I totally get this feeling. I've been through the NYS Department of Labor system twice now and it's like they expect you to be a full-time expert on their processes while you're dealing with the stress of being unemployed. The worst part is how they make you feel like you're doing something wrong when really it's just their system being unnecessarily complicated. One thing that helped me was setting up a dedicated email folder and calendar reminders for all the requirements - it doesn't make the system less broken but at least you don't miss deadlines on top of everything else. Hang in there, you're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed by this whole mess.

I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for about 3 months now and honestly, you've hit the nail on the head. The "problem of unemployment" really is way more than just not having income - it's like they've created this whole secondary crisis around accessing the benefits you're entitled to. What gets me is how they expect you to be available for work while simultaneously requiring you to spend hours every week just managing their paperwork and trying to reach them by phone. It's like a part-time job just to get unemployment benefits. I keep detailed records now of every interaction, every form submitted, every phone call attempt, because I've learned the hard way that they'll ask you to prove things you never thought you'd need to prove. The system definitely feels designed to exhaust people into giving up rather than actually helping during a difficult time.

Just keep filing your weekly claims as normal while this plays out. Even if they do appeal, you can continue receiving benefits during the appeal process unless NYS Department of Labor specifically tells you to stop.

As someone who went through a similar situation, I can tell you that most employer threats to appeal are just bluffs. They know they have 30 days but also know that appeals require them to provide concrete evidence of misconduct - not just their word against yours. Since you have documentation showing you were laid off due to budget cuts, they'd have a very weak case. Keep that termination letter safe and don't let their intimidation tactics stress you out. Continue filing your weekly claims and focus on your job search. If they were going to appeal, they probably would have done it immediately rather than making threats.

This is such a relief to see! I'm a new claimant and was getting really worried when I saw similar posts about the system glitches. It's good to know that delays like this are somewhat normal and usually resolve within a day or two. Thanks for posting the update - it helps those of us who are still learning how the NY unemployment system works!

I'm also new to the NY unemployment system and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just started claiming a few weeks ago and seeing posts like this made me realize these system glitches are more common than I thought. It's reassuring to know there's a community here where people share their experiences and help each other out. The advice about waiting 48 hours before panicking and checking for confirmation emails is really valuable for newcomers like me who don't know what's normal yet. Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge!

Don't give up! I got denied initially too but my appeal was approved. Make sure you file the appeal within 30 days of your determination date. Include any pay stubs from your recent work to show your earnings. The alternate base period saved me.

same thing happened to my neighbor. turned out she quit her previous job before the retail one and NYS Department of Labor counted that as voluntary separation. even though the retail job was a layoff, the earlier quit disqualified her. might want to check if you had any other jobs in your base period

Once adjudication is complete you'll get a determination letter in the mail and online telling you if you're approved or denied. If approved, you should get backpay for all the weeks you were waiting. If denied, you can appeal the decision within 30 days.

I went through this same situation a few months ago - 6 weeks in adjudication hell. What helped me was documenting everything: screenshots of my claim status, dates I called, any emails or messages. When I finally got through to someone, having all that info ready made the conversation much more productive. Also try calling right at 8am when they open - that's when I had the most luck getting through. The adjudication process is frustrating but most claims do eventually get approved if you were legitimately unemployed through no fault of your own.