when u finally get thru make sure u ask them to update ur email AND set up ur NY.gov ID!!! thats different from ur unemployment login and makes everything easier in the future. i lost my login info 3 times before an agent showed me this trick.

I went through this exact nightmare last year! What finally worked for me was going to my local One-Stop Career Center in person. I know it's a pain to travel, but I brought my ID, social security card, and an old paystub from when I was collecting benefits. The staff there were able to verify my identity and reset my account on the spot. They even printed out my 1099-G right there. Much faster than the phone runaround, and you're dealing with actual humans who want to help instead of that broken phone system. Look up "One-Stop Career Center" + your county name to find the closest location. Most are open Mon-Fri 9-5. Save yourself the phone hell!

Just want to say hang in there - the waiting is the worst part but most claims do get approved eventually if you were legitimately laid off or fired without cause.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim two weeks ago and it's still showing "adjudication in progress." I called the main NYS DOL number multiple times but can never get through - it either hangs up or puts me on hold for hours. Has anyone had luck calling at specific times of day? I'm wondering if there are better hours to try reaching them. Also, @StellarSurfer, did you get laid off or was it a different separation reason? I'm hoping that makes a difference in processing time.

hang in there! market will turn around eventually

I'm also in aerospace and got laid off from a propulsion systems company last month. The market is definitely tough right now - I've been tracking openings on Indeed and LinkedIn and there's maybe 2-3 new postings per week for our skill level in the whole NYC metro area. What's helped me with the NYS Department of Labor job search requirements is reaching out to former colleagues who moved to other companies, even if they don't have openings. Those networking contacts count toward your weekly requirement and sometimes they know about positions that aren't posted yet. Also consider defense contractors doing work outside traditional aerospace - some are hiring for space/satellite projects.

Just remember that welfare has work requirements too so make sure you're meeting the job search requirements for both programs. NYS Department of Labor requires you to look for work and so does welfare usually.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with two kids as well. You absolutely can get both - I received unemployment from NYS Department of Labor and SNAP/cash assistance from local DSS. The key thing is being completely transparent about your unemployment benefits when you apply for welfare. They'll reduce your cash assistance based on your UI payments, but you'll likely still qualify for SNAP and definitely for Medicaid for you and your kids. Apply for both ASAP since there can be processing delays, especially with welfare applications. Also keep all your documentation organized because both agencies will want proof of everything. Hang in there - the combination of both programs really helped me get through those tough months until I found work again.

Protip: you can check your payment history on the website under 'View Payment History'. It'll show if its been released yet

Just wanted to add that if you're worried about timing, the NY DOL website also has a "Payment Release Calendar" that shows which days payments typically get processed. Really helpful for planning around weekends and holidays. Also, some banks like Capital One and Ally tend to process ACH transfers a day earlier than the big banks.