This happened to me last year and it turned out NYS Department of Labor was collecting on an overpayment from 2023 that I didn't even know about. They just started taking $25 per week without telling me. You should definitely call and ask for a detailed explanation of any deductions.

I had a similar issue a few months ago where my weekly amount dropped unexpectedly. It ended up being federal tax withholding that got automatically adjusted - apparently they can change the withholding percentage based on your total benefit year earnings. Check your payment history in the NYS DOL portal and look for any line items showing tax deductions or adjustments. You can also try messaging them through the secure inbox in your account, sometimes that gets faster responses than calling.

I'm on month 6 of unemployment and never had a single interview. My neighbor got laid off the same time as me from the SAME COMPANY and she's had two interviews already. Makes zero sense how they decide who to check up on.

I've been dealing with the same thing! Got my first eligibility interview after just 4 weeks on unemployment, then another one scheduled 6 weeks later. It's definitely frustrating when you hear about people who collected for months without any contact. From what I've gathered talking to others, it seems like there might be certain triggers - like if your initial claim had any delays or verification issues, or maybe certain industries get flagged more often. I keep meticulous records of every job I apply to with screenshots and confirmation emails, which has helped make the interviews go smoothly. Still annoying though when you're already stressed about being unemployed and they keep making you prove you're doing what you're supposed to be doing!

Just joined this community and wow, what a journey Emma! So glad you finally got through and got your issue resolved. I'm actually dealing with something similar right now - my claim has been pending for 2 weeks and I've been getting nowhere with the phone system. Reading through all these tips is incredibly helpful. The Thursday afternoon timing suggestion and the 1-1-2 menu path seem to be the most promising strategies. I'm definitely going to try calling tomorrow afternoon and see if I can get the same luck you had. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know there are real solutions that work, even if the system is frustrating. Fingers crossed I'll have a success story to share soon too!

As someone who just went through this exact same nightmare last month, I feel your pain! One thing that finally worked for me was using the online chat feature on the NY.gov website during off-peak hours (like 11pm-1am). I know it sounds crazy, but they have overnight support staff and way fewer people are trying to chat at that time. When the chat agents can't help directly, they can sometimes schedule you for a priority callback the next business day. Also, if you're on social media, try reaching out to @nyslabor on Twitter with your case details - they've been pretty responsive to public complaints lately and can sometimes escalate urgent cases. Hope this helps and hang in there!

26 weeks is NOTHING when you're actually trying to find decent work in this economy!! I burned through mine so fast and now I'm stuck with nothing. The whole system is ridiculous - they expect you to take any minimum wage job just to get off benefits.

I'm in a similar situation - been on unemployment for about 18 weeks now and getting anxious about the time limit. One thing I learned is that you should also check if you qualify for any job training programs through NYS Department of Labor while you still have benefits. Some of them can extend your eligibility or provide additional support. Also, if your benefit year ends and you haven't used all 26 weeks due to gaps in claiming, you might be able to establish a new claim if you've earned enough wages since your last claim started.

I went through something similar last year when I got laid off from my marketing job. The waiting can be really stressful, especially when bills are due! In my experience, NY unemployment payments usually show up 3-4 business days after you certify for the week following your waiting week. Since your waiting week was Sept 12th, and you've been certifying weekly since then, you should definitely see something soon if everything is processing normally. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately when any deposit hit my account. Also, make sure to keep certifying every week even if you haven't been paid yet - they'll back-pay all the eligible weeks once the payments start flowing. If you don't see anything by Friday, I'd definitely try to get in touch with them somehow. The system can have random glitches that only a human can resolve. Hang in there!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed in late July after my startup laid off half the team, had my waiting week processed in early September, and I'm still waiting for my first payment. It's so frustrating because the online portal makes everything look like it's approved and processing normally, but then... nothing. I've been certifying every Sunday morning religiously and answering all the questions the same way each time. The financial stress is real - I had to ask family for help with rent last month which was really hard. Reading through these comments gives me some hope that it's just normal delays and not something wrong with my claim. I think I might try that Claimyr service if I don't see anything by this weekend. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know I'm not alone in this!