Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live NYDOL agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I'm in a similar boat - my boss has been making my life miserable but I'm scared to quit. Following this thread to see what others say about the process.
Document everything now while you're still employed. Date, time, witnesses for any incidents. The more evidence you have, the better your chances if you do decide to file for benefits.
I went through this process about 8 months ago and got approved after quitting due to workplace discrimination. The key things that helped my case were: 1) I documented every incident with dates and details, 2) I filed a complaint with HR first and kept copies of all correspondence, 3) I consulted with an employment attorney who helped me understand what constituted "good cause" under NY law. The adjudication took about 5 weeks and they interviewed both me and my former employer. Having medical documentation of stress/anxiety from the situation also strengthened my case. Don't quit impulsively - build your case first and make sure you meet the legal threshold for voluntary separation with good cause.
@Lucas Kowalski This is exactly the kind of detailed info I was hoping to find! Quick question - when you say you consulted with an employment attorney, did they help you actually file the claim or just advise you on whether you had a good case? I m'wondering if having legal representation during the adjudication process makes a difference in the outcome.
@Lucas Kowalski Thank you for sharing such detailed information! I m'particularly interested in the timeline aspect - did you apply for benefits immediately after quitting or did you wait to gather more documentation first? Also, during those 5 weeks of adjudication, were you completely without income or is there any way to get partial payments while they review the case? I m'trying to plan financially in case I decide to move forward with this.
Join the conversation
I'm in a similar situation - have a felony from 2020 and recently became unemployed. Reading through these responses is really helpful and encouraging. It sounds like the key is that unemployment benefits are based on your work history and contributions, not your criminal background. I was also worried about applying but now I feel more confident about filing my claim. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
You're absolutely right to feel more confident! I was in a similar boat a few months ago and was so anxious about applying. But like everyone here has said, the NYS Department of Labor really does focus on your work eligibility and contributions rather than criminal history. The application process was much smoother than I expected. One tip - make sure you have all your employment information ready (dates, employer details, reason for separation) before you start the online application. It makes the whole process go much faster. Good luck with your claim!
I went through this exact situation in 2022 with a felony from 2017. Filed my claim online and was approved without any issues - they never asked about criminal history during the entire process. The only time it comes up is when you're job searching and have to disclose to employers, but that's separate from your unemployment eligibility. NYS Department of Labor really does base everything on your work credits and why you lost your job. Since you were working steadily and paying into the system, you should definitely apply. Don't let worry hold you back from getting benefits you've earned through your work contributions.
Join the conversation
The whole system is so confusing! I never know if I'm doing the job search part right. How many jobs do you have to apply to each week?
You need to make at least 3 work search activities per week in NY. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or reemployment services. Keep detailed records of everything you do.
One thing that might help your case is that you mentioned HR said it was a layoff while your supervisor said termination for cause. That discrepancy could work in your favor during the adjudication process. When you file, make sure to explain the attendance issues were due to car problems and that you tried to work with your supervisor on solutions. Document everything you can remember about those conversations. The NYS Department of Labor looks at whether the employer followed progressive discipline policies and if you made good faith efforts to address the issues. Since there's conflicting information from your former employer, they'll have to provide documentation to support their position.
That's really helpful to know about the discrepancy potentially working in my favor! I didn't think about documenting those conversations with my supervisor about trying to work around the car issues. Do you know if text messages or emails count as good documentation, or does it need to be something more formal? I'm pretty sure I have some messages where I was explaining the situation and asking about flexible start times.
Join the conversation
Carmen, I totally understand the panic! I've been there too when life gets overwhelming and you just completely blank on certification day. The good news is you're definitely not going to lose that week's benefits - you just need to certify before Saturday at midnight and your payment will come through, just delayed by a few days. What I've learned from my own missed certification (thanks to a sick toddler and zero sleep) is that the NY system actually expects this to happen sometimes. When you log in tomorrow, look for the option to certify for the previous week - it should be pretty obvious on the main page. Since you mentioned you're usually super consistent, this one-time miss won't hurt you at all. I'd recommend setting up a phone alarm for every Saturday night that says "UNEMPLOYMENT TOMORROW" as a backup. Life happens, especially with kids, and the system knows that. You've got this! 💙
Brandon, thank you so much for this! The "UNEMPLOYMENT TOMORROW" reminder on Saturday nights is genius - I never thought about doing it the night before instead of the day of. That gives you that extra mental prep time. It's such a relief to hear from multiple people that this isn't going to mess up my benefits completely. I was literally sitting here at 2am googling "what happens if you miss NY unemployment certification" and spiraling! Your point about the system expecting this to happen sometimes really puts it in perspective. Definitely setting up that Saturday reminder right now! 🙏
Hey Carmen! I can totally relate to this - I missed my certification day about 6 months ago when my mom was in the hospital and I completely forgot everything else existed. I was panicking just like you, especially since I needed that money for bills. Here's what happened: I certified 2 days late and still got my full payment, it just came on Friday instead of my usual Wednesday. The system automatically recognized I had missed my regular day and gave me the option to certify for the previous week when I logged in. A few tips that helped me: - When you log in tomorrow, make sure you're selecting "certify for previous week" not the current week - Take a screenshot of your confirmation page as proof you certified - Your payment will probably be 2-3 days later than usual, so plan accordingly for rent Since then I've set up two phone alarms - one Saturday at 8pm saying "unemployment tomorrow!" and one Sunday at 9am saying "CERTIFY NOW!" It's been a total lifesaver because with everything going on (kids, life, chaos) it's so easy to forget these things. You're going to be fine! One missed day won't hurt your benefits at all, especially since you've been consistent for 3 months. The stress you're feeling right now is way worse than what actually happens. Hang in there! 🤗
Isabella Ferreira
I'm at week 19 and honestly this thread is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time! It's good to know I'm not the only one stressing about this, but hearing how unreliable the "automatic" extension process is has me pretty worried. I've been putting off dealing with this because the whole system seems so overwhelming, but clearly I need to be proactive about it. That claimyr service keeps getting mentioned and honestly $20 to avoid sitting on hold for hours sounds like the best investment I could make right now. My mental health can't handle another day of that awful hold music 😅 One thing that's really hitting me from reading everyone's experiences is how much the system seems designed to make us give up. Like, making it nearly impossible to get someone on the phone, having confusing websites, not sending clear notifications about next steps - it feels intentional. But at least we've got each other to share what actually works! Definitely going to start documenting my job search way more carefully and try to get through to an agent in the next week or two before I get closer to that 26 week deadline. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this has been way more helpful than anything I've found on the official sites!
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
I'm at week 14 and this entire thread has been such an eye-opener! I had no idea the extension process was so complicated and unreliable. I've been assuming it would just automatically happen when I hit 26 weeks, but clearly that's not something I should count on. The claimyr service sounds like it could be a game-changer - I've already tried calling twice and spent literally 6 hours total on hold with nothing to show for it. $20 seems like a small price to pay to actually talk to a human being who can give me real answers about my specific situation. I'm definitely going to start being way more organized about documenting my job search activities too. I've been pretty informal about tracking applications and interviews, but it sounds like having detailed records could make or break the extension approval process. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is providing way better guidance than the official DOL resources! Marilyn, I hope you get your extension sorted out soon. Going to start being proactive about this now instead of waiting until I'm in panic mode at week 25!
0 coins