Calling NY unemployment at 8:05 AM but lines already swamped - is this normal?

Welcome to NYSDOL hell! It's been like this forever. I'm convinced they have like 3 people answering phones for the entire state. You basically have to dedicate your entire day to just hitting redial over and over.

The system is overwhelmed right now because of seasonal layoffs after the holidays. Your best bet is to try calling precisely at 8:00 am, not before or after. The queue actually opens right at 8:00, and it fills up within seconds. Another tip: Thursdays and Fridays tend to have slightly lower call volumes based on my experience helping clients navigate the system.

I had the EXACT same problem last month!! It was a nightmare. I finally got through by using Claimyr. It's this service that basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me like 5 days of constant redialing. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a demo video that explains it better than I can: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Current NYSDOL call center operations explanation (as of January 2025): 1. The phone system activates at 7:30 AM, but begins accepting calls into queue precisely at 8:00:00 AM. 2. The queue capacity is limited to approximately 2,000 callers statewide (this number fluctuates). 3. Due to call volume, this queue typically fills within 2-3 minutes of opening. 4. When the queue reaches capacity, all subsequent callers receive the "high call volume" message regardless of time. Your best strategy is to call exactly at 8:00 AM, not before. The system timestamps calls down to the second, and places them in queue accordingly.

Has anyone tried the unemployment callback feature? When I had issues with my claim, I requested a callback through the online portal and they actually called me back the next day. Much easier than constantly redialing!

sorry to jump in but i have a weird question - if i get through to them finally and then we get disconnected (happened b4) do i have to start over or is there a way to get back to same person??

Called for THREE WEEKS straight before getting through. The system is DESIGNED to be impossible. They don't want to pay us our money!!! Been through this nightmare twice now.

my cousin works for unemployment she says its crazy there right now, they got like 1000s of calls per day and not enough staff

Update on my Claimyr experience: when I used it last month for my claim issue, I got connected to an agent in about 40 minutes. The system just called me when they had someone on the line. Much better than the 3+ days I spent trying on my own. Just throwing that out there since your situation sounds exactly like what I went through.

Did you try submitting a message through your online account? I know it's not as good as talking to someone, but sometimes they actually respond pretty quickly that way too.

For your specific situation with a claim pending for 3 weeks, I would recommend trying these three approaches simultaneously: 1. Call at precisely 8:00:00 AM using a landline if possible (more reliable connection) 2. Submit a detailed message through your online account specifying the 3-week delay 3. Contact your state assembly member's office - they have dedicated liaisons with NYSDOL who can often expedite claims that are stuck The third option is often overlooked but can be quite effective, especially for claims that have been pending beyond the standard processing window.

I feel your pain! I went through this exact same thing last year and it was absolutely maddening. One thing that helped me was using an auto-redial app on my phone so I didn't have to manually keep calling. I'd set it to redial every 30 seconds starting at 7:59 AM. Also, if you have multiple phones available (cell phone, landline, work phone), try calling from all of them simultaneously at 8:00 AM sharp - increases your odds of getting into that queue before it fills up. The system is definitely broken but don't give up! It took me 8 days of calling but I eventually got through and got my claim resolved.