The unemployment website says average wait time is 12 minutes LMAOOOOO what a joke. I've never waited less than an hour and that's IF I can even get in the queue. Who comes up with these fake stats?

I feel your pain - went through this exact nightmare last year. After 6 weeks of getting nowhere with the regular phone line, I finally got connected using a callback service called Claimyr. They handle all the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when they reach an actual human. Cost me like $20 but saved literally weeks of my life sitting on hold. Got my whole claim sorted in one 15-minute call once I had an agent. The NY system is completely broken - they know people will give up if it's hard enough. Don't let them win, your benefits are money YOU paid into the system!

Wait I'm confused about something - if I work part time at a regular job vs doing freelance work, are the rules different? I thought there were different rules for W2 vs 1099 income?

@StarSurfer - One thing to keep in mind with freelance graphic design work is that you'll also need to set aside money for taxes since you won't have taxes withheld like with a regular job. As a freelancer, you'll be responsible for self-employment tax (15.3%) plus regular income tax on whatever you earn. So if you're making $200-300/week, consider putting aside about 25-30% for taxes. This might affect how much extra income you actually net after reporting to NYS Department of Labor and paying taxes later.

Pro tip: make sure ur not copying and pasting the password. type it manually. sometimes hidden spaces get copied too

Had the exact same issue last week! What finally worked for me was using a different device entirely - tried my phone instead of laptop and it went through immediately. Also make sure you're using the correct URL (labor.ny.gov/signin) because there are some fake lookalike sites that will mess with your login attempts. If all else fails, definitely try that claimyr service people are mentioning - heard good things about it from others in this group.

Hang in there! I know it's stressful but these delays happen more often than you'd think. Once your claim does get approved, you'll receive back pay for all the weeks you certified, so you won't lose out on any benefits. The waiting is the hardest part.

I went through something similar about 8 months ago - filed and waited 5 weeks with no updates. What finally helped was documenting everything and sending a formal inquiry through the my.ny.gov message center. I attached copies of my layoff notice and certification history. Got a response within a week saying they were waiting on wage verification from my employer. Turns out my former company was slow to respond to their requests. Once I knew what the holdup was, I was able to follow up more effectively. The whole process took 7 weeks total but I did get all my back pay. Don't give up - keep certifying and try the message center if you haven't already!

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED! They always side with employers initially. I was fired for 'attitude problems' which is completely subjective but still had to go through months of appeals. Document EVERYTHING and don't trust what your employer tells you about your eligibility.

I went through this exact situation with NYS Department of Labor about two years ago. Was terminated for "excessive tardiness" but it was due to my elderly mother's medical appointments that I had to coordinate. The key thing is to file your claim immediately - don't wait! When they do the phone interview (usually within 2-3 weeks), be completely honest about the childcare situation and emphasize that you tried to work with your employer. I brought up how I attempted to communicate and find solutions. They ended up approving my claim because tardiness due to legitimate family care responsibilities isn't considered willful misconduct under NY law. The process took about 4 weeks total, but I got back pay for all the weeks I was eligible. Stay persistent and keep documenting everything!