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Just went through adjudication myself about 3 months ago - totally understand the panic when you first hear that word! In my case it was because there was a discrepancy between what I reported as my last day of work vs what my employer reported. Took about 6 weeks total but I got fully approved with backpay for every week I filed. The most important thing is to respond to ANY correspondence from DOL immediately - I mean same day if possible. They sent me a questionnaire about my job separation and I had it filled out and submitted within 4 hours. Also keep calling even though it's frustrating - I used the redial trick where you call right at 8am and just keep hitting redial until you get through. Usually took about 45 minutes of constant redialing but way better than the automated callback system. One thing nobody told me - keep track of your weekly benefit amount because once you're approved, all that backpay hits your account at once and it can be confusing to verify the total. Document everything and stay persistent! You got this Connor! 💪
@Freya Larsen this is exactly what I needed to hear right now! Just found out about my adjudication status yesterday and been spiraling a bit. The redial trick sounds way better than waiting for callbacks that never come - definitely trying that tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. Really smart point about tracking the weekly benefit amount for when backpay hits, I wouldn t'have thought of that. 6 weeks feels like forever when you re'waiting but knowing you got fully approved with all backpay gives me hope. Did you have to provide any additional documentation beyond the questionnaire they sent, or was responding quickly to their forms enough to resolve it? Thanks for sharing your experience, this community has been such a lifeline! 🙏
Just went through adjudication myself and wanted to share what helped me get through it! Mine lasted about 4 weeks and was due to wage verification issues from a previous job. The waiting was absolutely brutal but I kept myself sane by creating a routine - checked my online account every morning at 9am, called DOL every Tuesday/Thursday at exactly 8:01am, and kept detailed notes of every interaction. One thing that really helped was joining this subreddit and a few Facebook groups where people share real-time updates about their cases. Seeing others go through the same thing made me feel less alone. Also discovered that you can message them through the secure inbox on the NY.gov site - sometimes got faster responses than calling! Most important things: NEVER stop filing weekly claims (even though you won't get paid during adjudication, you need them for backpay), respond to any mail/email within 24 hours, and answer ALL unknown phone calls (they only try calling twice!). When I finally got approved, I received 4 weeks of backpay all at once which was such a huge relief. The system is definitely broken and the uncertainty is the worst part, but stay strong Connor! Document everything, stay persistent, and don't give up. Most legitimate claims do get resolved eventually, even if it takes longer than it should. You got this! 💪
@Connor O'Reilly wow thank you so much for this detailed breakdown! It's actually kind of wild that we have the same first name and are both going through this mess 😅 Your routine idea is really smart - I think having structure will definitely help with the anxiety instead of just randomly checking things throughout the day. The Facebook groups suggestion keeps coming up so I'm definitely going to look into those today. Really glad to hear you got your 4 weeks of backpay all at once, that must have been such a relief! Quick question about the secure inbox messaging - did you find they actually responded faster than phone calls? I've been focusing all my energy on calling but if messaging works better that could be a game changer. Thanks for sharing your experience and the encouragement, this community has been incredible! 🙏
Just to add - when you do get through to reschedule, ask them to note in your file that you had a medical emergency. Also request that they send you written confirmation of the new interview date and time. Sometimes there are communication issues and you want everything documented.
This is really good advice! I learned the hard way to always get things in writing when dealing with government agencies. @Chloe Taylor - also make sure to keep a record of when you called them back and who you spoke with. Having a paper trail can really help if there are any disputes later about what was said or agreed to.
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Missing the interview is stressful but definitely not the end of the world. Here's what worked for me: I called the main unemployment number first thing the next morning and explained I had a medical emergency. They transferred me to the adjudication unit who was actually pretty understanding. I had to fax over my doctor's appointment confirmation and a brief letter explaining what happened. They rescheduled me for the following week and everything worked out fine. The key is to be proactive and call them before they send you any denial notices. Also, when you do get your rescheduled interview, answer the phone 5-10 minutes early and keep it nearby - they sometimes call a few minutes before the scheduled time. You've got this!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so much for sharing your experience @Amara Nwosu. It's really reassuring to know someone went through the same thing and it worked out. I'm definitely going to call first thing tomorrow morning and get that documentation ready. The tip about answering early is super helpful too - I had no idea they might call ahead of the scheduled time. Feeling much less panicked now!
I just went through this exact situation a few months ago - hours cut from full-time to barely part-time, then got hit with a "voluntary quit" determination. The appeal process was stressful but totally worth it. A few things that really helped my case: 1) I took photos of my work schedule/timesheet showing the dramatic hour reduction over time, 2) I saved any text messages or emails where my supervisor mentioned the cuts were permanent or business-related, and 3) I documented how the reduced income made it impossible to pay basic expenses like rent. The hearing was actually pretty straightforward - the judge asked direct questions about what happened and why I left. My employer didn't even show up to contest it, which happens more often than you'd think. The whole process from appeal to decision took about 6-8 weeks for me. Don't let them intimidate you - if your hours were genuinely cut to the point where you couldn't survive on them, you have every right to those benefits. The system is designed to help people in situations exactly like yours.
