UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my claim finally moved from pending to approved this morning! Exactly 25 days after filing. No intervention needed - it just eventually processed on its own. Thanks for all the advice and reassurance that this was normal. All the back payments were deposited at once like some of you mentioned. Such a relief!

Congrats on getting approved! That's such great news and really helpful for others going through the same thing. Your timeline of 25 days matches what a lot of people are experiencing right now. Thanks for taking the time to update the thread - it's always reassuring to see success stories and know that the system does eventually work, even if it feels painfully slow while you're waiting. Hope the job search goes well for you!

Make sure when you appeal you're super clear about the timeline of events and that you have witnesses or documentation. NYS Department of Labor will schedule a hearing where both you and your employer can present evidence. Since you have that company email about store closures, that should be strong evidence in your favor. Don't let this discourage you from appealing - wrongful disqualifications get overturned all the time when people have proper documentation.

I went through something similar when I was disqualified for "misconduct" even though I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. The key thing to remember is that disqualification decisions are often based on incomplete or incorrect information from employers. File your appeal as soon as possible - you can do it online through the NYS Department of Labor website. In your appeal, be very detailed about what actually happened and include any evidence you have. The company closure email you mentioned will be crucial evidence. Also, consider reaching out to your former coworkers who were also laid off - they could serve as witnesses if needed. Don't give up on this - with proper documentation, these cases often get resolved in the claimant's favor.

The whole system is a mess. They make it sound like everyone who filed during covid was committing fraud but most of us were just trying to survive. Now they're going after legitimate claimants while the real fraudsters probably got away with millions.

I went through this exact same review process about 6 months ago and it was nerve-wracking but ultimately fine. The key thing is to respond quickly and provide everything they ask for. Don't wait until the last minute on that 10-day deadline. I organized all my documents in a folder - pay stubs, tax forms, bank statements showing my employment ended when I claimed it did. The review took about a month total but they sent me a letter saying everything was cleared. The fraud investigation is really targeting people who filed under fake identities or were working while claiming benefits, not legitimate claimants like you who just need to verify their paperwork.

these fraud investigations are getting out of hand fr fr. my cousin got the same letter last week

Hey Yara, I went through something similar in 2020. The key thing is to stay calm and be organized. Even without your old passport, you should be fine with other forms of ID. I'd also suggest bringing any employment records you can find from 2019 - pay stubs, W2s, termination letters, anything that shows your work history. If you can't find those documents, your former employer might still have copies. The investigators are usually pretty reasonable if you're upfront about what happened and show you're trying to cooperate. Good luck! 🤞

just make sure u get a confirmation after u press 4. sometimes the system hangs up for no reason lol

Just wanted to add that you can also check your withholding status online through the NY DOL website if you're not sure what you selected. I logged into my account last week and could see under "Payment Information" whether I had tax withholding set up or not. It's a good way to double-check without having to call that awful phone system again. The online portal shows your payment history and tax withholding amounts too, which is helpful for keeping track.