Not to sound like a conspiracy nut but try calling from a different area code if possible. I was using my NY cell and getting disconnected constantly. Used my mom's phone with an out-of-state area code and got through first try. I think they might be filtering calls from certain area codes that are high-volume.

I've been dealing with this exact same issue! After reading through all these suggestions, I'm going to try a few different approaches. First, I'll attempt calling from a different phone number early in the morning like Connor suggested. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into contacting my state representative - that seems like a really good option that I hadn't considered. The claimyr.com service that several people mentioned sounds promising too, though I'm a bit hesitant about paying for something that should be free. Has anyone tried the different phone numbers that Omar mentioned? I'd love to know which specific 888 number works best. This whole situation is so stressful when you're already dealing with financial pressure from being unemployed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

Just went through this same thing last week. TurboTax will walk you through it step by step. You enter the 1099-G info in the 'Federal Taxes' section under 'Unemployment Income.' It's actually pretty straightforward once you find the right section. The software calculates everything for you.

One thing to double-check is whether you received any supplemental unemployment benefits like the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) or other pandemic-related payments mixed in with your regular NYS benefits. Even though those programs ended, if you received any of those payments in early 2024, they would be included in your 1099-G total. Also, make sure to keep a copy of your 1099-G form - you'll need it for your records and the IRS gets a copy too, so the amounts need to match what you report.

FYI - after you complete id.me verification, you need to go back to your ny.gov account and click "verify with id.me" again to link the accounts properly. Took me forever to figure that out!!

Just went through this same nightmare last month! The phone number 866-775-4363 that others mentioned does work, but here's a pro tip - call right when they open at 8am EST. I got through in about 10 minutes vs the usual hour+ wait times later in the day. Also make sure you have your reference number from when you first started the verification process - they'll ask for it immediately. The whole thing is such a mess but once you get a real person they can usually sort it out pretty quickly. Hang in there, you'll get through this! 🤞

Same boat here - filed 4 weeks ago and nothing. At least I know I'm not alone in this. The uncertainty is the worst part.

I'm going through the same thing right now - filed my initial claim about 3.5 weeks ago and still showing as pending. It's frustrating because you hear such different timelines from everyone. I've been trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're not sure if it's normal delays or if there's an actual issue with your claim. Thanks for posting this question, it helps to see I'm not the only one dealing with this right now.

Construction workers often get confused by this because seasonal work creates uneven quarters. Your base period might not include your best earning periods if the timing doesn't line up right with when you filed your claim.

This is exactly why I wish NYS Department of Labor would provide clearer examples on their website. I'm also in construction and had no idea about the base period quarters thing until I started digging into it. Your $425 weekly benefit actually sounds reasonable if you had some slow quarters mixed in with your higher earning ones. The timing of when you file really does matter - I've heard of people waiting a few weeks to file if they knew a high-earning quarter was about to become part of their base period, though obviously you can't wait too long since benefits are backdated only so far.