Anyone actually got through to NY unemployment phone lines? Been trying for days
I've been trying to reach someone at NY unemployment for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT and can't get a human on the line. Just get the 'high call volume' message then it hangs up! I need to speak with someone about my claim because there's an issue that's holding up my payments for 2 weeks now. Has anyone actually managed to get through recently? What time of day works? I've tried mornings and afternoons with zero luck. I'm getting desperate here.
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Mae Bennett
I got through last week after trying for 10 days straight. The trick is to call exactly at 8:00 am when they open, not 8:01, not 8:05, literally 8:00:00. Have your finger ready to dial the last number at 7:59. Even then it took me 3 mornings of doing this before I got in the queue instead of getting disconnected. Once you're in the queue, expect to wait 1-2 hours but DO NOT hang up no matter what.
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Pedro Sawyer
•Thanks for the tip! I'll try the 8am sharp strategy tomorrow. Did you have to press specific options in the menu to get to a real person? I feel like I'm going crazy with this system.
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Beatrice Marshall
same happened 2 me last month. sooo frustrating!!! kept calling and calling for days. eventually just gave up and went to the office in person and waited 4 hours but at least got it fixed
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Pedro Sawyer
•Which office did you go to? I'm in Buffalo and wondering if it's worth the trip to sit and wait. At least that's better than constantly getting hung up on!
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Melina Haruko
I tried for two weeks with no luck using the regular method. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an unemployment agent in about 40 minutes. They have a system that keeps dialing for you until they get through, then they call you when they have an agent on the line. Worked perfectly for me and saved days of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Dallas Villalobos
•is this legit?? sounds too good to be true honestly. did they ask for your ssn or anything???
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Melina Haruko
•It's definitely legit. They don't need your SSN or any sensitive info - they just need your phone number so they can call you when they get through to an agent. Then you handle everything directly with the unemployment agent. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for so long.
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Reina Salazar
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME CALLING!!! The entire system is DESIGNED to keep us from getting help! I've been dealing with NY unemployment for 8 years through multiple periods of job loss and it has NEVER improved! They make it impossible to reach anyone and then blame YOU when your claim has problems. The politicians don't care because we're just poor people to them!!!
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
•While the phone systems are certainly overwhelmed, there are several ways to resolve claim issues without calling. Have you tried using the secure message system in your online account? For many issues, this is actually faster than calling. You can also check if your specific issue is addressed in their online FAQ, as some holds are automatically released after you submit requested documentation.
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Demi Lagos
I had a similar issue back in January when my account got flagged for identity verification. Couldn't get through on the phone for days and was missing payments. What actually worked for me was contacting my state assembly member's office! They have special liaisons who can escalate unemployment issues. I got a call back from NYSDOL within 48 hours after my assembly member's office contacted them. Worth trying if you're desperate!
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Pedro Sawyer
•That's a really good idea I hadn't thought of! I'm going to look up my assembly member right now. Did you just call their office and explain the situation?
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Demi Lagos
•Yes, I called their district office (not their Albany office) and explained that I was a constituent who needed help with an unemployment issue. They took my information and had me fill out a consent form so they could inquire about my case. It was surprisingly efficient! They deal with these issues all the time.
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Beatrice Marshall
my friend said 2 try calling on wednesday afternoons cuz thats when its less busy or somthing
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Pedro Sawyer
Update: I tried the 8am trick but still got the busy message. Then I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and IT WORKED! They called me back in about 25 minutes and had an unemployment agent on the line. The agent fixed my issue in less than 10 minutes - turns out there was a verification flag on my account that was holding everything up. My payments should resume this week. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
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Melina Haruko
•Great to hear! Glad it worked out for you. It saved me so much time and frustration too.
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Dallas Villalobos
•thanks for confirming it works! might try this myself cuz ive been dealing with the same issue for almost 3 weeks now
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
For anyone else finding this thread with similar issues, here are some additional tips for reaching NY Unemployment in 2025: 1. Use the online message system for non-urgent matters 2. Try calling at 8:00am sharp or between 2:30-3:30pm on Tuesdays or Wednesdays 3. If your issue is urgent and affecting payment, consider the Claimyr service mentioned above 4. Contact your state assembly member or state senator's office for assistance 5. Check if there's a temporary callback feature available (NYSDOL sometimes activates this during high volume periods) 6. Make sure you're calling the correct number for your specific issue (regular UI vs. specialized claims have different contact lines) Hope this helps others navigating the system!
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Reina Salazar
•You left out option 7: give up and live in your car because the system is BROKEN!!!
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Mae Bennett
•This is actually really helpful, thank you. I've been telling people about the 8am trick but the 2:30-3:30 Tuesday/Wednesday window is new info to me. Will try that next time!
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