I'm in the exact same situation and it's driving me crazy! Applied in December, now it's March and still showing "pending" with absolutely no updates. I've called probably 30+ times at different hours - 7:59am, lunch time, late afternoon - and never once gotten past that stupid "high call volume" recording. What really gets me is that I know people who applied AFTER me and already got their determinations (both approvals and denials). So it's not like they're processing claims in order - it seems completely random which ones get looked at. I'm starting to think @Carmella Fromis is right about this being intentional. They're probably hoping we'll all just give up and find jobs so they don't have to pay out benefits. But like, I DID find a job! I just want to know if I'm entitled to the benefits for those months I was unemployed. Is that too much to ask?? Definitely going to look into that Claimyr thing people keep mentioning. At this point I don't even care about the cost - my time and mental health are worth more than whatever they charge. This whole system is absolutely broken.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the exact same thing happened to me last year and it's absolutely maddening! I applied in September and didn't hear ANYTHING until February. Five months of just sitting in "pending" status while I'm trying to figure out how to pay rent and buy groceries. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I contacted my state senator's office (not just assembly member) AND used that Claimyr service people keep mentioning. The senator's office actually has a dedicated unemployment liaison who can escalate cases, and they were way more helpful than my assembly member's office. But honestly, the Claimyr thing is what actually got me connected to a live agent who resolved everything in one 15-minute call. I know it sucks having to pay for something that should be free, but I calculated that I was losing way more money every day my claim sat there than what the service cost. Plus I got all my back pay once it was approved, so it was totally worth it. Don't give up - you deserve answers and if you're eligible, you deserve those benefits! The system is broken but there are ways around it. Hang in there! 💪

I'm going through the same thing right now - filed 3 weeks ago and still showing "adjudication in progress." From what I've learned lurking in these forums, it seems like reduced hours/constructive dismissal cases often take longer because they have to verify with your employer that the hour reduction was significant enough to qualify you for benefits. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're counting on that income. I've been keeping detailed records of my reduced schedule and any communication with my former employer just in case they need additional documentation. Hang in there!

I'm currently dealing with adjudication too - going on week 4 now. What I've learned from calling multiple times is that they're likely verifying your employment details and the circumstances around your hour reduction with your former employer. The DOL has to confirm that the reduction was substantial enough (usually needs to be a reduction of more than 20% of your normal hours) and that it wasn't your fault. They also check if you made reasonable efforts to get more hours before leaving. The frustrating part is they don't give you updates during the process - you just have to wait for the determination letter. Keep filing your weekly claims though, because if approved you'll get backpay for all eligible weeks during adjudication.

Another option that worked for me recently - if you're a member of a credit union or have a relationship with a local bank, sometimes their mortgage/lending departments have direct contacts at NYSDOL for verification purposes. I was applying for a car loan and my credit union's loan officer made a call on my behalf and got my benefit end date confirmation within 24 hours. It's worth asking if your housing application is through a bank or credit union - they might have resources that individual applicants don't know about. Not guaranteed to work everywhere, but definitely worth a shot if you're still hitting roadblocks with the other methods mentioned here!

For anyone still reading this thread - I just want to emphasize how valuable all these different approaches are! I'm bookmarking this entire conversation because I work in social services and constantly have clients who need unemployment verification letters for various programs (housing vouchers, food assistance applications, etc.). The variety of solutions here - from the online portal method to contacting assembly representatives to using third-party services like Claimyr - gives people multiple backup plans when one approach doesn't work. It's also really helpful to see the real experiences (both successes and frustrations) rather than just the generic info you get on official government websites. This is exactly the kind of crowd-sourced knowledge that makes these community forums so valuable!

I just went through this same process a few months ago and totally feel your frustration! One thing that really helped me was downloading the NY DOL mobile app - it's actually easier to navigate than the website sometimes. You can check your claim status, view messages, and even file weekly certifications right from the app. Also, once you do find your claim information, I'd recommend taking screenshots of the important pages (like your monetary determination when it comes through) because sometimes the website has maintenance issues and you can't access things for hours. Having those screenshots saved me a lot of stress when I needed to reference my benefit amount or effective dates later on.

Hey! I went through this exact same confusion when I first filed. Here's a step-by-step that worked for me: 1) Log into my.ny.gov, 2) Look for "Unemployment Services" on your main dashboard (it might be in a dropdown menu), 3) Click "Unemployment Insurance Online Services", 4) Then "View and Maintain Account Information." Your claim status should be right there at the top. Since you filed 10 days ago, it'll probably say "Pending Eligibility Review" like others mentioned. Don't start filing weekly claims until it changes to "Active" - I made that mistake and it caused issues. Also, definitely check the "Messages" tab regularly because they'll send important updates there that you need to respond to quickly. The whole system is super confusing but once you find that main unemployment page, bookmark it! You'll be checking it a lot over the next few weeks.

I'm going through this exact situation right now too - my benefits ended in August and I'm still searching. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and gives me hope that I'm not alone in this struggle. One thing I wanted to add that helped me recently was reaching out to my former colleagues and letting them know I was still looking. I was embarrassed to do it at first, but several people offered to keep an eye out for opportunities or make introductions. Sometimes people in your network hear about openings before they're even posted. I've also started attending virtual job fairs - they're happening almost weekly now and while they can feel impersonal, I've had a few good conversations with recruiters who remembered me for later opportunities. The New York State Department of Labor actually hosts them regularly. For immediate financial help, I second what others said about SNAP and local food banks. Also check if your area has any emergency rental assistance programs still active - some counties in NY still have COVID relief funds available. The mental health aspect is so real. Some days I can barely get motivated to apply anywhere. What's helping me is setting small daily goals (like "apply to 3 jobs today" instead of "find a job") and celebrating those small wins. We're all going to get through this - this job market won't last forever. Hang in there everyone!

I'm in a very similar situation - my benefits ended in September too and I'm still searching. This thread has been incredibly valuable and given me so many new resources to explore that I didn't know existed. One thing I wanted to share that's helped me stay organized is creating a simple spreadsheet to track not just job applications, but also all the different assistance programs and resources people have mentioned here. I have columns for program name, application status, contact info, and follow-up dates. It's helped me feel more in control of the process instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the different options. I've also found that joining local Facebook groups for my city/county has been helpful - people often share information about job openings, assistance programs, and local resources that don't get advertised widely. Sometimes neighbors know about opportunities before they hit the major job boards. For anyone feeling discouraged by the lack of response to applications - I started keeping track and realized I was getting about a 2% response rate, which I learned is actually pretty normal in this market. It helped me understand that the silence isn't personal, it's just the reality of how competitive things are right now. Thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences and resources. It really helps to know we're not going through this alone, and seeing people who've made it through similar situations gives me hope.