The weekly filing thing is such a pain but you really can't miss it. I set a phone reminder every Sunday to make sure I don't forget. Also make sure you're reporting any work you did that week correctly - even if it's just a few hours of freelance work, you need to report it or you could get an overpayment notice later.

Just wanted to add that you should also keep track of your job search activities when you file weekly. NYS requires you to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and you might get audited later where you have to provide proof. I keep a simple spreadsheet with company names, dates, and how I contacted them (online application, phone call, etc.). It's saved me from headaches when they requested documentation during my benefit year.

UPDATE: I finally got my interview call today!!! It's been exactly 17 days since they told me someone would call. The interview was super quick - just asked about my last employer, why I was let go, and verified my personal info. The interviewer said my payments should start processing in 24-48 hours. Fingers crossed!!!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim two weeks ago and just got the "pending - interview required" status yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying lol. The wait times seem so unpredictable - some people get called in a week, others wait over a month. I'm trying to stay positive but it's hard when bills are piling up. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips about answering unknown numbers. Going to make sure my phone is always charged and ready!

Just make sure you understand what counts as 'work' too. Even if you do some freelance stuff or odd jobs, that all needs to be reported. NYS Department of Labor considers any work for pay as work, regardless of whether you get a W-2 or 1099 or just cash.

I went through this exact situation last year! The key thing to remember is that you have to report your work and earnings EVERY week when you file your claim, even if you didn't work that particular week. When you log into the my.ny.gov portal to file your weekly claim, there's a section that asks "Did you work or earn money this week?" - you answer yes and then fill out the details about hours worked and gross earnings. Don't overthink it - as long as you're honest about your part-time work, you'll be fine. The system will automatically calculate your partial benefit. And like others said, taking that part-time job while still looking for full-time work is actually encouraged by NYS Department of Labor!

wait I thought you had to file for the waiting week during your first claim??? I never did that and now I'm worried I missed out on money

Just wanted to add that if you're still not seeing your waiting week credit after checking your payment history, you might want to look at your claim summary too. Sometimes it shows up there under "benefit weeks paid" or something similar. I had the same confusion when I first started filing - the system isn't super clear about how the waiting week works. But like everyone else said, it should definitely be there automatically after you've received a few payments. The good news is there's no deadline to worry about - it's not something you can "miss" requesting.

i actually got through to id.me by emailing support@id.me AND privacy@id.me AND security@id.me all in the same email. hit em from all angles lol. got a response within 24 hrs.

Going through this exact nightmare right now too! Been stuck in "pending identity verification" for 3 weeks with zero response from ID.me. The fact that they outsourced this critical step to a third party that completely ignores people is insane. I've tried emailing, calling, everything - it's like they don't exist. My benefits are completely frozen and I'm behind on everything. This whole system is designed to wear us down until we give up. Thanks for posting this - at least I know I'm not alone in this mess. Going to try some of these suggestions people shared.