try the callback feature on their website. i requested a callback and actually got one... 3 weeks later 🙄 but at least I eventually got to talk to someone

Pssst... here's a secret most people don't know: if you file a formal complaint with the NY State Attorney General's office about your unemployment claim, DOL has to respond within 10 business days by law. That's how I finally got my backpay after 4 months of nothing. https://ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds/Filing-a-Consumer-Complaint

FWIW, I got through by using an old trick - call, wait for the automated system, press the option for Spanish, then request an English speaker when an agent answers. The Spanish line often has shorter wait times.

when I was trying to get through to ny unemployment, I literally set up an auto-dialer app on my phone to keep calling them every 30 seconds from 8am to 4pm for THREE DAYS before I finally got through. The system is beyond broken.

Does anyone know if this applies to extended benefits too? My regular UI ends soon but I think I qualify for the extension.

When I was in this situation I got my final payment no problem. Just make sure all your weekly certifications are done properly with no mistakes. The system treats the end date as inclusive, meaning you get paid for that full last day/week.

Hey I had this EXACT SAME THING happen in February!!! I couldn't reach anyone at DOL for days. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) after someone recommended it here - they got me connected to an actual human at unemployment in like 45 mins. The agent confirmed someone had filed using my identity and helped me report the fraud. Best money I've spent considering it saved me weeks of stress and prevented more damage to my credit. Definitely check them out if you can't get through on the regular line.

LOL welcome to the club nobody wants to join! I've been fighting this since November - someone's been collecting $536 a week in my name since October even though I have a full time job. The worst part is DOL treats YOU like the criminal at first. Make sure your friend has all his employment records ready to prove he's been working. And be ready for this to take MONTHS to resolve completely.

CALL THE ADVOCATE OFFICE!! Regular customer service won't help. The advocate office number is (855) 528-5618. They specialize in difficult cases and tax issues. Took me 3 days but I finally got my corrected 1099.

My tax accountant said this is happening with several clients. He recommends filing with the correct amounts (based on your payment history record) and attaching a letter explaining the situation. If you get a notice from the IRS later, you'll have documentation to respond.

wait hold up - does this actually happen that often? I've been on unemployment for 3 months and haven't had any issues... should I be worried?

Heads up - there's also fake unemployment websites that look exactly like the real one. Always make sure you're on the official .gov site and not some lookalike domain.

ya know whats insane? my friend in NJ got thru to unemployment in 5 minutes. FIVE MINUTES!!! meanwhile in NY we're all suffering for months. makes no sense

Pro tip: if u do get someone on the phone, be SUPER nice to them no matter how frustrated u are. these agents deal with angry people all day. when i finally got thru the lady was so relieved i wasnt yelling that she went above and beyond to help fix my issue.

Actually just went thru this!! Had 3 interviews in 4 months. The secret is to be SUPER prepared. Have all ur job search records organized by date with screenshots ready to email. I even had a script ready with all my answers. Each interview got shorter - first one was 40 mins, second was 20, third was literally 5 mins cause they could see I was on top of everything.

I'm on month 6 of unemployment and never had a single interview. My neighbor got laid off the same time as me from the SAME COMPANY and she's had two interviews already. Makes zero sense how they decide who to check up on.

It's weird that nobody mentioned this but... have you checked if you qualify for disability? If your mental health is affected by this situation (anxiety, depression from potentially losing your business), you might qualify for temporary disability benefits which don't have the same restrictions as unemployment.

Here's what I learned the hard way: NY unemployment doesn't care about your business struggles - they only care if you're available for full-time work. If you tell them you're still trying to save your business while looking for jobs, they'll deny you. You need to be crystal clear that your business is effectively closed (even if legally still exists) and you're 100% available for full-time employment.

the system is rigged. i was on unemployment last year and even WITH the 26 weeks I couldn't find anything in my field. ended up taking a job making 40% less than i used to make just to have something. now i'm working 2 jobs to make ends meet. america is a joke 🤡

One thing nobody mentioned is that your cousin should file for her FINAL WEEK of benefits even if she knows she's hit 26 weeks. The system sometimes miscalculates and people occasionally find they have an extra week. Worth a shot.