I'm going through this exact situation right now - just received my overpayment notice yesterday for $1,800 and I've been really stressed about it until I found this thread. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring! Like many others, I also didn't receive an appeal form with my notice, which seems to be a common issue. I'm definitely calling tomorrow morning to request both the appeal form and all their documentation. One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully got their overpayments reduced or eliminated, how important was it to have kept detailed records from when you were originally filing your claims? I have some of my weekly certification confirmations saved, but I'm worried I don't have everything I might need. Also, has anyone dealt with overpayments that were allegedly due to "failure to report work" when you're pretty sure you reported everything correctly? That's what my notice says, but I remember being very careful about reporting my part-time work during that period. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it gives me hope that this can be resolved!

I'm in a very similar situation - just got my overpayment notice this morning for $2,300 and I've been frantically searching online for answers when I found this thread. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and really comforting to know I'm not alone in dealing with this! Like so many others here, I also didn't receive an appeal form with my notice, which seems to be happening to a lot of people. I had no idea there were options like requesting waivers or getting all their documentation to review for errors. I'm definitely going to call first thing tomorrow to request the appeal form and ask for a complete breakdown of how they calculated the overpayment. One thing that really stands out from reading everyone's stories is how many people found actual errors in the state's records - it gives me hope that my situation might be similar. My notice mentions something about unreported wages, but I was very careful about reporting my freelance work during my claim period. Thank you all for sharing such detailed advice and experiences - this thread has already helped me feel so much more prepared to tackle this situation instead of just panicking about it!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this while pregnant - that's incredibly stressful timing. From what I understand, NY typically allows 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits, and once those are exhausted, you usually can't file a new claim until your benefit year ends (which would be around December 2023 for you). However, given your pregnancy, there might be additional options available. Here are some things to explore: 1. **Extended Benefits** - These aren't always available but worth checking. You'll need to speak with an agent to see if NY currently offers any extensions. 2. **Disability Benefits** - At 7 months pregnant, you might qualify for short-term disability benefits, especially as you get closer to your due date. 3. **Emergency Assistance Programs** - NY has emergency assistance for pregnant women and families in crisis situations. The biggest challenge is actually reaching someone at the unemployment office. I've been seeing people in this thread mention Claimyr as a way to get through faster - might be worth considering given your time-sensitive situation. Also, definitely keep pursuing other assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and any county-specific emergency aid. Being pregnant should help you qualify for expedited assistance in many programs. Don't lose hope - there are safety nets available, even if they're not well-advertised. You're being smart by reaching out and asking for help now rather than waiting.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what worked for me when I was in a similar situation last year. When my unemployment benefits ran out, I was completely lost and the website was no help at all - just kept showing my exhausted claim like you described. What saved me was finding out about Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which I had never heard of before. Since you're pregnant, you might qualify for emergency TANF benefits while you figure out the unemployment situation. The application process was way faster than I expected. Also, have you looked into whether your county has any emergency rental assistance or utility assistance programs? Many counties in NY have these programs specifically for pregnant women and families in crisis. I know everyone's suggesting calling unemployment (and they're right), but honestly given that you're 7 months pregnant, I'd prioritize getting immediate assistance lined up first through other programs, then work on the unemployment extension issue. You need a safety net ASAP. Wishing you the best - this situation is so stressful but there really are resources out there to help bridge the gap.

I went through this exact same situation with Walmart about 8 months ago - terminated for attendance issues due to car problems and they absolutely contested my claim. The good news is I eventually won after about 3.5 weeks of adjudication! What really helped my case was organizing all my documentation clearly - I had repair receipts from my mechanic, photos of my car broken down on the side of the road, and even bank statements showing the timing of the repair payments that correlated with my missed work days. Walmart definitely contests claims automatically (I learned they have entire departments dedicated to this), but the NYS Department of Labor adjudicators really do look at whether your absences were due to circumstances beyond your control. Since you have legitimate car trouble with documentation, you're in a much better position than you might think. Make sure to upload everything through your online portal - receipts, photos, even text messages about your car problems can help establish the timeline. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you need those benefits, but 2 weeks is still completely normal for contested claims. Don't give up hope - many of us have successfully beaten Walmart's automatic pushback when we had solid proof our absences were unavoidable!

I'm in a very similar boat right now - got let go from a different retailer for attendance issues about a month ago and they're fighting my claim too. What I've learned from talking to other people and doing research is that these big companies like Walmart basically contest unemployment claims as standard practice, especially for attendance-related terminations. It's all about keeping their unemployment tax rates low. The encouraging thing is that car trouble with proper documentation is exactly what the NYS Department of Labor considers "circumstances beyond your control." I'd definitely recommend uploading every single piece of evidence you have - repair receipts, towing bills, photos of your broken car, even text messages complaining about the car trouble around those dates. Two weeks is still totally normal timing for adjudication when there's a contest involved. I know the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're depending on those benefits to pay rent, but don't let their automatic pushback discourage you. From what I'm seeing in this thread, a lot of people actually do win these cases against big employers when they can prove their absences were legitimately unavoidable. Stay strong and keep fighting it!

Yeah definitely file right away but just be prepared for potential delays in processing. My claim took 3 weeks to get approved even though I had all the right paperwork. NYS Department of Labor is still backed up from all the claims over the past few years. At least you'll be in the queue though.

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago when I was laid off. The most important thing is to file immediately - there's no benefit to waiting and you'll lose money for every day you delay. One tip that helped me: gather all your employment documents before you start the online application. I had to stop halfway through because I couldn't find my last pay stub and had to start over. Also, if you were terminated rather than laid off, NYS Department of Labor will investigate whether it was "for cause" which could affect your eligibility, but don't let that stop you from filing - let them make that determination. Good luck!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation last year. When my regular 26 weeks ran out in April, I was panicking because EB wasn't active then either (unemployment rate was around 4.1% at the time). Here's what actually happened: NYSDOL sent me a message in my online account about 2 weeks before my benefits ended explaining that EB wasn't available but that I should keep certifying weekly in case the situation changed. They also included information about other programs I might qualify for. The most important thing I learned is to NOT stop certifying, even if your payments stop. I made that mistake for about 3 weeks thinking there was no point, and it caused a whole mess when I tried to get back into the system later. For anyone looking at the 599 Training Program - it's legitimate and can really help, but the approval process takes time so start early if you're considering it. Also, some programs have waiting lists, so don't wait until the last minute. One last tip: if you do end up in a gap between benefits, document EVERYTHING. Save screenshots of your account, any messages from NYSDOL, your certification history, etc. It made things so much easier when I eventually got connected with a helpful rep who could see exactly what had happened with my claim.

I'm currently on week 18 of my regular benefits and this whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about the specific unemployment rate thresholds for EB or the 599 Training Program - my case worker never mentioned any of this when I first filed. Reading everyone's experiences, it's clear that staying proactive is key. I'm going to start researching approved training programs now rather than waiting until my benefits are about to run out. The IT certification route sounds promising since that's been on my to-do list anyway. One question for those who've been through this - is there a specific time frame you'd recommend starting the 599 Training Program application process? Like should I be applying now at week 18, or wait until I'm closer to exhausting my regular benefits? I don't want to jump the gun but also don't want to miss any deadlines or end up on a waiting list. Also, huge thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here. The official NYSDOL information is so vague and confusing, but hearing what actually happened to real people makes this so much less scary to navigate.