I had this happen in January and it was soooooo stressful. I needed to pay rent and couldn't access my money!!! I ended up having to go to an ATM and withdraw the daily maximum for two days in a row to get enough cash. The whole online system is terrible. I miss when they just mailed checks. :

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Turns out there was a system-wide issue this morning that affected a bunch of accounts. The agent was able to reset my account immediately. I'm back in now! Thanks everyone for your help.

my cousin works for the labor department and says theyre super understaffed rn. like hundreds of thousands of claims and not enough people to process them. not saying its right but thats why everything takes forever

Just wanted to jump back in and say I've been reading all your comments and they mean so much. This is exactly the supportive community I was hoping for. Let's keep lifting each other up through this unemployment journey. ❤️

my cousin works for the unemployment office (not in NY tho) and she says that theyre supposed to treat furlough-to-termination as a new qualifying event but sometimes the system messes up and categorizes it wrong. thats probably why some people wait longer than others. also depends on which agent you get i guess

Final update for anyone who finds this post later: My claim was approved! It took 5 days, not the 2-3 the agent initially said, but that's still way better than waiting for weeks. I got the determination letter today and my first payment should be processed next week. The key really was talking to an actual person who could understand my specific situation. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

After using Claimyr, the agent explained to me that when you switch payment methods, the timing depends on where you are in the payment cycle. If you're just about to get paid (like within 48 hours), the change won't apply to that payment - it'll go to whatever method was active before. The change applies to the next payment cycle. Just wanted to clarify since there's some confusion in the responses.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know I followed the advice here. I used Claimyr to reach an agent who confirmed my direct deposit will be active by Monday (just in time for next payment). They also said my replacement card is being expedited at no extra charge. Thank you all for your help!!

The official processing time for KeyBank UI deposits is within 24 hours of release from NYSDOL, regardless of weekends. However, most deposits are processed much faster, typically within 2-6 hours. Three factors affect availability speed: 1) Time of day the payment was released by NYSDOL, 2) Whether it's your first payment or recurring, and 3) The current processing volume at KeyBank. First-time payments sometimes take longer as the account setup is verified. If the funds don't appear by tomorrow morning, you can check the transaction status on the KeyBank unemployment debit card portal rather than the regular KeyBank banking app.

did u get the money yet? im curious if it showed up

UPDATE: They finally called me back today (16 business days after ID.me verification). The agent was actually very helpful and got everything sorted out in about 20 minutes. She said they're experiencing a 300% increase in verification requests compared to December. Just wanted to give you some hope that they do eventually call!

UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: I finally got through this morning! I took several of your suggestions: 1. Called right at 8:00am 2. Used the specific number and menu options that were suggested (888-209-8124, press 1, 6, 1) 3. Had all my information ready The agent confirmed my ID.me verification was completed but stuck in their system. She manually approved it and pushed my application forward. She said I should receive my first payment within 3 business days, including all the backdated weeks. Thank you all for your help and advice! This community has been amazing.

I checked the NYSDOL website and this change was actually announced back in March 2025 through their newsletter and account portal notifications. They're requiring FDIC-insured banks now as part of their fraud prevention program. For those concerned about traditional bank fees, consider looking into credit unions. Many offer completely free checking accounts with no minimum balance requirements and have the required FDIC insurance equivalent (NCUA).

Update: I called NYSDOL this morning and got through after trying for hours. They confirmed everything everyone said here. I've opted for the direct payment card for now, and they told me it should arrive within 7-10 business days. Any pending payments will be loaded onto it once I activate it. Thanks everyone for your help with this!

my friend said make sure u print n save that letter!!! they might ask for it if theres a problem

Just checking back - any updates? Did you try calling yet? Curious if your experience is going smoother than mine did!

UPDATE? Did any of these suggestions work for you? I'm in a similar situation now and wondering what actually helped.

Yes! I ended up contacting my assembly person AND using Claimyr to actually reach someone. The agent I finally spoke to said there was an employer verification issue that was never communicated to me. They pushed it through manually and I got all my backpay within 5 days! Definitely reach out to your local rep - that seemed to put some pressure on them internally.

Another important thing: DoorDash doesn't withhold taxes, so you'll need to set aside money for that. And the income from both unemployment AND DoorDash is taxable. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your unemployment benefits (recommended), but you'll still need to handle the taxes on your gig work separately.

Just to add one more crucial detail - make sure you're filing as a W-2 employee who lost your job, not as a self-employed person. Your DoorDash work is considered self-employment, but your claim should be based on your previous W-2 warehouse job. This gives you regular UI benefits rather than PUA or other programs that might be less beneficial. When you file, you'll need your employment history from your warehouse job, and you'll indicate that you're currently working part-time self-employment. And as others have said, be absolutely meticulous about reporting which days you work and how much you earn each week when certifying. The system is designed to catch inconsistencies.