I'm in a very similar situation - my benefits ended about 3 weeks ago and I've been trying to navigate this maze ever since. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! I had a couple of questions for those who've successfully filed new claims: First, when you calculated whether you met the wage requirements from work during your benefit year, did you include gross wages or just net pay? I had some freelance work in October and December but want to make sure I'm calculating it correctly. Second, for anyone who used the Claimyr service to get through to NYS DOL - approximately how long did it take to connect with someone, and were they able to give you definitive answers about eligibility on the spot? I've been hesitant to pay for a service but if it actually works it might be worth it. Also wanted to mention that I found the NYS DOL has some informational webinars listed on their website about unemployment benefits - not sure how current they are but might be worth checking out while waiting to speak with someone. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences, it's making this whole process feel less overwhelming!

I'm currently in week 22 of my benefits so this thread is incredibly timely for me! Thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. One thing I'm still confused about - if I do qualify for a new claim based on wages earned during my benefit year, does the new claim start with a fresh 26-week period, or is it somehow reduced based on what I already collected? Also, has anyone dealt with the situation where you're working part-time while collecting benefits and then that part-time job ends right around when your regular benefits run out? I'm wondering if losing that job would affect my ability to file a new claim or if it might actually help by making me fully unemployed again. The timing seems really complicated and I want to make sure I handle this correctly. Really appreciate all the insights shared here - this community has been more helpful than the actual NYS DOL website!

Pro tip from someone who's been through this multiple times - if you do call KeyBank for a replacement card, ask specifically about expedited shipping options. They usually offer overnight delivery for around $15-20, which is totally worth it if you need access to your benefits quickly like OP does for rent. Also, make sure to ask them to email you a confirmation with the tracking number so you know exactly when it's arriving. The regular 7-10 day shipping can sometimes take even longer during busy periods.

Just went through this exact situation two weeks ago! Another thing to mention - if you set up the KeyBank mobile app before losing your card, you can actually see your account balance and recent deposits even without the physical card. This was super helpful for me to confirm my benefits were still being deposited while I waited for the replacement. Also, some people don't realize that you can use the card at any ATM that accepts Mastercard, not just KeyBank ATMs, though there might be fees at non-KeyBank locations. The cardless withdrawal option that Daniel mentioned is clutch if you have the app set up!

I'm currently on day 6 of "under review" status and this thread has been such a lifesaver for my mental health! Filed my claim after being laid off from my graphic design job and when that status popped up with zero explanation, I was absolutely convinced I had messed up something major on my application. The NYS DOL website is genuinely useless for explaining what any of their status messages actually mean - it's like they designed it to maximize anxiety! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so much more helpful than anything official I could find online. I had no clue that adjudication was a standard verification process they do for ALL new claims - wish I had known that from the start instead of spending days worrying I was somehow flagged for issues. Already started doing my weekly certifications based on all the solid advice in this thread, even though it does feel pretty weird certifying when you don't even know if you qualify yet. But definitely don't want to miss out on any potential benefit weeks once this review wraps up. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - it's incredibly reassuring to know that 1-3 weeks is normal and most people do get approved eventually. The creative industry has been brutal lately with layoffs, so really appreciate having this supportive community to help navigate the confusing unemployment process!

I'm on day 3 of "under review" status and honestly this thread is exactly what I needed to find right now! Just filed my claim after getting laid off from my teaching assistant position and seeing that message appear with absolutely zero context had me spiraling thinking I must have filled something out wrong. It's really disappointing how the NYS DOL website gives you no clue what "under review" actually means - this discussion has been way more informative than anything on their official site! Reading everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief to understand that this adjudication process is completely normal for all new claims, not some red flag that I screwed up my application. Going to start doing my weekly certifications today based on all the advice here, even though it feels strange doing them when you don't know if you're even approved yet. Education sector layoffs have been really tough this year, so it helps to know I'm not alone in this situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines - gives me realistic expectations that this could take 1-3 weeks and that's totally normal!

