The whole fraud thing is out of control right now. My neighbor works for NYSDOL (not in fraud dept tho) and she said they're completely overwhelmed with all the identity verification backlogs. There was some massive data breach earlier this year and now they're being super cautious with everything. Annoying for us but I guess better than paying out to scammers.

UPDATE: Just saw that all my backpay finally came through! It took exactly 32 days from when my account was flagged until resolution. Hang in there everyone - keep certifying weekly and eventually it should resolve.

make sure u print those certification confirmations! ny unemployment system is held together with ducktape and prayers

Just went through this exact situation last week! Got approved after 6 weeks of waiting and yes, you'll definitely get backpay for all the weeks you certified. Mine hit my account 4 days after approval - all at once like everyone said. The key thing is making sure you certified for every single week during that waiting period, even if it felt pointless at the time. Check your payment history daily once you get approved, it'll change from "pending" to "released" when it's coming your way. Hang in there, you're almost at the finish line! 🙏

ugh the whole system is so frustrating!!! I've been waiting 3 weeks and my rent is due next week. They make it SO HARD to get help when you actually need it. The website is confusing and the phone lines are always busy. How are people supposed to survive while waiting for benefits??

I'm going through the same thing right now! Filed my claim 10 days ago and still showing "under review" with no updates. It's really stressful not knowing when to expect a decision. I've been documenting everything and keeping all my paperwork organized just in case they need additional info. Has anyone had success reaching them through their online messaging system instead of calling? I'm wondering if that might be faster than sitting on hold for hours.

I'm in a similar situation - been working as a 1099 for a marketing agency for about 6 months and they just cut my contract too. From what I've researched, you should definitely apply even as a contractor. NYS has been cracking down on worker misclassification lately, especially if you had set hours, used their equipment, or they controlled how you did your work. The application process is free so there's no downside to trying. I'm planning to apply this week and document everything about how my work was structured. Good luck!

I went through this exact situation last year! I was working as a 1099 contractor for about 10 months when my contract got terminated suddenly. Initially NYS DOL denied my claim, but I appealed and won after showing that I was essentially functioning as an employee - they controlled my schedule, provided training, and I worked exclusively for them. The key is gathering evidence like emails about your work schedule, any company equipment you used, and communications showing they directed HOW you did your work, not just what work to do. It took about 8 weeks total but I did get approved with backpay. Don't give up after the initial decision!

If you're having trouble accessing NYS Department of Labor historical data or need to speak with someone about unemployment statistics, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Much easier than trying to call directly during busy periods.

Another major factor to consider is seasonal economic patterns - certain industries like tourism, agriculture, and retail see predictable unemployment spikes during off-seasons. NYS Department of Labor data typically shows these cyclical patterns alongside the more dramatic economic event-driven spikes. Also, don't overlook the impact of major corporate bankruptcies or large-scale plant closures - these can create sudden, localized unemployment surges that really stand out in the data.