@Elijah Brown - 10 days is still within the normal range, so try not to worry too much! I went through this same process last year after a plant closure in Buffalo. What really helped me was logging into my.ny.gov every few days to check for any messages or document requests they might have sent. Sometimes they need additional verification and if you miss those requests it can delay everything. Also make sure your contact info is up to date in case they need to reach you by phone. Keep filing those weekly claims like you're doing - that's super important for getting your full backpay once approved.

@Elijah Brown hang in there! I'm currently going through the same thing - filed my claim 12 days ago after getting laid off from my job in Syracuse and still showing "under review" too. From what I've read on the NYS DOL website, they're dealing with higher than normal claim volumes right now which is causing some delays. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was calling the automated phone line (1-888-209-8124) which at least confirmed my claim was in the system and being processed. Also seconding what others said about keeping up with those weekly certifications - I set a phone reminder every Sunday so I don't forget. We'll get through this!

sometimes the delay is because they're doing an employer verification and your former employer isn't responding. if you have any contacts at your old job, ask them to check if they got any requests from unemployment. my old HR lady found unemployment emails in their spam folder!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - been waiting 6 weeks and my claim shows "under review" but I got my determination letter 3 weeks ago. Reading through everyone's experiences, I think I'm going to try the multi-pronged approach: calling right at 8am, contacting my assemblyperson, and maybe trying that Claimyr service if nothing else works. It's insane that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get benefits we're entitled to. Thanks everyone for sharing what worked for you - gives me hope that I'll eventually get through this mess!

One more thing to check - log into your NY.gov ID account (not just the unemployment portal) and make sure there are no general notifications or documents there. Sometimes communications get sent to your general NY.gov account rather than appearing in the unemployment portal specifically.

I went through something very similar last year! Was approved but no payments for about 5 weeks. In my case, it turned out there was a "wage verification hold" that wasn't showing up anywhere in my portal - the system was waiting for my previous employer to respond to a wage inquiry they had sent. The crazy part is that this hold isn't visible to claimants, only to the agents when they look at your account internally. What finally worked for me was calling the technical support line (1-888-581-5812) instead of the regular claims line. They were able to see the hold immediately and escalate it to get resolved. Try that number if you haven't already - the wait times are usually shorter than the main line. Also, document everything! Screenshot your account status, save confirmation numbers from your weekly certs, etc. When you do get through, having all that info ready will help them resolve it faster. You should definitely get all your back pay once this gets sorted out.

I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to check on my back pay status when this happened to me. Ended up using claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent who confirmed everything was processing correctly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made it so much easier than trying to call myself and getting hung up on constantly.

The NYS Department of Labor system is SO SLOW with back payments! Even when they say it's approved it can take another week or two to actually see the money. I was approved on a Thursday and didn't get my back pay until the following Tuesday. Just be patient but definitely keep checking your account daily.

I went through something very similar last year - filed in December but they used an effective date two weeks later, which put me in a different base period and lowered my weekly benefit by about $160. What worked for me was calling the dedicated technical support line (518-457-9000) instead of the main claims line. They handle system errors and date corrections specifically. I got through on my second try and they fixed it immediately while I was on the phone. The backpay showed up in my account within 5 business days. Worth trying if the regular line isn't working for you!

I had a very similar experience with my NY unemployment claim - they used the wrong effective date which put me in a different base period and reduced my weekly benefits by about $125. After weeks of trying to get through the main phone line, I finally got it resolved by calling right at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday and staying on hold for almost 2 hours (I know, brutal). When I finally reached a representative, they were able to see the error immediately and corrected my effective date while I was on the phone. The key thing is to be very specific - tell them you need your effective date corrected to the Sunday of the week you originally filed, and ask them to recalculate your base period wages using the correct date. They should also process backpay for the weeks you were underpaid automatically once they make the correction. Don't give up! The system definitely has issues during high-volume periods, but once you reach someone who can actually help, they can usually fix it pretty quickly. The waiting is the hardest part.