I just went through this process a few months ago and wanted to add that you should also check your mail regularly - NYS Department of Labor sends important documents by regular mail even though you filed online. I almost missed my monetary determination letter because it got mixed in with other mail. Also, if you have direct deposit set up it can take an extra few days for the first payment to hit your account even after you start getting approved weekly claims. The whole timeline from filing to first payment was about 3 weeks for me, but that weekly certification step is absolutely crucial - don't skip any weeks!

One thing I wish someone had told me when I first filed - keep detailed records of everything! Save screenshots of your weekly certifications, write down confirmation numbers, and keep copies of any correspondence from NYS Department of Labor. I learned this the hard way when there was a discrepancy with one of my weekly claims and I had to prove I had submitted it correctly. Also, if you're using their mobile app, it can be glitchy sometimes, so I'd recommend filing your weekly claims on a computer when possible. The desktop version of the website seems more reliable in my experience.

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm dealing with the exact same thing - payments randomly stopped 10 days ago with just "pending" status and ZERO communication from them. I've literally called 87 times (yes, I'm keeping count because I'm going insane) and can't get through to a single human being. It's like they want us to just give up and disappear. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to tons of people and it's probably those random "verification" flags they're throwing around because of fraud concerns. The fact that they can just freeze our lifeline without even sending an email is absolutely criminal. I'm definitely going to try the assembly member route first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work fast enough I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service everyone's mentioning. Has anyone had luck with the Twitter approach @NYSLabor? At this point I'm willing to try literally anything. We shouldn't have to jump through these insane hoops just to find out why our own benefits got cut off!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the system is absolutely broken! I'm in a similar boat where my payments just vanished with no explanation about 2 weeks ago. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to SO many people because of these random verification flags they're throwing around. Here's what I've learned from this thread that seems most promising: 1. Contact your assembly member's office ASAP - multiple people say they have direct lines to DOL and can get faster responses 2. Try the Twitter approach @NYSLabor - seems hit or miss but worth a shot 3. If you're desperate and can afford it, several people have had success with Claimyr.com for actually getting through to a human The fact that we're all dealing with identical situations (payments stopped, "pending" status, zero communication) makes it obvious this is systematic rather than individual account issues. Don't give up - you have every right to those benefits and answers about what happened! Keep us posted on what works for you because we're all fighting the same battle here.

Update: I finally got through!!! Used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above and spoke with a representative. Turns out there was a glitch in their system that applied my tax withholding AND student loan garnishment retroactively, so they took out 8 weeks worth of deductions all at once! The rep submitted a correction request and said my next payment should be back to normal, and they'll refund the extra amount they took out within 2-3 weeks. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

So glad you got through and figured it out! That system glitch sounds like a nightmare - taking 8 weeks of deductions all at once is brutal. I've been dealing with similar issues trying to reach DOL for my own claim problems. Quick question - about how long did the Claimyr service take to get you connected? And did they charge upfront or after they got you through? Trying to decide if it's worth it for my situation too.

wait so if you work for the federal government you can still get state unemployment? that seems weird to me, shouldn't there be like federal unemployment or something?

I'm actually in a similar situation - work for a federal agency in Syracuse and we've been getting briefings about potential workforce reductions. From what I understand, you'll want to make sure you have your most recent pay statements and any documentation about your job classification. One thing I learned from talking to HR is that federal employees sometimes qualify for higher weekly benefit amounts because our wages are often above the state average. Also, if you do get laid off, file your claim immediately - don't wait. NYS Department of Labor processes federal employee claims regularly, but during mass layoffs there can be a backlog. I've been preparing by gathering all my employment documents just in case.

Wait, you filed in early January and it's been 5 weeks? That means you filed like the first week of January? Because if you filed after January 15th it hasn't been 5 weeks yet. Just want to make sure the timeline is right because that affects whether this is actually an unusual delay or not.

Manufacturing layoffs sometimes get extra scrutiny because they want to verify it wasn't a voluntary quit or misconduct termination. Did you get any severance or notice pay? That can also complicate the timeline because they need to determine your benefit start date. The good news is that once approved, you'll get backpay to your benefit year start date.