I'm also new to this community and dealing with a very similar situation! I have an LLC for freelance web development that I started in late 2022, made about $1,200 total from it, and it's been completely inactive since I got laid off in December. Like you, I disclosed the LLC upfront when filing for unemployment but have been really anxious about the weekly certifications - especially that self-employment question that comes up every week. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief! It's incredible how many of us are in nearly identical situations with dormant LLCs. The consistent advice from everyone who's successfully handled this really gives me confidence: transparency from the beginning (which we all achieved by disclosing our LLCs upfront) plus accurate reporting of no current work activity is the winning formula. I've been answering "no" to the self-employment questions since I'm genuinely not doing any development work, and seeing that multiple people have taken this exact approach with success is so reassuring. I'm definitely going to implement that weekly activity log that several people mentioned - tracking "no LLC activity" each week along with keeping my bank statements that show zero transactions. Thank you for asking this question that I think many of us dormant LLC owners have been wondering about but were afraid to ask. This thread has been invaluable for understanding how to navigate this properly!

I'm new to this community and dealing with almost the exact same situation! I have an LLC for freelance digital marketing that I formed in early 2023, but it's been completely dormant since I was laid off from my full-time job in March. Like you, I disclosed the LLC ownership when I first applied for unemployment but have been really stressed about whether I'm answering the weekly certification questions correctly. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear that the key is being transparent about ownership (which we all did by disclosing upfront) while accurately reporting that we're not actively working through our businesses. I've been consistently answering "no" to the self-employment questions each week since I'm genuinely not performing any marketing work through the LLC, but I was second-guessing myself until I found this thread. The weekly activity tracking log that multiple people have mentioned is such a smart idea - I'm definitely going to start documenting "no LLC activity" each week along with keeping my bank statements that show zero transactions. It's amazing how many people here have successfully navigated this exact scenario through honesty and consistent reporting. Thank you for posting this question that I think a lot of us dormant LLC owners were silently worrying about - this community is such a valuable resource for getting real answers rather than just speculation!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately here because I'm dealing with my own NY unemployment pending situation - just hit week 1 but already getting worried after reading everyone's experiences. This thread has been incredibly helpful though! @d3285d7b0217 congratulations on finally getting through - your success story gives me so much hope and that 7:30am calling strategy is pure gold. I'm definitely going to try it if my situation doesn't resolve soon. It's absolutely mind-blowing that you got flagged just for using a tablet - like we're supposed to be permanently tethered to one device? The complete lack of communication from NYSDOL is what makes this so much more stressful than it needs to be. I've been keeping up with my weekly certifications and started taking screenshots of everything after reading all the great advice here. It's both comforting and infuriating to see how widespread this problem is - clearly their fraud detection system needs a major overhaul if it's flagging legitimate users for basic things like using different devices. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies - this community support is invaluable when the official system leaves us in the dark!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately here because I'm dealing with my own NY unemployment pending nightmare - currently on week 2 and getting really stressed about it. Reading through this entire thread has been both incredibly reassuring (knowing I'm not alone) and absolutely infuriating (seeing how broken this system is). @d3285d7b0217 huge congratulations on finally getting through and getting your situation resolved! Your detailed documentation throughout this whole process is invaluable for the rest of us still stuck in pending hell. That 7:30am calling strategy is brilliant and I'm definitely setting my alarm to try it tomorrow morning. It's completely absurd that you got flagged just for using a tablet - like we're living in 2025 and they expect us to only access our benefits from one computer for eternity? The total lack of communication from NYSDOL is what makes this whole situation so cruel. They just cut off your financial lifeline without any explanation while you're already dealing with the stress of unemployment. I've been religiously keeping up with my weekly certifications thankfully, and everyone's advice here confirms that's absolutely critical for getting backpay. This community support means everything when the official system completely abandons us. Will definitely update if I have any luck with that early morning call strategy - fingers crossed!