This is such valuable information, thank you for sharing your experience! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation where I was denied benefits after my employer claimed I was terminated for "poor performance" even though I never received any formal warnings or performance improvement plans. Reading about your success gives me hope that I can fight this. I'm particularly interested in your point about proving inconsistencies in the employer's story - did you find any specific techniques for organizing all your evidence in a way that clearly highlighted those contradictions? I have tons of emails and documents but I'm worried about presenting them in a confusing way during the hearing.

Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently waiting for my hearing date after being denied for "willful misconduct" when I was actually trying to follow safety protocols that my supervisor told me to ignore. Reading everyone's strategies is giving me so much more confidence about preparing my case. Lucas, your point about practicing testimony out loud is something I definitely need to do - I tend to ramble when I'm nervous and I know I need to be clear and concise. One thing I'm struggling with is how to handle the fact that the incident happened during a really busy period where a lot of people were cutting corners. Did anyone else deal with a situation where the workplace culture was part of the problem? I'm worried about coming across like I'm just making excuses rather than explaining the real context of what happened.

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now - approved claim for over a month but still no payments! After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing I've been making the same mistake of just looking at the main claim status instead of digging deeper. The Payment History section that several people mentioned sounds like the key to figuring out what's actually going wrong. It's so maddening that NYS Department of Labor shows "approved" on the main page while there are apparently specific hold codes buried elsewhere that explain the real issue. I'm definitely going to check for those codes first thing tomorrow and see if it's an employer verification problem like so many others have experienced. If that's the case, I'll try calling my former employer directly - never would have thought of that approach on my own. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding that we're not alone in this mess and that there are actual steps we can take beyond just waiting and panicking about bills. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been approved for 5 weeks now but haven't seen a penny. Like so many others here, I was just staring at that misleading "approved" status on the main dashboard getting more frustrated every day. I had absolutely no idea about the Payment History section that everyone's mentioning - going to check that first thing in the morning to see what hold codes might be lurking there. The suggestion about contacting your former employer directly is genius too. My last job was at a pretty chaotic startup, so I wouldn't be surprised if they received verification paperwork from NYS Department of Labor and it's just sitting in someone's email. It's infuriating that we have to become investigators to figure out why our approved claims aren't paying out, but at least now I have concrete steps to take instead of just calling that impossible-to-reach phone number over and over. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support is honestly more helpful than anything on the official NYS Department of Labor website!

The NYS Department of Labor will definitely scrutinize quit claims more than layoffs or terminations. You'll likely face an adjudication period where they investigate your reasons for quitting. During this time, you won't receive benefits. If you do have good cause documented, make sure you file your weekly claims even during adjudication - if you're eventually approved, you'll get backpay for those weeks.

Have you considered consulting with an employment attorney before making your decision? Many offer free consultations and can help you understand if your situation might qualify as constructive dismissal or if there are legal protections you should know about. Sometimes having a lawyer send a letter to your employer about the harassment can either improve the situation or create documentation that strengthens your unemployment claim if you do end up quitting. Also, keep in mind that NYS has specific laws about hostile work environments - if you can establish that pattern, it could really help your case with the Department of Labor.

Just wanted to add my experience from last month! I was terrified beforehand but it ended up being way more helpful than expected. My counselor actually spent time reviewing my LinkedIn profile with me and suggested some industry groups to join that I never knew existed. One thing I didn't see mentioned - they might ask about your willingness to relocate or take temporary/contract work, so think about your answers to those beforehand. Also, if you've had any interviews (even if they didn't work out), be ready to talk about them and what you learned. The biggest surprise was that she actually helped me identify some skills gaps and recommended a free online certification program that's now helping me stand out to employers. Definitely go in with an open mind - they really do want to help you succeed, not just check boxes. Your spreadsheet of job search activities sounds perfect. Just make sure you can easily talk through the details of your most recent applications. You've got this! 💪

I had my RESEA meeting about 6 weeks ago and can definitely echo what everyone else is saying - it's really not as scary as it seems! The counselor I got was actually super knowledgeable and helped me realize I was underselling myself in my applications. A couple things that helped me feel more prepared: - I printed out a summary sheet with all my job search activities from the past month (even though it was a phone call, having it in front of me made me feel more confident) - I had my computer open with my resume and a few job postings I'd applied to recently in case I needed to reference them - I wrote down a few questions about local resources beforehand so I wouldn't forget to ask The whole thing took about an hour and she actually signed me up for some job alerts that match my skills way better than what I was finding on my own. She also gave me feedback on my resume that I'm still using today. One tip: if they ask about your long-term career goals, have an answer ready! Mine spent about 10 minutes talking through different career paths in my field that I hadn't even considered. You're going to do great tomorrow! Just remember they want to see you succeed and get back to work. Good luck! 🤞

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with a landscaping company I worked for. When I called the DOL, they told me that even if your employer isn't in their system initially, they'll do what's called an "employer verification" process. They basically cross-reference your W-2s and pay stubs with state tax records to confirm you actually worked there. The agent I spoke with said this happens pretty frequently with smaller businesses who either didn't register properly or stopped paying their unemployment taxes. She reassured me that as long as I can prove I worked there (which sounds like you can with your construction job), I should still be eligible for benefits. The investigation part is really just the DOL doing their due diligence to make sure everything checks out before they start paying benefits. Hang in there - it's frustrating but you're not alone in this!

This exact thing happened to me when I worked for a small auto repair shop a few months ago. When I filed my claim, the system couldn't find my employer either. I was panicking thinking I wouldn't qualify for benefits, but it turned out the shop owner had just been really sloppy with his unemployment insurance payments. The DOL investigation took about 4-5 weeks, but I did eventually get my benefits - including back pay for the weeks I was waiting. The main thing is to keep filing your weekly certifications even while they're investigating, because you don't want to miss any weeks. Also, definitely keep calling and checking on the status - I found that staying on top of it helped move things along. Don't let your employer's mistakes cost you the benefits you're entitled to!