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UGH the NYS Department of Labor is SO SLOW! I waited 5 weeks for mine to get approved and they never even told me why it took so long. The whole system is a joke - they expect us to survive on nothing while they take their sweet time processing claims. Keep calling them every day if you can get through!
Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval. If your claim gets approved, they'll backdate the payments to when you first became eligible. Missing weekly claims can cause problems later.
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor directly about your tax rate or form questions, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to call during their busy hours and getting disconnected.
unemployment can lead to A LOT of problems if it goes on too long!! I've seen people lose their homes, cars, marriages... the whole system is broken and doesnt really help people get back to work just keeps them dependent on benefits
The eligibility status thing is just another way for NYS Department of Labor to stress us out honestly. Mine said 'review in progress' for like 6 weeks and then just disappeared without any explanation. Meanwhile I'm having panic attacks thinking they're gonna take back all my payments.
For what it's worth, eligibility status reviews are pretty common. They check things like whether you're able and available for work, meeting job search requirements, or if there were any issues with previous employers. As long as you've been following all the rules and your weekly certifications are honest, you should be fine. The review process just takes time because NYS Department of Labor is understaffed.
Zoe Gonzalez
I had to deal with NYS Department of Labor when I got laid off last year and couldn't get through on the phone for weeks to ask about my claim status. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I was stuck in adjudication.
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Chloe Green
•That's good to know in case I need to file. Did they help you understand the tax stuff too or just with getting through to NYS Department of Labor?
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Zoe Gonzalez
•They just help you get connected to the actual NYS Department of Labor agents by phone. The agents can explain all the tax funding details if you need that info for your specific situation.
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Ashley Adams
Good question! I learned this the hard way when I had to file for UI benefits. The whole system is funded by employer taxes but administered by each state. NYS Department of Labor handles all the claims processing and payments for New York residents.
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