I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my claim 4 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending review" ever since. The worst part is I keep seeing people who filed after me already getting their benefits. I've probably called 50+ times with no luck - either busy signals or getting disconnected after hours on hold. It's so frustrating because I worked and paid into this system for years, and now when I actually need it, they make it nearly impossible to access. Reading through these comments, it sounds like calling is basically mandatory now even though the website makes it seem like everything can be done online. Might have to try that claimyr service people keep mentioning since the traditional methods clearly aren't working. Thanks for posting this - at least I know I'm not alone in this mess!

I'm in the exact same situation! Filed my claim 3 weeks ago after getting laid off from my retail job and it's been stuck on "pending review" ever since. I've called probably 30+ times with zero success - always busy signals or getting hung up on after waiting forever. It's so stressful watching my bills pile up while the system just sits there doing nothing. Based on all these comments it really sounds like you HAVE to call to get anywhere, which is insane since the website makes it seem like everything should work online. Definitely going to try calling right at 8am tomorrow and maybe look into that claimyr service if that doesn't work. Thanks for posting this - it helps knowing I'm not the only one dealing with this broken system!

Don't quit unless you absolutely have to! The system is rigged against workers who quit. Even with 'good cause' they'll find ways to deny you. Better to get fired honestly, then you're guaranteed benefits.

same boat here, my supervisor has been awful but idk if i can prove it enough for unemployment... might just have to stick it out until i find something else

i made a spreadsheet to track all my calls to unemployment last year: - 47 calls over 3 weeks - average wait: 1hr 22min - got hung up on: 19 times - reached human: 6 times - problem actually solved: ONCE the system is a joke 🤡

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in October, got caught up in their verification nightmare for 2 months, and didn't certify during that time because the system kept showing my claim as "pending" and I thought there was no point. Now I'm approved but missing like 8 weeks of payments that I desperately need. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - sounds like getting through to someone is a full-time job in itself. I'm definitely going to try that "payment not received" tip when calling the automated system. Has anyone had success getting backdated more than 6-8 weeks? I'm worried they'll say it's been too long even though it was their verification process that caused the delay in the first place. This whole system seems designed to make people give up and walk away from money they're legally entitled to.

The whole unemployment system is just another way for the government to control businesses if you ask me. Making employers pay all these taxes and then bureaucrats decide who gets benefits and who doesn't. At least you're getting something back but the red tape is ridiculous.

Thanks for all the detailed explanations! As someone new to this, it's really helpful to understand that the money comes from employer contributions rather than my own paycheck deductions. I was actually feeling guilty about collecting benefits, thinking I was somehow taking money I hadn't earned or contributed to. Knowing that my previous employers already paid into this system based on having me as an employee makes me feel more comfortable about using the benefits while I search for new work. The experience rating system also makes a lot of sense - it creates incentives for companies to think twice before laying people off unnecessarily.

Just went through this exact situation. The key is to gather all your documentation before you appeal. I had to pay back $1,400 but it turned out I actually did make a mistake with reporting some freelance work. If you truly reported everything correctly, you should be able to get the overpayment reversed. NYS Department of Labor makes mistakes too, but you need proof to challenge it.

I went through something similar last year and it was stressful but manageable. First thing - don't panic and don't ignore it. The $2,100 overpayment could be due to several reasons: miscalculated weekly benefit amounts, unreported earnings, or even their system error. You absolutely have rights here. Request your full payment history and earnings records from my.ny.gov, then compare them with your own records of reported income. If everything matches up and you reported correctly, file an appeal within 30 days. Even if you do owe money, NYS Department of Labor typically allows payment plans - I've seen people pay as little as $50-75 monthly. The important thing is to respond and engage with the process rather than avoiding it.