If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have this system where they call for you and get you through the phone queue - saved me hours of being on hold. Check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you need to speak to someone about your claim.

The whole system is so slow it's ridiculous. They expect people to survive with no income while they take their sweet time processing paperwork. I waited 5 weeks for my first payment because of some stupid verification issue.

I went through something similar a few months ago! One thing that helped me was also trying to reach out through their online contact form on the DOL website - sometimes they respond faster to written requests than phone calls. Also, if you have any local workforce development offices in your area, they might be able to help escalate your case or provide guidance on getting through to the right department. Don't give up, you'll get through this!

I had this exact same issue last month! My Google Authenticator got out of sync after I got a new phone. What worked for me was going to my local CareerCenter (they're part of the workforce development system) - they have a direct line to DOL tech support that bypasses the regular phone queue. The staff there was super helpful and got me connected within like 20 minutes instead of the hours I was spending on hold. You can find your nearest location on the DOL website. They also helped me set up SMS backup so I won't get stuck like this again. Definitely worth a shot if calling directly isn't working!

another day, another person stuck in ny unemployment purgatory. Welcome to the club 🥂

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and got those same two letters - one with the weekly benefit amount and certification schedule. But radio silence since then on actual approval. Reading through all these comments is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time 😅 Sounds like 4-6 weeks is pretty normal which is brutal when you're just trying to pay rent. I've been certifying weekly like everyone says and checking my online account obsessively. Might have to look into that claimyr service if I don't hear anything by week 4. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this nightmare!

ugh the whole unemployment tax system is so confusing for small businesses. between federal and NYS Department of Labor requirements its like they want us to fail. why cant they just make it simple??

As someone who went through this process recently, I'd recommend getting your NYS Department of Labor employer registration done ASAP if you haven't already. You'll need to register within 20 days of becoming liable for unemployment insurance. For the tax calculations, keep detailed records of your quarterly wages paid - you'll need this for both federal (FUTA at 6% on first $7,000 per employee annually, reduced to 0.6% if you pay state taxes timely) and NYS state unemployment taxes. The NYS Department of Labor will assign you a tax rate based on your industry initially, then adjust it based on your claims experience over time.

Wednesday mornings for me, like clockwork. Been on unemployment for 3 months now and it's always Wednesday around 6am if I file Sunday night. Your bank might be different though.

I'm new to the unemployment system and just filed my first claim last week. Reading through these responses is really helpful! One thing I'm wondering - do you get any kind of notification when the payment is actually sent, or do you just have to keep checking your bank account? Also, is there a specific time of day when NYS Department of Labor usually releases payments, or does it vary? Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!