The system is so unfair honestly. People make mistakes and then they can't even get help when they lose their job because of it. I get that there have to be rules but sometimes life happens and people need support to get back on their feet.

I've been through a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned. Your friend should definitely file for unemployment benefits regardless - it's free to apply and the worst case is getting denied. When I went through this process, I discovered that NYS Department of Labor looks at several factors beyond just the failed test itself. They consider things like whether proper procedures were followed, if the employee was given adequate notice of the drug testing policy, and whether the role was safety-sensitive. Even if initially denied, the appeals process can sometimes uncover procedural issues that work in the claimant's favor. The key is to be completely honest on the application and provide any relevant documentation they might have about the circumstances.

Same boat here! Filed yesterday morning and still showing pending. The waiting game is the worst part of this whole process. Thanks for asking this - was wondering the same thing but didn't want to seem impatient 😅

I've been dealing with this for months now and honestly the timing is all over the place. Sometimes it updates at 7:30am sharp, other times I'm checking until like 3pm. What I've noticed is that if you file late Sunday night it might not process until later Monday. Also check your bank account directly - sometimes the money hits before the website even updates the status. The whole system needs a major overhaul tbh 🙄

Just make sure you file soon after your job ended. There's usually a waiting period and you don't want to lose out on any weeks of benefits you're entitled to.

I'm 58 and was in a similar situation a few months ago - lost my part-time retail job and was worried about how my early Social Security would affect unemployment. Like others mentioned, you can definitely receive both! Just wanted to add that when you file your initial claim, they'll ask about all income sources but Social Security won't disqualify you. The key thing is being honest about your work availability - I made it clear I was looking for part-time work that would work with my schedule and had no problems. Good luck Paolo, and don't wait too long to file!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! The contradictory letters are definitely a system glitch - what likely happened is that the automated system processed your childcare reason correctly for the employer notification but somehow triggered a different decision pathway for your personal letter. A few things that helped me get it resolved faster: - When you call, ask to speak specifically to a "Claims Examiner" rather than general customer service - Have your confirmation number from both letters ready when you call - Try calling right when they open (8am) - I had better luck getting through then The good news is that since you have documentation showing you were already approved (the employer letter), this should be a pretty straightforward fix once you get someone on the phone. My case got corrected within 48 hours once I reached the right person, and I received full backpay dating to my original claim date. Definitely keep that hearing appointment though - better to be safe than sorry with the NY DOL system!

I'm going through something very similar right now! Got my denial letter about 2 weeks ago, but when I called my former employer to ask about their side of things, they mentioned they received a letter saying I was approved for benefits due to "involuntary separation." Meanwhile, my letter says I was denied for the same reason - it makes no sense! I've been trying to get through to someone at DOL for days now. The longest I waited was 4 hours yesterday before getting disconnected. It's so frustrating when you know there's obviously just a computer error but you can't get anyone to fix it. Reading all these responses is actually really helpful though - I had no idea this was such a common problem with their system. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned, and I'll make sure to ask for a Claims Examiner specifically when I do get through. Thanks for posting about this! Sometimes it helps just knowing you're not alone in dealing with these system glitches.

Going through the exact same thing right now! I certified on Wednesday morning and it's Friday evening with absolutely nothing in my payment history. Usually it shows up within a few hours like you said. After reading all these comments, it sounds like there's definitely some kind of system-wide issue happening this week. I'm going to check my message center tomorrow morning and try calling right when they open at 7:30am. If that doesn't work, I might have to bite the bullet and try Claimyr since so many people here are saying it actually works. It's just crazy that we have to pay a service to get through to our own state agency! Really hoping this resolves for all of us soon - the stress of not knowing if your payment is coming when you have bills due is awful. Keep us updated if you hear anything!

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! Certified on Tuesday and it's now Saturday with absolutely nothing showing in my payment history. This is really stressful because I have my electric bill due Monday and was counting on this payment. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's somewhat reassuring to know this seems to be a widespread problem this week rather than something specific to my account. I'm going to follow the advice here and check my message center first thing Monday morning, then try calling right at 7:30am when they open. If I can't get through after a few attempts, I think I'll have to try that Claimyr service that so many people are recommending - it sounds like it actually works even though it's frustrating we have to pay extra just to reach our own state agency. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions, it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!