dont stress bestie, mine took 3 weeks after the letter. just keep claiming and youll get back pay for all the weeks u waited 💅

Been through this exact same situation! Got my determination letter in December and was freaking out about when payments would start. Mine took about 3 weeks to hit my account. The key thing is to keep doing your weekly certifications religiously - don't skip any even if you're not getting paid yet. Also double check that all your info is correct in the system (bank details, address, etc). One small mistake can delay everything. The waiting is brutal but hang in there - once it starts flowing you'll get backpay for all those weeks you certified. Stay strong! 💪

I just went through the same thing last month! Got a text saying my account was flagged for suspicious activity and I needed to verify my identity. I ignored it and checked my actual account on the labor.ny.gov website directly. Everything was fine, no issues with my account at all. It's definitely a scam.

I'm so glad you didn't click that link! I got hit with a similar scam text about 2 weeks ago - same story about "suspicious activity" and needing to verify within 48 hours or lose benefits. The whole thing felt sketchy so I went directly to the official NY unemployment website instead. My account was completely fine, no flags or issues at all. These scammers are really ramping up their efforts lately and targeting people when they're most vulnerable. Always trust your gut when something feels off - the real unemployment office has much more official ways of contacting you if there's actually a problem with your account.

im in the same boat rn. identity stolen, cant access benefits since february. the most infuriating part is that whoever stole my identity is STILL collecting MY money and i cant do anything about it

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! After ID.me verification, the key is that you need to wait about 5-7 business days for their systems to sync up. Then log into your unemployment account and look for either a "Pending Actions" section or check under "Inbox" for messages from DOL. If nothing shows up after a week, you'll definitely need to call. I know everyone says calling is impossible, but I found the best time is right at 8am when they open - keep hitting redial for about 30 minutes straight. Once I got through, the agent was actually super helpful and cleared everything up in like 10 minutes. Also make sure to file that police report for identity theft ASAP if you haven't already. They'll ask for the report number later in the process. Hang in there - it's frustrating but you'll get through this! 💪

lmao welcome to the club. been trying to sort out my claim since february. at this point im just gonna give up and live in the woods 🌲🏕️

I've been in a similar situation and here's what finally worked for me: I started calling the regular unemployment line but also tried the employer services line (they sometimes transfer you and the wait is shorter). Also, if you have a local career center or One-Stop office, they often have direct contacts at the unemployment office that can help escalate your case. Don't give up - I know it's exhausting but you deserve those benefits! Keep detailed records of every call attempt with dates and times too.

Congratulations on the new job! I remember being so paranoid about this same thing when I found work. The unemployment system is designed to help people transition back to employment, not punish them for succeeding. You've earned those benefits by paying into the system through your previous job.

Great question! I was worried about this exact same thing when I first started collecting unemployment. Your cousin might be thinking of situations where people commit fraud or make errors on their claims. As long as you've been honest about your job search activities and haven't worked without reporting it, you're totally in the clear. The whole point of unemployment insurance is to bridge the gap until you find new employment - getting hired is the success story they want to see! Just make sure to report your new job start date on your final weekly certification and you'll be all set.