Can calling NY governor's office help restore my unemployment benefits and get backpay?

ya i herd about this 2. my cousin tried it last month. not sure if it worked for him tho but worth a shot i guess

The governor's office isn't going to do anything!! They just pass you right back to the same NYSDOL automated system. I've been fighting with them since August and NOBODY helps. This system is DESIGNED to make you give up!!!

I had a similar issue in January. What worked for me was contacting my state assemblyperson instead of the governor. They have dedicated staff who deal with unemployment issues and can often escalate your case internally. Call their district office early in the morning (9-10am) when they're just opening and staff are fresh. Be sure to have your claim ID, last 4 of SSN, and exact dates of the problem ready when you call.

my friends bf got his fixed by just going to the office in person. u might wanna try that

To directly answer your question: Yes, the governor's office CAN help, but they're not your best first option. They typically just create an escalation ticket that gets routed back to NYSDOL anyway. Here's what I recommend in order of effectiveness: 1. Contact your state assembly member or state senator (they often have more direct channels) 2. File an official complaint through the NYSDOL website (creates a formal record) 3. Request a hearing on your claim (do this ASAP, as there are time limits) 4. If you're still stuck after trying these, the governor's constituent services line is 518-474-8390, best times are Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30-11:30am The bigger issue is WHY your benefits were cut off in September. There might be a simple documentation issue that needs to be fixed rather than just getting them turned back on.

Try Claimyr if you're still stuck! I was in the exact same situation back in July - benefits suddenly cut off, couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. Claimyr got me connected to an actual NYSDOL agent in less than an hour. The agent fixed my claim status right away and my backpay came through within 3 days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it basically holds your place in line so you don't have to keep calling. Seriously saved my sanity after trying for weeks on my own.

I work at a community legal aid center, and we see cases like yours frequently. "Under review" for 3 months usually indicates one of these issues: 1. Identity verification problem (most common) 2. Employer dispute about separation reason 3. Earnings reporting discrepancy 4. System flag for potential overpayment Here's what you should do immediately: - Request an official determination letter if you haven't received one - File for a hearing even without a determination (you can always cancel it) - Contact both your assemblyperson AND state senator simultaneously - Check if there's a legal aid organization in your area that handles unemployment cases The governor's office referral can occasionally help, but it's more effective to pursue multiple channels at once rather than waiting for one to work.

UPDATE: Just saw someone mention Claimyr above. I FINALLY tried it last week after fighting with NYSDOL for months and it actually worked!! Got through to someone who fixed my claim. Still can't believe it took me so long to try it!

So umm this is a bit off topic but I'm having trouble with my NY unemployment too. I just applied last week for the first time ever and my claim says pending but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be doing something else? Should I be calling them too? Sorry to piggyback on your thread but I'm really confused by this whole process.

I want to update everyone - I FINALLY got this resolved! I ended up doing several things at once: 1) contacted my assembly member as suggested, 2) used Claimyr to get through to NYSDOL directly, and 3) re-uploaded my ID documents. Turns out there WAS an identity verification issue. The agent I spoke to was able to see that my documents never fully processed in the system. She manually verified everything while on the phone with me, and my claim was reactivated within 48 hours. All my backpay is scheduled to be deposited next Tuesday! Thank you all SO MUCH for your help - I was seriously about to give up.