Just wanted to update - I sent in my certification history that the agent provided (after using Claimyr to reach someone), and I got confirmation yesterday that my verification was accepted! The letter says my benefits will continue without interruption. So there IS a solution to this, but you definitely need to get that official record from them.

FYI I just spoke to someone from NY unemployment (finally!!!) and they said this is part of a MASSIVE fraud investigation they're doing. Apparently there was some huge ring of people falsely certifying for others. She said they're sending these letters to thousands of people, even those who did everything correctly. She also said we're not supposed to send bank statements - only actual proof of certification.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed about 2 weeks ago and still waiting on my first payment. The anxiety is real when you're counting on that money! What I've learned from calling multiple times is that they're dealing with a huge backlog and the wage verification process can take anywhere from 10 days to a month depending on how quickly your former employer responds to their requests. One thing that helped ease my mind was logging into my account and checking the "Claim Summary" section - if there are no specific issues listed there, it's usually just a matter of waiting it out. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim 12 days ago and my status also just shows "claim established" with no payments yet. It's so frustrating not knowing if everything is processing normally or if there's a problem. I've been religiously filing my weekly claims but like you, my payment history is completely empty. The stress of waiting when you need the money for basic expenses like rent is overwhelming. Have you tried checking if there's a specific reason for the delay in your account somewhere, or does it just show the basic status? Really hoping we both hear something soon!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's crazy how many people go through this same exact problem with the NY unemployment system. The fact that @NebulaNova was able to get both weeks certified is huge - I've heard horror stories of people losing benefits because of these technical issues. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. The specific menu navigation from @Javier Mendoza is going to save so many people hours of frustration.

Same exact situation happened to me last week! The 888 number is absolutely useless - I think it's just there to make people give up. What finally worked for me was calling 800-833-3000 right at 8am and using those menu options that @Javier Mendoza shared. The key is really calling the second they open because by 9am the wait times are already 45+ minutes. Also make sure you have your social security number and claimant ID ready because they'll ask for both right away to verify your identity. The representative was able to see that my account had been automatically locked due to "suspicious activity" (which was just me trying to reset my password too many times). Took about 5 minutes once I got through to someone. Don't lose hope - the system is terrible but there are people there who can actually help if you can reach them!

Been doing part-time work while on unemployment for 3 months now. Works out fine as long as you report everything. Just remember that freelance work still counts as employment even if you're not getting a regular paycheck from an employer.

I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my marketing job a few weeks ago and a friend offered me some freelance social media work. From what I've learned, you can definitely work part-time and still collect unemployment benefits in NY. The key things are: 1) Report ALL work and earnings when you file your weekly claim, 2) Report gross earnings (before taxes) for the week you actually worked, not when you got paid, 3) You can generally work up to 4 days per week and still be considered unemployed, 4) NYS will reduce your benefits based on what you earn but you won't lose them completely unless you earn more than your benefit amount plus $50. Just make sure to keep looking for full-time work and maintain your job search log - that's still required even with part-time work. The landscaping work sounds perfect since it's weekends only and shouldn't interfere with interviews for full-time positions.

Since you've resolved your immediate issue, here's some advice for the future. Many people don't realize that NY unemployment has specific requirements for address changes that affect both your claim eligibility and your benefit access: 1. You must update your address with NYSDOL within 10 days of moving 2. If you move out of state, it can affect your claim eligibility (though temporary moves may be allowed) 3. Address changes must be verified through ID.me as of 2025 4. Key Bank requires separate notification for card services The system is designed this way to prevent fraud, but it creates these frustrating situations for legitimate claimants. Setting up direct deposit is definitely the way to go if you can - it eliminates most of these card-related problems.

I just went through this exact same situation two weeks ago when I moved from Queens to Rochester! The frustrating part is that even after you update your address with NYSDOL online, the Key Bank system doesn't automatically sync with it. I had to call Key Bank separately and wait on hold for like an hour. Pro tip: If you're planning to move again in the future, consider switching to direct deposit BEFORE you move. I wish I had done that from the start. The whole Key Bank card system seems like it's designed to create problems whenever there's any change to your account. Also, make sure to keep receipts or screenshots of any calls you make to either NYSDOL or Key Bank about address changes. I had to call back twice because the first representative didn't properly update my information in their system.