest. The fact that this is your first payment (including backpay) might add an extra day or two to the process - the system sometimes takes longer to set up that initial direct deposit connection. I know the waiting is absolutely brutal when you've got bills breathing down your neck. If it doesn't show up by tomorrow, definitely give them a call just to make sure there are no issues with your banking info. But try not to stress too much - once it says "released" the money is definitely coming your way! Hang in there 💪

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed about 6 weeks ago, sent everything back immediately, and my adjudication closed last week but I'm still stuck on pending. It's been so stressful not knowing what's happening or when I might actually see any money. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly such a relief - sounds like this waiting period after adjudication closes is totally normal and most people eventually get their backpay once the system catches up. I've been doing my weekly certifications religiously and checking that payment history tab way too much (probably like 5 times a day lol). Based on what everyone's sharing, it seems like anywhere from a few days to 3 weeks is pretty typical for payments to start processing after adjudication closes. Definitely going to look into that claimyr service if I don't see any movement in the next week - $20 seems totally worth it for some actual answers instead of just wondering what's going on. Thanks so much @Miguel Castro for posting this and thanks to everyone sharing their timelines and advice! It really helps to know we're all going through this together. Fingers crossed we all see some positive updates soon! 🤞

Been in this exact situation for the past 2 weeks! My adjudication closed but I'm still showing pending status. I called the DOL office in Albany directly (found their local number online) and surprisingly got through after only 30 minutes on hold. The rep told me that once adjudication closes, it typically takes 7-21 business days for payments to process depending on their current backlog. She also mentioned that as long as you keep certifying weekly, you'll get all your backpay retroactively once it goes through. The key is just being patient - the system is slow but it does work eventually. Keep your head up everyone! 💪

UPDATE: I completed the ID.me verification using my current email and it worked fine! The system asked me to verify my phone number, upload my driver's license, and do a video selfie. The whole process took about 15 minutes. Now I'm waiting to see if/when my unemployment payments will start coming through. Thank you everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting through the ID.me verification! Just a heads up - keep an eye on your NYSDOL account over the next few days. Sometimes there can be a delay between ID.me completing and your unemployment account actually updating to show you're verified. If you don't see any changes in your payment status within a week, definitely call or use one of those callback services people mentioned. The 3-week wait you've already had is way too long, so hopefully this gets things moving for you quickly!