I wouldn't worry too much about your existing claim. Just make sure you're keeping up with your job search log and reporting any work accurately on your weekly claims. The NYS Department of Labor is required to pay benefits to eligible claimants regardless of how many people are claiming.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago when unemployment rates were climbing and I was convinced they were going to start cutting benefits. What I learned is that your individual claim is based on your work history and eligibility when you first applied - the statewide numbers don't change that. The only thing that might affect you is if you personally stop meeting the requirements (like not doing job searches or not certifying weekly). Keep doing what you're doing and don't let the headlines stress you out!

Just to give you some hope - I had the exact issue (wrong last work date) and finally got it resolved last month. Took about 3 months total but I did get ALL my back pay once they fixed it. Stay persistent and document everything!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My system shows I last worked in August 2020 but I actually got laid off in April. It's been 3 months of trying to get this fixed and I'm getting nowhere with the regular phone lines. Reading through these comments, it sounds like using claimyr.com or contacting my state rep might be my best bets. Has anyone had luck with the state rep route recently? I'm in Queens if that matters. Also @StardustSeeker - definitely try calling right at 8am like someone mentioned. I've had slightly better luck early morning vs afternoon calls, though still haven't gotten through to someone who can actually help yet. This whole situation is so frustrating when you know it's just a simple data error that should take 5 minutes to fix 😤

If u cant get through to anyone, contact your local news station. I swear this works. My cousin's unemployment fraud case was dragging on for months until she contacted the 'fighting for you' segment on channel 7. They did a story and her case was resolved in a week.

This is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately becoming way too common. I went through something similar last year - found out someone had been collecting my benefits for 3 months while I was struggling to pay rent. Here's what worked for me: 1. Document EVERYTHING - screenshot your account showing the fraudulent changes, save all emails/communications 2. Contact your state assemblyperson AND senator - not just one. Their offices have direct lines to the unemployment department 3. File complaints with both the NY State Attorney General and the federal DOL fraud hotline 4. If you have a local unemployment office, show up in person with all your documentation - sometimes physical presence gets results when calls don't I also ended up using one of those callback services (claimyr) that others mentioned - was skeptical but it actually got me connected to a real person who could escalate my case. Took about 8 weeks total but I did get all my stolen benefits back plus the ones I was owed. The system is broken but don't give up. Keep pushing from multiple angles - the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these agencies. Hang in there!

Good luck with the appeal! Make sure you gather all your documentation before the hearing. The hearing officers are usually fair if you have proof of your wages.

I went through something similar a few months ago. One thing to check - make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly to NYS. Sometimes there are delays or errors in wage reporting that can mess up your base period calculations. You can request a wage transcript from NYS Department of Labor to see exactly what wages they have on file for you. If there's a discrepancy between what you actually earned and what they show, that's definitely grounds for appeal. Also, double-check that they used the right base period - sometimes they calculate it wrong if you filed right at the beginning or end of a quarter.

hope this helps!! went through the same thing when I got laid off from my restaurant job in December

Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The 10 business day timeline is accurate, but here's a tip that helped me: you can actually call the Telephone Claims Center at 888-209-8124 after the 10 days are up to check on the status. I found out my employer had responded on day 8 but there was a backlog in processing. The rep was able to tell me my case was moving to final review. Also, make sure you keep certifying your weekly benefits even while it's pending - you'll get backpay for those weeks once approved. Hang in there, the waiting is the worst part but most claims do get resolved within that 21-day window they mention.