This thread has been absolutely amazing! I'm actually dealing with this exact situation too - planning a trip to visit my grandparents in South Korea next month and got that same confusing automated message. It's so reassuring to see I'm not the only one who hung up the phone feeling completely lost! 😅 Based on everyone's experiences here, the secure message approach is clearly the way to go. @Rajan Walker @Liam O'Reilly and @Andre Dupont - thank you so much for those detailed breakdowns! The specific points about including exact travel dates and confirming you understand the certification rules are exactly what I needed to know. And @Jasmine Quinn, that tip about mentioning alternate contact methods like WhatsApp is brilliant - shows real initiative! @Molly Chambers thanks for the heads up about holiday delays. I'll definitely submit my message early since my trip might overlap with some Korean holidays too. It's honestly mind-boggling how they make something as straightforward as "I'm taking a one-week family trip" into such a bureaucratic nightmare, but this community is incredible for helping each other figure it out! @Sean Doyle thanks for starting this thread - you've created such a valuable resource that's clearly helping tons of people beyond just yourself. Going to send my secure message this week with all the details everyone mentioned and keep all my travel documentation organized. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences - way more helpful than that useless automated system! 🇰🇷✈️

This thread is exactly what I needed! I'm actually in the same situation - planning a trip to visit family in Canada next month and was totally confused by that automated message. It really doesn't give you any clear guidance on next steps at all! Based on everyone's experiences here, the secure message approach definitely seems like the way to go. @Rajan Walker @Liam O'Reilly and @Andre Dupont - your detailed breakdowns of what to include are super helpful! Those specific bullet points about travel dates and confirming you understand the certification rules are exactly what I was looking for. And @Jasmine Quinn, that tip about mentioning alternate contact methods is really smart - shows you're being proactive. @Molly Chambers thanks for the heads up about holiday delays too. I'll make sure to submit mine well in advance just to be safe. It's honestly frustrating how they turn something as simple as "I'm going on a short family trip" into such a complicated bureaucratic process, but I'm so grateful for this community helping each other navigate it! @Sean Doyle thanks for starting this discussion - you've helped way more people than just yourself. Going to send my secure message this week with all the details everyone mentioned and keep my travel documentation organized. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly! 🇨🇦✈️

Just went through this exact situation in January. You definitely need to file a new claim - don't wait until the last minute! I made that mistake and had a 2-week gap in payments. The good news is that if you qualify, your new benefit year starts fresh with up to 26 weeks of benefits again. But like others mentioned, your weekly amount could change depending on your wages during the new base period. I'd recommend applying online about 10 days before your current benefit year expires to give yourself some buffer time for processing.

I'm in a similar situation - my benefit year ends in about 6 weeks and I'm really nervous about the whole reapplication process. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like the key is to apply early and be prepared for potential changes to your weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know if there are specific documents I should start gathering now to make the reapplication smoother? I want to avoid any delays since I'm still actively job searching but haven't found anything steady yet.

To clarify the main points: You can travel while collecting unemployment as long as you remain able and available for work. For a short trip like a wedding, you don't need to notify NYS Department of Labor. Just be honest on your weekly certification about your availability. If you're only gone for 2-3 days and could have accepted work if offered, you should be fine to certify normally for that week.

I just wanted to add that I've been dealing with this same situation - I'm on unemployment and had to travel for a funeral last month. What I learned is that the key question on your weekly certification is whether you were "able and available for work" each day. If you're only gone for a weekend wedding and would have been able to accept a job offer if one came up, you can still answer "yes" to that question. The NYS Department of Labor cares more about your willingness and ability to work than your exact geographic location for short trips. Just don't try to claim benefits for days when you genuinely weren't available. Have a great time at your sister's wedding!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! 4 months is absolutely unacceptable. I went through something similar last year and wanted to share what finally worked for me after weeks of the same nightmare. Here's my strategy that eventually broke through: 1. **Call at 7:58am sharp** - Set multiple alarms and be ready to dial the second your clock hits 7:58. Don't wait until 8:00 when everyone else calls. 2. **Use the "redial immediately" method** - As soon as you get the busy message, hang up and redial instantly. Don't wait. I did this for about 90 minutes straight and finally got through. 3. **Have EVERYTHING ready** - Your SSN, PIN, mailing address, dates of unemployment, and any work you've done since filing. Also have a pen and paper to write down confirmation numbers. 4. **Document your 4 months of attempts** - This is actually valuable evidence for "good cause" when they ask why your waiting week is so late. The agent I finally reached was actually very helpful once I got through. They processed my delayed waiting week and all my backpay in one call. The key was explaining that I'd been consistently trying to reach them but couldn't get through due to the phone system issues. Don't give up! Your benefits are waiting for you - it's just a matter of breaking through this terrible system. The 4 months of documentation you have will actually work in your favor.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - 4 months is completely unacceptable! I just joined this community because I'm facing a similar situation (locked out for 6 weeks now) and this thread has been incredibly helpful. Based on everything I've read here, I'm planning to combine multiple strategies this week: the 7:58am calling trick with constant redialing, contacting my state representative's office, and filing a complaint with the DOL Advocate Office using that number someone shared (855-528-5618). What really gives me hope is seeing how many people eventually broke through after months of trying. Your documentation of 4 months of call attempts is actually going to be your strongest asset when you finally get through - that's solid "good cause" evidence for your delayed waiting week claim. Have you tried the Claimyr service that a few people mentioned? I'm normally skeptical of third-party services, but after reading the success stories here, I'm considering it as a backup option if the direct calling doesn't work. Stay strong - we're all rooting for you to finally get through this broken system and get the benefits you deserve!

I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! The 8-digit PIN is definitely one of the most confusing parts of the NYS DOL system. In my case, it turned out the PIN was printed on a tiny perforated stub attached to one of the forms - almost like a tear-off receipt. I had actually thrown it away thinking it was just extra packaging! If you've thoroughly checked all your paperwork and still can't find it, don't panic about the weekly certification deadline. You can file for an extension if you miss it due to system access issues, but you'll need to call and explain the situation. One thing that helped me was organizing all the DOL paperwork by date received and going through each piece systematically. Sometimes they send the PIN information separately from the main determination letter, so it might arrive a few days later. The key is to keep calling early in the morning until you get through - persistence really does pay off with their phone system.

Just went through this nightmare myself last week! After reading through all these helpful responses, I want to add that if you're still stuck, there's actually a "Forgot PIN" option buried in the my.ny.gov system that I almost missed. When you get to the login screen where it asks for your 8-digit PIN, look for tiny text at the bottom that says something like "Reset PIN" or "Forgot PIN" - it's not obvious at all. You'll need to answer some security questions using info from your original application (like your mother's maiden name or previous employer details). It took me about 10 minutes to reset it this way, which was way faster than trying to get through on the phone. Worth a shot before spending hours on hold!