I've been lurking in this thread for days and finally decided to create an account just to say THANK YOU to everyone sharing their experiences! I've been trying to reach NY unemployment for almost 3 weeks about my claim that got flagged for "identity verification" even though I've been receiving benefits for 2 months already. After reading all these detailed strategies, I feel like I actually have a game plan now instead of just randomly calling and hoping for the best. Going to try the 8:00 AM sharp timing with the button sequence tomorrow morning - I've got my atomic clock app downloaded, both phones charged, and all my documents organized in a folder. It's honestly ridiculous that we need military-level planning just to talk to someone about our benefits, but I'm so grateful this community exists to help each other navigate this broken system. Will definitely update with my results to help others who might be in the same situation. Fingers crossed!

I've been dealing with NY unemployment issues for months and wanted to share a few additional tips that have helped me based on my experience as someone who works in IT support. First, if you're using a cell phone, make sure you're in an area with the strongest signal possible - dropped calls when you finally get through are heartbreaking. Second, I've noticed that having your claim information pulled up on the NYSDOL website while you're on the call helps because agents can often see the same information you're looking at. Third, if you get disconnected while talking to an agent, call back immediately and tell the next agent you were just disconnected mid-call - they can sometimes look up the notes from the previous conversation. The system really is broken, but persistence combined with these community strategies does work. I got through last month using the timing and sequence tips shared here, and my claim was resolved in one call. Don't give up everyone - keep sharing what works and we'll all get through this together!

Been following this thread closely since I'm in basically the same situation - lost my job in June and kept putting off filing thinking I'd find something soon. All these success stories are really encouraging! From what I'm gathering, the main keys are: getting through to someone (either 8am sharp or using that claimyr service), having all your paperwork ready, and being honest about the delay. One thing I'm wondering though - has anyone had issues with getting denied for waiting too long? Like is there an actual time limit on how far back they'll go, or is it more just about having a good explanation? Planning to try calling Monday morning but want to make sure I'm not too late at this point. Thanks for all the detailed advice everyone!

I went through this exact situation last year - lost my job in March but didn't file until October because I was convinced I'd find something quickly. Big mistake waiting so long! But I was able to get my claim backdated successfully. Here's what worked for me: I used the claimyr service (yes it's legit and worth every penny), had all my termination paperwork ready, and was completely honest about delaying because I was actively job searching. They made me certify for each week going back to March which was tedious but I ended up getting about $4,000 in back pay. The whole process from getting through to receiving money took about 7 weeks. Don't give up - it's definitely possible even after waiting this long!

This is happening to SO many people right now! I've been dealing with the same thing for the past week - three payments showing "released" but my bank account is still empty. After reading through all these comments, I'm definitely going to call tomorrow and specifically ask about manual review flags and backend processing errors like @StellarSurfer mentioned. It's crazy that we have to become detective investigators just to get our own benefits! Has anyone had luck with calling at a specific time of day? I've been trying in the mornings but wondering if afternoons might be better. This whole system is such a mess and it's causing so much unnecessary stress when people are already struggling 😔

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else dealing with this - I had the exact same issue last year where payments showed "released" for almost 3 weeks but never hit my account. Turns out there was some kind of security flag on my account that nobody mentioned until I got the right rep. What finally worked for me was calling and specifically asking them to check for "payment holds," "security reviews," and "processing flags" on my account. Don't let them give you the basic "everything looks good" response - ask them to actually pull up your payment details and check the status codes. Also, if the first rep can't help, politely ask for a supervisor or to have your case escalated. It's frustrating that we have to be so persistent but unfortunately that seems to be the only way to get real help with these payment issues. Hang in there everyone! 🙏

Just to add some clarity on the 25% rule that Liam mentioned - it's actually 25% of your weekly benefit rate OR $100, whichever is LESS. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you'd get $100 (25% of $400). But if your weekly benefit is $300, you'd only get $75 (25% of $300). After that threshold, it's dollar-for-dollar reduction. I found this out the hard way when I assumed it was always $100. Also, make sure you're reporting gross earnings before any expenses or fees that Uber takes out - NYS Department of Labor wants the total amount you earned, not what you actually received after their cuts.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also keep track of your vehicle expenses if you're driving for Uber Eats - gas, wear and tear, etc. While you still have to report the gross earnings to NYS Department of Labor, you can deduct those business expenses when you file your taxes next year since you'll be getting a 1099 from Uber. It won't help with your weekly unemployment calculation, but it'll save you money at tax time. Also, definitely download a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Stride - the IRS standard mileage deduction is pretty generous for delivery drivers and can add up to significant savings.

hang in there! mine took 6 weeks but eventually got approved and they paid me for all the back weeks

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed in early February after my retail job ended and it's been "pending adjudication" for almost 4 weeks. The uncertainty is killing me because I have no idea if there's an actual issue or if it's just taking forever. I've tried calling so many times that I've memorized the automated message. At least it helps to know other people are dealing with this too and that there's still hope it'll get resolved eventually.