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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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Makes sense now why some companies try so hard to avoid layoffs. It literally costs them more money in unemployment taxes down the road if they have to let people go frequently.
Just to clarify for Dylan - you were absolutely right to file your claim! As others mentioned, employers pay unemployment insurance taxes specifically for situations like this. It's built into the cost of doing business, and legitimate layoffs due to lack of work are exactly what the system is designed for. Your employer in Rochester shouldn't have any reason to contest a straightforward layoff, and even if they did, the NYS DOL investigates thoroughly. Don't let worry about your former employer stop you from claiming benefits you've earned through your work history.
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Glad it all worked out! I've been there with the Sunday night panic certification too. One tip that's helped me - I set up a recurring calendar reminder for Saturday evenings that says "Certify for unemployment tomorrow." That way I remember to do it Sunday morning when I'm relaxed instead of scrambling at the last minute. The peace of mind is worth it!
That's a brilliant idea! I'm definitely going to set up a Saturday reminder too. The stress of waiting to see if the payment comes through is not worth the convenience of doing it whenever. Thanks for the tip!
I'm new to NY unemployment and this thread is super helpful! I just started collecting benefits and wasn't sure about the certification timing. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel more confident about the process. Question though - is there any advantage to certifying early on Sunday versus later in the day, or does it really not matter as long as it's before midnight?
Welcome to NY unemployment! From what I've learned lurking here, there's no real advantage to certifying early vs late on Sunday - the system processes everything in one batch overnight. The main benefit of doing it early is just peace of mind and avoiding that last-minute panic like Sean had. I usually try to do mine Sunday morning with my coffee so I don't have to think about it the rest of the day. Good luck with your benefits!
@Amina Sow Welcome! I ve'been collecting for about 8 months now and can confirm timing doesn t'affect processing - it s'all done in one batch. But I d'recommend doing it Sunday morning if possible just to avoid the stress. Also, keep screenshots of your confirmation pages just in case there are ever any issues. The NY system can be glitchy sometimes and having proof you certified on time has saved me twice when payments got delayed for technical reasons.
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Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to try a two-pronged approach: 1) File the appeal right away to get that process started, and 2) Try calling using that Claimyr service to see if I can get someone on the phone who might be able to help more quickly. I'll update once I have any progress. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!
Sounds like a solid plan. Make sure to have all your documentation ready when you call - pay stubs, any communication from employers, and the determination notice itself. Good luck!
Just wanted to add my experience - I had forfeit days last summer and was able to get them reduced by calling the 209 number. The key was having all my paperwork ready and being really clear about what happened. I got through on my third try (called early morning around 8:15am) and the rep was actually pretty helpful. She looked at my account and saw it was an honest mistake with reporting part-time work, so she reduced my forfeit from 6 weeks to 2 weeks right there. Definitely worth trying the phone first before going the formal appeal route, especially if it's just a reporting error.
That's really encouraging to hear! I think mine might be a similar situation - just confusion about how to report some part-time hours correctly. 8:15am is a good tip for timing, I'll definitely try calling first thing in the morning. Did you have to provide any specific documents over the phone, or were they able to see everything they needed in your account already?
That gives me a lot of hope! My situation sounds very similar - I think I messed up reporting some part-time work hours and got hit with forfeit days as a result. Did they ask you to explain the situation in detail, or were they able to see the issue pretty quickly once they pulled up your account? I'm trying to prepare for what to expect when I call.
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I was in a similar situation and had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to even ask about my eligibility. The phone lines are always busy and when I finally got through they couldn't give me a straight answer about my specific case. It's so frustrating trying to navigate this system when you're already stressed about money. Has anyone found a better way to get actual answers from them?
I had the same problem with getting through to NYS Department of Labor. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they call and wait on hold for you then connect you when they get an agent. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.
Just apply anyway and see what happens. Worst case they say no. I know someone who got approved even though they thought they wouldn't qualify. The NYS Department of Labor system is confusing enough that sometimes you get surprised.
While I understand the 'just try it' approach, it's better to understand the requirements first. Filing an invalid claim can sometimes create issues later. The poster should definitely check their wage history on their my.ny.gov account to see what covered wages they have in their base period before filing.
Connor Richards
Restaurant separations can be tricky because NYS Department of Labor might need to verify if you were laid off due to business needs versus fired for cause. They also sometimes review tip reporting if your wages seem inconsistent. Keep filing your weekly claims even while pending - you'll get back payments once it's approved. The 2-3 week timeline is unfortunately pretty normal for initial claims that need review.
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Isabella Tucker
•Ok that makes me feel better. I was definitely laid off, not fired, so hopefully that's clear in their records.
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Freya Ross
I went through something similar last year - my restaurant claim was pending for about 18 days before it got resolved. In my case, they were verifying my separation reason and cross-checking with my employer's report. One thing that helped was making sure I had documentation ready (like my final pay stub and any layoff notice if you got one). Also, keep doing those weekly certifications religiously even though it feels pointless right now. Once they approve it, you'll get all the back payments. The waiting is brutal but try not to panic - most restaurant claims do get approved eventually, they just take longer to process.
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