Has anyone had any success with the mobile app? I heard they released a new NY unemployment app in February but haven't tried it myself.

UPDATE: I finally got through! For anyone else struggling with this, here's what worked: I used the Chrome incognito mode suggestion at 6:30am, but the key thing was using my phone's cellular data instead of my home wifi. Somehow that combination let me complete the entire application without any errors. Now I'm just hoping it actually processes correctly. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions! This community is amazing.

yep its real! i got mine back in january. just call the number on the back to activate it. the whole thing is weird cuz nowhere on the envelope does it say its unemployment benefits lol

To answer your original question - yes, you can transfer the funds to your regular bank account after activation. Log into the Wisely account online (instructions come with the card) and look for the transfer option. It usually takes 1-2 business days for the transfer to complete. Just be aware there's a daily transfer limit of $2,500.

@confused_commenter - If you turn off federal withholding, you'll still owe those taxes when you file your federal tax return next year. The difference is whether you pay a little each week (withholding) or all at once at tax time. The total tax amount remains the same. Only the NY state portion is being waived for 2025.

Update: I just changed my withholding preferences to only withhold federal taxes, not state. Thanks everyone for explaining! My payment should be a little higher now without the state portion being taken out. I'll leave the federal withholding on so I don't get hit with a big tax bill next year.

Just wanted to follow up - did you try contacting your state rep or getting through on the phone? Any progress?

That's great progress! The "pending employer verification" issue is quite common, especially with larger companies that have centralized HR departments. Now that the agent has flagged it for urgent follow-up, the system will move your claim forward even if your employer doesn't respond within the new timeframe (they're only required to make two good-faith attempts to contact the employer). Make sure you keep certifying weekly while you wait. And just a tip - take notes of any conversations with NYSDOL including the agent's ID number if they provided one. This helps if you need to reference the conversation in any future communications.

When I had trouble with my claim I just gave up and got a job at Walmart lol. Not worth the headache dealing with government bureaucracy. Good luck tho!

sooo what did u end up doing?? any luck getting your backpay yet??

my brother said if u press 0 three times it sometimes works but i dunno never worked for me lol

UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and it actually worked. Had to wait about 30 mins but that's way better than the 2+ hours I was waiting before (and then getting disconnected). The agent fixed my pending payment issue - turns out there was a "verification flag" on my account that needed to be removed. Payment should process in 2-3 business days! Thanks everyone for your help!

Just checking back - were you able to get this resolved? I'm curious if asking for the Tier 2 specialist worked for you.

Yes! Finally got it resolved yesterday. I took the advice about asking for a Tier 2 specialist and mentioning the \

I had the same pending status for almost 4 weeks. Called like 50 times and could never get through. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above, got through to an agent in about 20 minutes. Turns out there was a simple verification issue they needed to clear up. Claim was approved the next day and got all my backpay at once. Best $20 I ever spent honestly. The regular phone system is completely useless.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my claim finally moved from pending to approved this morning! Exactly 25 days after filing. No intervention needed - it just eventually processed on its own. Thanks for all the advice and reassurance that this was normal. All the back payments were deposited at once like some of you mentioned. Such a relief!

has anyone noticed the site gets worse around the beginign of the month? i swear this is when it always has problems. probably cuz everyone's trying to certify at once for rent money

For anyone still experiencing issues, the NYSDOL has acknowledged the technical difficulties on their official channels. They've stated: 1. No one will be penalized for missing certification deadlines due to today's system issues 2. The main issue has been identified and partially resolved (database connection problems) 3. They recommend using the mobile app instead of the website if possible 4. If you receive error codes, document them and the time of your attempt If you absolutely need to certify today and cannot access the system, calling the Telephone Claims Center is an option, though wait times may be long. For fastest service, try calling right when they open (8:00 AM) tomorrow.

I HATE these scammers!! My brother almost fell for a similar scam last month - they told him he qualified for some special 'job training fund' that required his banking info to 'deposit the benefit.' He was desperate and almost sent them everything before I stopped him. The unemployment system is ALREADY confusing enough without these vultures making it worse. And of course when you call the actual unemployment office to verify, you can never get through!!

Update: I finally got through to a representative at NYSDOL this morning. They confirmed this is absolutely a scam - there is no tourism recovery program connected to unemployment benefits. They placed a note on my account about the phishing attempt and suggested I monitor my credit report for the next few months just as a precaution. Thanks everyone for your help!