


Ask the community...
Ugh this is so relatable! I went through the exact same runaround last month. After getting transferred 4 times and disconnected twice, I finally got someone who explained they needed my claim confirmation number (the one from when you first filed), plus all the usual stuff like SSN and DOB. But here's the kicker - they also wanted the EXACT dollar amount of my last benefit payment. Like who keeps track of that?? I had to log into my account while on the phone to find it. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up, I swear. Keep trying though, persistence is the only thing that works with NY unemployment!
its crazy how this whole process is such a black box. we literally have no idea whats happening with our claims until someone decides to tell us. meanwhile bills piling up and we just gotta wait 🤦♂️
This is super helpful, thank you for sharing all the details! I'm currently stuck in the same "under review" limbo for about 3 weeks now. The info about the area codes is gold - I've definitely been ignoring calls thinking they were spam. Going to try calling early tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. It's encouraging to hear that someone actually got through and received useful information. Fingers crossed the rest of us start seeing some movement soon too! 🤞
One thing that helped me was reaching out to my old network. I was embarrassed at first but people were surprisingly understanding and helpful. Sometimes it's not about what you know but who you know, especially when you're trying to explain an employment gap.
I'm in a similar situation - been unemployed for about 10 months and the anxiety is real. One thing that's helped me is treating job searching like a part-time job itself. I block out 4-5 hours each weekday for applications, networking, and skill building. It makes me feel more productive and gives structure to my days. Also, I started a simple spreadsheet to track my applications and any responses - it helps me see that I am making progress even when it doesn't feel like it. The NYS DOL portal lets you log these activities easily for your weekly claims. Don't give up - we're all in this together.
I remember last summer when I was collecting, I got so confused about the whole "effective days" thing. Kept thinking I was getting shorted money. Turns out NY unemployment has this weird way of calculating where each day equals 1/4 of your weekly benefit. Anyone else find that super confusing?
Yes, that's a NY-specific quirk that confuses everyone! NY unemployment uses a system of "effective days" where each week has a maximum of 4 effective days. Each effective day equals 1/4 of your weekly benefit amount. So if your weekly benefit is $600, each effective day is worth $150. If you work part-time during a claim week, they reduce your effective days, which reduces your payment proportionally.
Just want to add that your friend should also make sure he meets the basic eligibility requirements before applying. He needs to have worked and earned wages in at least 2 of the last 4 calendar quarters, and his job loss can't be due to misconduct or quitting without good cause. If he was laid off from the warehouse (which sounds like the case), he should be fine. The good news is that warehouse workers often have straightforward cases since layoffs are usually clearly documented. Hope this helps and good luck to your friend!
Adriana Cohn
ugh the whole system is so frustrating... they make you jump through hoops even when employers fire people unfairly. I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own case
0 coins
Jace Caspullo
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.
0 coins
Melody Miles
Don't give up! I thought for sure I'd be denied because my boss claimed I was insubordinate but NYS Department of Labor saw through their BS. The adjudication took about 3 weeks but I got approved. Make sure you provide your side of the story when they contact you for the fact-finding interview.
0 coins
Sofia Peña
•They haven't contacted me for an interview yet - should I be worried? It's been about 10 days since I filed.
0 coins
Zoe Stavros
•Don't worry, 10 days isn't unusual at all! Sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks before they reach out for the fact-finding interview, especially if they have a backlog. They're probably still gathering information from your employer first. Just keep filing your weekly claims in the meantime - that's really important to maintain your claim even during the adjudication process.
0 coins