I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just missed my career appointment this past Monday and scrambled to get it made up by Thursday. It's only been a few days since then but reading everyone's experiences here is giving me so much hope and a clear action plan. The consistency in the 2-3 week timeline is really reassuring, and the career center direct line strategy seems like pure gold from what everyone's sharing. I had no idea they had a separate system that could sync faster than the main unemployment line. Already started documenting everything and keeping screenshots like multiple people suggested. Planning to call the career center directly once I hit the 10-day mark based on the successful timelines people have shared here. This thread is honestly a lifesaver - way more helpful than any official government resources I've found. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences and timelines instead of just generic advice. Makes navigating this bureaucratic nightmare so much more manageable knowing we're all helping each other through it! 🙏 Will definitely keep everyone posted on my progress and pay it forward once I get through this mess!

Just went through this exact same situation about 3 weeks ago! Missed my career appointment and made it up 2 days later. The hold took exactly 20 days to lift, but I got full backpay for everything. Here's what I learned from my experience and reading this amazing thread: **The career center direct line is EVERYTHING** - Called them on day 12 and they could immediately see my makeup appointment was completed. They added an escalation note that same day. **Document absolutely everything** - Screenshots of makeup appointment confirmation, weekly claims, all emails. When I finally got through to benefits, having it all organized made the call take 5 minutes instead of 30. **The system disconnect is real** - The rep explained that career services and benefits run on different systems that don't talk to each other automatically. There's literally a human who has to manually connect the dots. **Timeline was:** - Days 1-10: Just kept filing weekly claims and gathering docs - Day 12: Called career center, got escalation note added - Day 18: Used claimyr to finally get through to benefits - Day 20: Hold lifted, backpay came through 2 days later You did everything right by going back so quickly. The wait sucks but you WILL get made whole. Keep filing those weekly claims and try the career center direct line around day 10-14. This community's advice is spot on! 💪

yeah they definitely take it out automatically. happened to my brother when he was on unemployment last year. just be glad you're still getting something after support is taken out!

Just wanted to add that you can also check with your local Child Support Enforcement office to confirm the exact timing and amount of deductions. Sometimes there can be delays or discrepancies, and they can give you a clearer timeline than DOL. Also, if your financial situation has changed significantly due to unemployment, you might be able to request a modification of your support order - though that's a separate legal process from the unemployment benefits. Keep all your payment records organized in case you need them later.

I was in a really similar situation about 8 months ago - got fired from a manufacturing job for attendance issues that were mostly due to chronic migraines and some family emergencies. I was so scared to apply because I thought getting fired meant automatic disqualification, but I'm really glad I did. The NYS Department of Labor ended up approving my claim after about 5 weeks of review. During my phone interview with the adjudicator, I explained how my health condition made it unpredictable when I'd be able to work, and how I tried to communicate with my supervisor when possible. What really helped was that I had kept screenshots of texts I sent to my boss about being sick, and I had some medical records showing my condition was real. The adjudicator seemed to understand that legitimate health issues are totally different from just skipping work because you don't want to go. Even without formal documentation from your employer, if you can show you made efforts to communicate about your health problems and that they were genuine medical issues, you have a good chance. Definitely apply right away like others said - you've paid into the system and you deserve a fair review of your situation!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I got fired from my office job two weeks ago for "excessive absences" but most of those were due to managing diabetes and some complications that required frequent doctor visits. Like many of you, I was terrified to apply because I thought being terminated automatically meant no benefits. After reading all these experiences though, I filed my claim with NYS Department of Labor yesterday. It's really encouraging to see that they seem to take legitimate health issues into consideration during the adjudication process. I made sure to be completely honest in my application about my medical condition and how it affected my attendance. I also have documentation of some of my appointments and a few emails where I notified my supervisor about needing time off for medical reasons. Hopefully that will help during the review process. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really gave me the confidence to apply rather than just assuming I'd be denied!

I'm dealing with this exact same PIN nightmare! Got locked out 5 days ago and have been going in circles with the online system. Reading through all these experiences has been both frustrating and reassuring - it's clear this system is fundamentally broken but at least we're not suffering alone. I'm definitely going to try the One-Stop Career Center approach based on all the positive feedback here. Already called my local office and they confirmed they can handle PIN resets with proper documentation. Planning to go Monday morning with my ID, Social Security card, and recent pay stubs. It's absolutely wild that in 2024 we need to physically travel somewhere just to reset a 4-digit PIN, but honestly I'm just desperate for any solution that actually works! The fact that the original poster last applied in the 70s and is dealing with this mess now really shows how backwards this whole system has become 😅 Will definitely update this thread with my results - we all need more success stories to keep hope alive in this bureaucratic nightmare! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. This community support makes all the difference! 🙏

I'm going through this exact same PIN reset nightmare right now! Been locked out for about a week after forgetting my PIN and the security questions not working. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - it's both reassuring to know I'm not alone and infuriating to see how many people are dealing with this broken system. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely planning to try the One-Stop Career Center approach. Just called my local office and they confirmed they can handle PIN resets in person with proper ID, Social Security card, and recent employment documents. They estimated about a 2-3 hour wait for walk-ins, which honestly sounds like paradise compared to endless phone holds or waiting weeks for fraud statement processing. It's absolutely ridiculous that in 2024 we need to physically travel somewhere just to reset a 4-digit PIN, but at this point I'll take any working solution! Planning to head there tomorrow morning with all my paperwork ready. The fact that you last applied in the 70s and are dealing with this mess now really shows how they've somehow made the system MORE complicated over the decades 😅 Will definitely update this thread with my results - we need more success stories to give everyone hope! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions - this community support makes dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare so much more bearable! 🤞

Congrats on the new job! 🎉 That's such exciting news after being unemployed since December - what a great way to start the new year! You're definitely being smart by asking about this ahead of time. From what I've seen others go through and based on the great advice already shared here: - Yes, absolutely claim your final week since you weren't working yet - Once you start your new job, just stop certifying - the system will handle the rest automatically - Make sure to download/print your payment history before you lose access (you'll need it for taxes!) - Set that phone reminder everyone's talking about - it's such a simple but brilliant tip to avoid accidentally certifying out of habit One thing I'd add is to maybe screenshot or write down the exact steps you took to end your claim properly, just in case you ever need to reference it in the future or help someone else in a similar situation. You're handling this transition perfectly by planning ahead. Best of luck with your fresh start - hope the new job is everything you're hoping for! 💪

Congrats on the new job! 🎉 That's awesome news after being out of work since December. You're definitely being smart by asking about this upfront - shows you want to handle everything properly. From my experience helping family members through this exact situation, you're on the right track: - Yes, absolutely claim for your final week since you weren't working those days yet - Once you start your new position, just stop certifying - that's all you need to do! No calls or formal closure required - The system will automatically mark your claim inactive after you miss several certifications - Definitely save/print your payment history before you lose access (super important for tax season) That phone reminder tip everyone keeps mentioning is pure gold - I'd definitely set one up for your usual certification day. After months of weekly routine, it's so easy to accidentally certify on autopilot! Also make sure you're crystal clear on your exact start date so you don't accidentally certify for any week that includes work days. You're handling this transition perfectly by planning ahead. Here's to your fresh start and new opportunities! 🙌