This gives me so much hope! The fact that your employer didn't even show up is interesting - I wonder if that happens because they know they don't have a strong case when they've clearly cut someone's hours that drastically. Your point about documenting the financial impact is really smart too. I hadn't thought about gathering evidence showing how the reduced wages affected my ability to pay basic expenses, but that makes total sense for proving the job became unsustainable. Thanks for sharing your timeline too - knowing it might take 6-8 weeks helps me plan better. Did you continue to certify for benefits during the appeal process or do you have to wait until it's resolved?
I went through a similar appeal last year after being wrongly classified as a voluntary quit when my employer cut my hours from 32 to about 6 per week. The whole process was intimidating at first but definitely worth fighting. A couple of additional tips that helped me: Make sure you file your appeal online through my.ny.gov rather than mailing it - the online system gives you a confirmation receipt and tracks your submission. Also, when you write your appeal statement, be very specific about the timeline - include exact dates when your hours were cut, how much they were reduced, and when you ultimately had to leave. I created a simple spreadsheet showing my weekly hours and pay for about 3 months before and after the cuts, which made the impact crystal clear to the judge. One thing I wish someone had told me is that you can continue certifying for benefits during the appeal process even though you're not getting paid yet - this keeps your claim active. If you win the appeal, they'll pay you retroactively for those weeks. The hearing itself was less scary than I expected - just be honest, stick to the facts, and have your documents organized. You've got this!
I'm in a similar situation - just got furloughed from my retail job yesterday and feeling overwhelmed about the whole process. Reading through everyone's responses here is really helpful! One question I have is about the waiting period that Grace mentioned - does that mean there's automatically a delay before you start receiving benefits, or is that just processing time? Also, for anyone who's been through this, do you have to actively search for other work while on furlough, or does the expectation of returning to your original job count as your work search requirement? I want to make sure I'm following all the rules correctly so I don't mess up my claim.
Hey Ethan! The waiting period Grace mentioned is just processing time - there's no automatic delay like some other states have. As for work search, you still need to be "able and available" for work, but since you're expecting to return to your furloughed job, you can often satisfy the work search requirement by being available for recall. Just make sure to document that you're ready to return when called back. Some people register with job search websites or check a few listings each week just to be safe, but the key is being genuinely available if other opportunities come up or if your employer calls you back early.
I went through furlough unemployment with NYS Department of Labor about 6 months ago when my manufacturing company temporarily shut down our production line. Here are some key things I wish I'd known: 1) File your claim the Sunday of the week your furlough starts - the system processes new claims on Sundays and you want to get in the queue early. 2) When they ask about your "last day worked," use the actual last day you worked, not the day your furlough officially begins. 3) Keep checking your online account regularly because sometimes they'll request additional documentation and you only have a limited time to respond. 4) If your employer offers any kind of benefits continuation during furlough (like health insurance), make sure to mention that in your application - it won't affect your UI eligibility but they like to have complete info. The whole process took about 2 weeks for me to see my first deposit, and I was able to collect benefits for the full 7 weeks I was furloughed before getting called back. Don't stress too much - furlough situations are pretty straightforward for them to process!
This is really detailed advice, thanks Sophia! I'm curious about the timing - you mentioned filing on Sunday of the week your furlough starts. My furlough officially begins this Monday, so should I file this Sunday (tomorrow) or wait until the following Sunday? I want to make sure I get the timing right since you said it's important to get in the queue early.
Michael Adams
I went through something similar a few months ago and it was nerve-wracking! In my case, the "pending issue/denied" status showed up because NYS Department of Labor needed to verify my reason for leaving my last job - apparently my employer had reported it differently than what I put on my initial application. The whole thing took about 4-5 weeks to resolve, but like others said, I kept filing my weekly claims and got all the back payments once they cleared it up. One thing that helped me was logging into the website daily to check if any new correspondence appeared in my inbox, even though they're supposed to mail stuff too. Sometimes there are additional documents or questionnaires they want you to fill out that only show up online. Hang in there - most of these issues do get resolved eventually!
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AstroAce
•That's really helpful to know about checking the online inbox daily! I hadn't thought about additional documents only showing up there. Did you get any kind of notification when they finally resolved your case, or did you just notice the status change when you checked? I'm trying to figure out if I should expect some kind of alert or if I need to keep checking manually every day.
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Mia Roberts
I had the exact same status appear on my claim about 6 months ago and I completely panicked! Turns out it was because I had reported some freelance work income but didn't include all the documentation they needed. The key thing I learned is that "pending issue/denied" doesn't mean you're actually denied yet - it just means they've flagged something that needs review before they can continue payments. Definitely keep filing your weekly claims like others have said, because those weeks will get paid retroactively if the issue gets resolved in your favor. Also, try checking your online account every few days for any questionnaires or document requests that might pop up - sometimes they'll ask for additional info to help resolve the issue faster. The waiting is awful but most of these do get cleared up within a few weeks!
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