UPDATE: I tried using Chrome instead of Safari and clearing my cache like someone suggested, but still got the same error. I ended up using the Claimyr service that was mentioned and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed there's a known issue with the direct deposit verification system affecting some banks. They took my information and set up the direct deposit manually on their end. Problem solved! Thanks everyone for your help!

Glad you got it sorted out! This is really helpful to know that there's actually a confirmed system issue on NYSDOL's end. I've been dealing with the same problem for the past week and was starting to think I was going crazy. It's frustrating that they haven't posted any notice about this known issue on their website - would save people a lot of time and stress. Thanks for sharing the update and the solution that worked!

Ugh this happened to me last year and it was SO stressful. My employer waited until literally the last day to contest my claim, then I had to go through the whole adjudication process. Took weeks longer to get approved. I was checking my account like 50 times a day lol. Hang in there, most claims do get approved eventually.

If your employer doesn't respond in time, the claim should auto-approve. But then sometimes they try to contest it later and that's when things get messy. Keep documenting everything just in case you need it for an appeal later on.

Been dealing with this stuff for years and honestly the hardest part is getting through to NYS Department of Labor when you have questions about claims or need to dispute something. Their phone lines are always jammed. I finally started using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you connected to actual agents without the endless hold times. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

just a heads up - if any of those 3 employees file for unemployment your rate WILL go up next year. theres no way around it with layoffs. budget for at least a 1-2% increase in your SUI rate

The NYS Department of Labor has a benefit calculator on their website but honestly it's not super accurate. I was getting way less than what it estimated because of some weird calculation with my base period. Had to call them multiple times to figure out why my amount was lower than expected. If you're having trouble getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor, I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an agent. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me hours of calling.

Don't forget you also have to do the job search requirements to keep getting benefits. It's 3 job search activities per week and you have to log them in the system. That doesn't affect the amount but you won't get paid if you don't do it.

Don't assume anything!! The unemployment system is designed to deny people. I worked for 2 years and they still found some excuse to delay my benefits for months. Make sure you have ALL your paperwork ready and document everything. Save screenshots of everything you submit because they WILL lose your information.

Keep your expectations realistic about the benefit amount too. The weekly benefit in NY maxes out around $504 but most people get way less than that. It's based on your earnings so with restaurant wages you're probably looking at maybe $200-300 per week if you qualify.