I'm completely new to this community and just joined because I'll be filing my first NY unemployment claim soon. This entire thread has been absolutely invaluable - I've learned more practical, actionable information from reading everyone's experiences here than from spending hours trying to decipher the official NYSDOL website. The consistent success stories with the secure message center approach using "DD REJECTION" as the subject line are really encouraging, especially seeing those 24-48 hour response times. It's also eye-opening to learn about all the different root causes that can trigger these issues - name mismatches between DOL and bank systems, bank mergers affecting ACH codes, system flags from address changes, and the ongoing problems from the April system update. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire conversation as my reference guide. What really stands out to me is how supportive this community is - people actually take the time to come back and share detailed updates about what worked for them instead of just disappearing once their problems are solved. The step-by-step instructions and specific tips (like checking spam folders for responses) are incredibly helpful. Thank you to everyone who contributed their experiences - it makes navigating this complex system feel much less overwhelming for newcomers like me!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help others dealing with this issue. I work as a customer service manager at a credit union, and we've been seeing a lot of these NYSDOL direct deposit rejections lately. From what I've observed on the banking side, many of these rejections aren't actually "rejections" in the traditional sense - they're often failed attempts where the ACH transaction never even reaches our system properly due to formatting issues on the state's end. When customers call us asking about "rejected" unemployment payments, we frequently find no record of any attempted deposit at all. This aligns with what several people have mentioned about name mismatches and the April system update causing problems. The secure message center approach with "DD REJECTION" as the subject line that everyone's having success with makes perfect sense because it routes directly to their technical team who can actually see and fix these formatting/system issues. Just wanted to provide that perspective from the banking side - it's definitely a NYSDOL system problem, not a bank problem in most cases.

Hey Luca! Just wanted to add that you should also make sure you're meeting the work search requirements while your claim is pending. In NY you need to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep records of them. You can do this through job applications, contacting employers directly, or attending job fairs. Don't forget to log these in your weekly certification - it's required even during the pending period. Good luck with your claim!

Just went through this same situation a few months ago! The waiting week elimination is still in effect for 2025, so you should get paid for your first week of unemployment once approved. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - make sure you have direct deposit set up in your my.ny.gov account because paper checks can add extra delays. Also, keep all your employment documents handy (last pay stub, separation notice if you got one) in case they need additional verification. The restaurant industry layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for approval since it's clearly not your fault. Hang in there!

The whole system is designed to trip you up I swear. Last time I filed they made me wait forever just because I put the wrong date somewhere. But yeah definitely wait until you're actually unemployed or they'll find some reason to delay everything.

Just want to add that when you do file after your last day, make sure you have all your documentation ready - your final pay stub, any separation paperwork from your employer, and exact dates of employment. NYS DOL will ask for your employer's information too, so have that contact info handy. The online system is usually fastest, but expect it to be slow during peak hours (Monday mornings are brutal). Good luck with the transition!

I work at a local bank and see this issue fairly often with unemployment payments. Since your payment shows as "Issued" on the NYS portal, the delay is definitely on the banking side. KeyBank processes unemployment deposits in batches, usually overnight, but sometimes there are technical delays or the batch gets held up for fraud screening. I'd recommend calling KeyBank's unemployment card line specifically (should be a different number than regular customer service) - they have more detailed info about pending deposits. Also, if you have direct deposit set up to a different bank account, sometimes payments get rerouted there instead of the debit card, so double-check that too.

Hey there! I went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago and it was so stressful. Since your payment shows as "Issued" on the NY portal, that's actually a good sign - it means the state processed everything correctly. What helped me was calling KeyBank early in the morning (around 8 AM) when the wait times are shorter. Also, try checking if you have any text alerts set up for your card - sometimes they send notifications about deposit delays that you might have missed. In my case, the money showed up on day 4, and KeyBank later told me there had been a "processing backlog" that week. Hang in there, it should come through soon!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since it sounds like you're in a very similar situation to what I went through! I was getting $298/week in unemployment and successfully applied for SNAP about 3 weeks ago. Got approved for $201/month which has been incredibly helpful. The myBenefits application was actually easier than I expected - took maybe 30 minutes to complete online. Make sure you have your unemployment determination letter saved as a PDF or screenshot since you'll need to upload it. One thing that surprised me was how quickly they processed everything - I got my EBT card in the mail just 18 days after applying. Also, don't stress too much about the work requirements since your job search activities for unemployment usually satisfy SNAP requirements too. With your rent situation, you should definitely qualify based on the income limits. The extra $200/month for groceries makes a real difference when you're already stretched thin!

I just went through this exact process last month and wanted to share what worked for me! I was getting $330/week in unemployment and was approved for SNAP - got $186/month which has been a lifesaver. The key thing is that unemployment income DOES count toward the income limits, but those limits are set high enough that most people on regular UI benefits will still qualify. When I applied through myBenefits, I had my unemployment determination letter ready (the one that shows your weekly benefit amount), and that was really all they needed for income verification. The whole process took about 3 weeks from application to getting my EBT card. One tip - if you're worried about the application, you can actually start it and save your progress, so you don't have to do it all at once. Also, keep in mind that if your unemployment gets extended or if the amount changes, you'll need to report that to SNAP, but they're pretty good about adjusting benefits accordingly. With your rent situation, you should definitely qualify - $320/week puts you well under the income limits for a single person household.