I finally got through to someone on the phone after trying all week! They confirmed they're reviewing old cases from 2020-2022 and many people need to resubmit their waiver forms. The agent said it's because they're using new federal guidelines to evaluate old cases and some people might actually qualify for waivers now who didn't before. So I guess it could be good news for some people? Anyway, they're giving everyone until March 31st to respond, even though the letters say different deadlines.

This is incredibly frustrating! I'm in the exact same boat - got the email yesterday referencing a letter I never received, and I completed my waiver back in 2021 too. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like this is a widespread issue with their system overhaul. I'm going to log into my NY.gov account right now and look for that OVP-25 form. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not going crazy and this isn't just happening to me! Really appreciate all the helpful advice about the March 31st deadline and the new federal guidelines.

definitely file! even if its not a ton of money every bit helps when you're unemployed. the worst they can say is no but you'll probably qualify

I filed for unemployment after working part-time at a grocery store for about 6 months (roughly 28 hours/week at $15/hour) and I'm so glad I did! I ended up getting $165 per week which made a huge difference while job hunting. The application wasn't too bad - I did it online through my.ny.gov and it took maybe 30 minutes to complete. Just make sure you have your employment dates, employer info, and reason for separation ready. The hardest part was actually getting through the initial phone interview to confirm everything, but once that was done the weekly certifications are pretty straightforward. Don't overthink it - you paid into the system, so you deserve to use it when you need it!

This happened to my wife. The letter is legit but here's the thing - they are VERY picky about the content. Her first letter got rejected because she didn't "provide sufficient cause" for backdating. Second letter we were super specific about why she couldn't file (our internet was out for 3 weeks due to a storm, then she was in the hospital, etc). The more barriers you can list that prevented you from filing, the better chance you have. Don't just say you didn't know you should file.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The letter is definitely legit - it's called a "Request for Backdating" and NY requires it for any benefits more than 7 days before your filing date. In your case, since you filed in August but were unemployed since May, that's why they need the letter. Here's what worked for me: Keep it simple and factual. Explain that you were laid off on May 23rd but initially thought it might be temporary, so you delayed filing thinking you'd be called back. By the time you realized the layoff was permanent, several months had passed. Include your full name, claim ID, SSN (last 4), and phone number. Send it to the address Logan mentioned above, and definitely use certified mail. I got my backpay about 5-6 weeks after they received my letter. The key is following up every couple weeks to make sure it's being processed. Don't let them forget about you! You're entitled to those payments if you were eligible during that time period.

The 'best' really depends on what you value. Some states have higher weekly amounts but shorter durations. Others have extended benefits during recessions. California has high benefits but also really strict eligibility requirements. And don't even get me started on how backed up their system gets...

I've been researching this too since I'm potentially looking at relocating. From what I've found, Massachusetts actually does have higher maximum benefits (around $855/week) like your brother mentioned, but the cost of living adjustment makes it less impressive. Washington state is another good one - they have high benefits and no state income tax. New Jersey is solid too with benefits up to $713/week. But honestly, @Emma Morales makes a good point - the real value is in landing a good job quickly rather than optimizing for unemployment benefits you hopefully won't need long-term. Have you considered looking at job markets in different states as your primary factor?

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your claim duration, I used a 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 that shows how it works. I was stuck trying to call for weeks about my adjudication issue.

Just make sure you don't mess up your weekly claims because they can be really strict about that stuff. I missed one week by accident and it took forever to get it sorted out.