Just to summarize what we've discovered for anyone else who might have this issue: 1. When you report being unavailable for work on any day during weekly certification (even for illness), it can trigger an availability review 2. During this review, the system may show contradictory information like "already certified" and "file new claim" simultaneously 3. A phone interview (sometimes called a hearing) may be scheduled to verify the reason for unavailability 4. You should continue to certify weekly while waiting for this process to resolve 5. Benefits will typically be reduced by 1/4 for each day you were unavailable (in a 4-day work week system) 6. The temporary hold on payment should resolve once the review is complete The key is to keep certifying and be available for any scheduled phone interviews. Most of these situations resolve within 2-3 weeks.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my payment was delayed after I reported being sick for two days during my weekly certification. The system is showing the same confusing messages you described. Reading through everyone's responses, it sounds like this is pretty common when you report any unavailability. I found a notice in my documents section about a "determination interview" scheduled for next week. At least now I know what to expect and that I should keep certifying while I wait for it to be resolved. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really reassuring to know this isn't as scary as it initially seemed!

UPDATE: I uploaded all my documents and called using the Claimyr service that someone mentioned. Actually got through to a real person (shocking!) who confirmed my documents were received and said I made it before the deadline. They also noted in my account that I never received the mail notification. Thanks everyone for your help - you literally saved me from a potential disaster with my benefits.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - been on UI for 6 weeks and never got any mail about documents. Just checked my online account after reading this and sure enough, there's a message from 10 days ago asking for my W2 and last 3 pay stubs with a deadline next week. The notification system is definitely broken if so many people are missing these requests. Going to upload everything today just to be safe. Thank you all for sharing your experiences!

The whole misconduct thing is so subjective anyway! I've seen people get fired for the dumbest reasons and employers always try to claim misconduct to avoid paying higher unemployment taxes. Most of the time NYS Department of Labor sees right through it. Just file your claim and let them sort it out - that's what they're there for.

From what I understand, NYS Department of Labor defines misconduct pretty narrowly - it has to be deliberate wrongdoing that harms your employer's business interests. Just being late occasionally or having professional disagreements usually won't cut it. The key is whether your actions were willful violations of known company rules or policies. I'd definitely apply - worst case scenario they deny you and you can appeal with more details about your specific situation. Don't let your former supervisor's comments discourage you from at least trying!

Friendly reminder to all my fellow unemployed peeps: Don't forget to set aside money for taxes! Unemployment benefits are taxable income. Learned that the hard way last year 😅💸

Hey Liam! I'm in a similar boat - been on unemployment for about 4 months now. From what I've learned, NY gives you 26 weeks max for regular UI benefits. No extensions right now unfortunately 😞 I'd definitely recommend starting your job search ASAP if you haven't already. The 26 weeks goes by faster than you think! Also, keep checking the NYSDOL website regularly - sometimes they announce new programs or extensions with little notice. One thing that helped me was setting up job alerts on multiple sites and treating job searching like a full-time job itself. Hang in there! 💪

try calling right when they open at 8am that worked for me once

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at DOL! Used that Claimyr service and it actually worked - got connected in about a half hour. The agent was super nice and explained that I should only select "went back to work" after I've actually started working and received pay. She removed the break in claim and said my payment should process in 2-3 business days. So relieved!!! Thanks everyone for your help!!