FINAL UPDATE: Had my fact-finding interview this morning. It was quick - about 15 minutes. I presented my termination letter which clearly stated "position eliminated due to departmental restructuring" and the interviewer seemed satisfied. My former employer didn't even show up for the call. The interviewer said my claim should be processed within 3 business days and all backdated weeks will be paid at once. Such a relief! Thanks again everyone - if anyone else is dealing with a stuck claim, definitely try to speak with an actual person. The online system just doesn't handle complex situations well.

This is such a great example of why persistence pays off with unemployment claims! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim has been pending for 3 weeks and I was starting to panic. Your story gives me hope that there's usually a specific issue that can be resolved once you get through to the right person. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service you mentioned since calling directly hasn't worked for me either. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to, but at least there are solutions out there. Congrats on getting it sorted out!

hope this helps!! went through the same thing when I got laid off from my restaurant job in December

Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The 10 business day timeline is accurate, but here's a tip that helped me: you can actually call the Telephone Claims Center at 888-209-8124 after the 10 days are up to check on the status. I found out my employer had responded on day 8 but there was a backlog in processing. The rep was able to tell me my case was moving to final review. Also, make sure you keep certifying your weekly benefits even while it's pending - you'll get backpay for those weeks once approved. Hang in there, the waiting is the worst part but most claims do get resolved within that 21-day window they mention.

UPDATE: I completed the ID.me verification using my current email and it worked fine! The system asked me to verify my phone number, upload my driver's license, and do a video selfie. The whole process took about 15 minutes. Now I'm waiting to see if/when my unemployment payments will start coming through. Thank you everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting through the ID.me verification! Just a heads up - keep an eye on your NYSDOL account over the next few days. Sometimes there can be a delay between ID.me completing and your unemployment account actually updating to show you're verified. If you don't see any changes in your payment status within a week, definitely call or use one of those callback services people mentioned. The 3-week wait you've already had is way too long, so hopefully this gets things moving for you quickly!

Just to clarify since there seems to be some confusion - the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) rate that employers pay is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages, but they get credits that usually bring it down to 0.6%. That's completely separate from how your benefits are taxed when you receive them. Your UI benefits are taxed as ordinary income at whatever your regular federal tax rate is.

Thanks everyone for the helpful explanations! I'm in a similar boat - received unemployment benefits last year and didn't realize I should have set up withholding. For anyone else reading this, I found that the NYS Department of Labor website has a tax withholding calculator that can help estimate how much you might owe. Also, if you can't afford to pay the full amount at once, the IRS does offer payment plans. Definitely learned my lesson for this year - already set up the 10% federal withholding on my current claims.

The unemployment system is such a mess though! FUTA has been around since the 1930s and we're still dealing with outdated systems and impossible phone lines. Sure, it funds the benefits, but what good is that when people can't even get through to NYS Department of Labor to file their weekly claims or resolve adjudication issues? The whole thing needs an overhaul.

FUTA was actually created during the Great Depression as part of the Social Security Act of 1935. It's designed to provide a federal backstop for state unemployment programs - so when states like New York run low on unemployment funds during recessions, the federal government can provide loans. The 6% federal tax rate Theodore mentioned can be reduced to 0.6% if states meet federal requirements, which is why most employers end up paying much less in FUTA than the headline rate suggests. It's really about creating a nationwide safety net that operates through state programs like NYS Department of Labor.