The NYS Department of Labor is just completely overwhelmed right now. My cousin's been waiting 3 months for his appeal to be processed. They're probably understaffed and dealing with a backlog from all the layoffs happening in different industries.

I'm in a similar situation - filed in late October and still waiting. What helped me was contacting my state assembly member's office. They have staff that can actually reach someone at the Department of Labor on your behalf. I called my assemblyperson's district office, explained the situation, and they said they'd make an inquiry. Within a week I got a call back saying there was an issue with my employer's response that was holding things up. Still waiting for resolution but at least now I know what the problem is. Try looking up who represents your district and give their office a call - it's a free service they provide to constituents.

ugh the whole unemployment system is such a nightmare, why can't they just make it easier to fix simple mistakes without having to jump through hoops

I went through something similar when I first filed my claim. Don't panic - mistakes happen and the system is designed to handle corrections. Here's what worked for me: first, document exactly what information you got wrong and what the correct details should be. Then try the secure messaging system through my.ny.gov first - it's often faster than calling. If you don't get a response within a week, then try calling early in the morning (like 8 AM) when the phone lines are less busy. Whatever you do, don't file a second claim - that will definitely cause more problems than it solves. The key is being honest and proactive about the corrections.

I was in a similar situation about 6 months ago and successfully got unemployment benefits after quitting due to workplace harassment. One thing that really helped my case was keeping a written record of every incident - I actually started emailing myself detailed summaries after each confrontation so there would be timestamps. When I filed with NYS Department of Labor, I also included screenshots of the company's employee handbook sections about respectful workplace treatment that my supervisor was clearly violating. The adjudication process took about 3 weeks, but having all that documentation made the difference. Also, when you do quit, make sure to state in your resignation that it's due to the hostile work environment - don't just say you're leaving for "personal reasons" or they might question your good cause claim later.

I'm sorry you're going through this - workplace bullying is serious and can definitely qualify as good cause for unemployment benefits in NY. Based on what others have shared, I'd recommend a few immediate steps: 1) Start documenting everything NOW - write down past incidents with as much detail as you can remember (dates, times, witnesses), 2) Save those text messages from coworkers and ask if they'd be willing to provide written statements, 3) Check your employee handbook for harassment policies your manager is violating, and 4) Even though your store doesn't have HR, consider sending an email to the district manager documenting the issues - this creates a paper trail showing you tried to address it internally. When you do resign, be clear that it's due to the hostile work environment. The fact that your manager is verbally abusing you in front of customers and calling you names creates a strong case for constructive discharge. Don't let anyone convince you that retail work "just involves difficult managers" - what you're describing crosses the line into workplace harassment.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A NIGHTMARE! I've been filing these stupid quarterly reports for 3 years and they STILL send me penalty notices for no reason. Half the time their own website doesn't work properly during filing season. And don't get me started on trying to reach anyone by phone - it's like they don't want employers to actually comply with the law!

Also worth noting that if you have employees working in multiple states, you'll need to file separate quarterly reports for each state. New York only covers wages paid to employees working in NY. Make sure you're calculating the taxable wage base correctly too - for 2025, it's the first $12,300 of each employee's annual wages. The tax rate varies depending on your experience rating, but new employers typically start around 4.1%. Keep detailed payroll records because NYS Department of Labor can audit up to 4 years back.

Ugh, same exact thing happening to me! Been trying since Sunday and the site just keeps crashing or giving me that "request cannot be processed" error. Really stressing me out because I have bills due this week too. The fact that this happens EVERY month is just unacceptable - how are we supposed to survive when their ancient system can't handle basic traffic? Going to try some of the suggestions here like using Firefox and trying at weird hours. If that doesn't work I might have to look into that claimyr service people are mentioning. This whole situation is just ridiculous.

This is absolutely maddening! I've been dealing with the same certification nightmare since Sunday. Tried every browser, cleared cache, even borrowed my friend's computer thinking it was my device. Nothing works! The site either times out completely or gives me that useless "technical difficulties" message. I'm supposed to get my payment today and now I'm panicking about making rent. Called 47 times yesterday and either got busy signals or sat on hold for over an hour before getting disconnected. How is this even legal? We depend on these benefits to survive and their system fails us every single week. I'm honestly at my breaking point with NYSDOL's incompetence. Going to try the late night approach tonight but if that doesn't work I might have to look into some of these third-party services people are mentioning just to talk to an actual human being.