Can't claim waiting week on NY unemployment - phone line 8124 always busy for 4 months

I had the same problem back in February. The secret is to call exactly at 7:59am, right before they open at 8:00am. I got through on my third try doing this. Also, don't press any buttons when the automated system starts talking - wait for it to finish the whole intro and then you'll get different options than if you try to skip ahead.

calling that 8124 number is IMPOSSIBLE, been trying for 2 wks straight with no luck. waste of time imo

Here's what you need to know about the waiting week claim situation: 1. The waiting week must be claimed within 14 days of completing your initial application (this is a newer rule as of 2025) 2. After 4 months, you'll need to speak with a claims specialist, not just a regular agent 3. When you call, request to speak with a Tier 2 claims specialist specifically about an "expired waiting week claim" 4. You might need to file an official request for backdate through Form TF-701.3 Regarding your ID.me issue - that needs to be resolved separately. Contact ID.me support directly through their help center. The unemployment office can't fix ID.me issues.

try calling ur local assembly person's office. my cousin had same problem and they helped him get through to someone at unemployment in like 2 days

The phone system is DELIBERATELY designed to keep people from getting their benefits!!! I was in the same boat last month and wasted WEEKS trying to get through. They're hoping you'll just give up and go away. It's disgraceful how they treat people who are already struggling. The whole system needs to be overhauled, but nobody in Albany seems to care that people can't access the benefits they're entitled to. BTW - I finally got through by calling EXACTLY at 8:00am on a Tuesday (not Monday when everyone's calling). Used all 3 of my phones simultaneously redialing until one got through. Complete madness that we have to resort to these tactics!!!

One more tip that might help: if you keep getting the busy message, try calling your local NYS Career Center instead. They can't process claims directly, but sometimes they can put in a request for a DOL representative to call you back. I did this in March and got a call back within 48 hours. Bring up that you've been trying for 4 months - that should flag your case as high priority.

i had issues with my waiting week to. the trick is to use the online message center even if your locked out of the main account. u can still access the message center with just ur ss# and pin. send them a detailed message with ur phone # and best time to call. they usually call back within a week.

@AlextheGreat is absolutely wrong about the Message Center - if you're locked out by ID.me you CAN'T access the Message Center either! I tried that route and it didn't work. The whole system is interconnected now. This is what's so frustrating about trying to get help - everyone has different experiences and what works for one person doesn't work for another. The system is BROKEN.

I work for a community assistance program (not affiliated with DOL) and we help people with unemployment issues. Here's what I recommend: 1. Document everything - keep a log of every call attempt (date, time, result) 2. The 8124 line has specific lower-volume periods: Try Wednesdays between 10:30-11:30am or Thursdays 2:30-3:30pm 3. For the ID.me issue: Call ID.me support directly at 866-775-4363 4. File a complaint with the NY State Department of Labor Advocate Office 5. If you still can't get through after trying these methods, contact your state representative as others have suggested Don't give up - persistence is key with the current system.

I was in your exact situation in January. After trying for weeks to get through on the phone, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it worked like a charm. They have this system that keeps dialing until it gets through the busy signals, then connects you directly to an agent. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Once I got through, the agent was able to process my waiting week claim even though it had been delayed. They said as long as you have documentation showing you've been trying to contact them (phone records, emails, etc.), they can usually make accommodations. Worth checking out if you're truly desperate after 4 months of trying!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been locked out since February and can't get through on any phone line. Reading through all these suggestions is really helpful. I'm going to try the 7:59am calling trick and also look into contacting my local assembly person's office. One thing I wanted to add - if you're still employed part-time like me, make sure you have all your work schedules and pay stubs ready when you finally get through. The agent will need to verify your reduced hours to process any backpay correctly. I learned this the hard way when I finally got through to a different state's unemployment office (moved recently) and wasn't prepared with the right documentation. Stay strong everyone - this system is broken but we can't let them wear us down!

I've been following this thread and want to share what finally worked for me after 3 months of the same nightmare. I combined several of the strategies mentioned here: 1. Called my state senator's office (not just assembly person) - they have a constituent services person who specializes in DOL issues 2. Filed a complaint with the DOL Advocate Office using the number Carmella shared (855-528-5618) 3. Used the Wednesday 10:30-11:30am time window she mentioned The key was doing all three at the same time. The senator's office put pressure from above while I kept trying the phone, and having the advocate complaint on file gave me leverage when I finally got through. The agent could see my complaint in their system and treated it as a priority case. For your ID.me issue - definitely call their support line directly. Mine was locked because of a "suspicious login attempt" that was actually just me trying to access my account from a different device. They cleared it in one phone call once I verified my identity. Don't lose hope! Four months is ridiculous but you WILL get your benefits once you break through. The system is designed to be frustrating but your money is still there waiting for you.

I'm just starting to navigate this whole unemployment system and honestly feeling overwhelmed after reading everyone's experiences. I applied last week and was planning to claim my waiting week online, but now I'm seeing all these ID.me issues and phone problems that people are having for MONTHS. Should I be proactive and try to avoid getting locked out of ID.me somehow? And if the phone system is this broken, are there any preventive steps I can take now before I run into the same problems everyone else is facing? Also, is there a way to verify that my application went through properly? I got some kind of confirmation but I'm paranoid after reading about people being stuck in limbo for so long. Any advice for someone who's just getting started would be really appreciated!

I'm going through something similar right now - been locked out since December and the phone situation is absolutely maddening. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and terrifying! One thing I discovered that might help is calling the 8124 number on your cell phone while simultaneously having someone else call from a landline. My sister and I tried this last week and she actually got through after about 45 minutes of constant redialing while I kept getting busy signals on my cell. Turns out they might have different capacity limits for different types of phone lines. Also, I started keeping a detailed spreadsheet of every call attempt (date, time, phone type, result) because I read somewhere that having this documentation can help establish "good cause" for delayed claims. It's tedious but at this point I'm willing to try anything! The ID.me situation is its own special kind of hell. I've been waiting 3 weeks for their "specialist review" after my account got flagged for "suspicious activity" - which was literally just me trying to log in from my work computer during lunch break. Hang in there everyone - this thread gives me hope that persistence actually does pay off eventually, even if the system is completely broken.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Been locked out of ID.me since late January and have been calling that 8124 number religiously for 3 months now. It's absolutely infuriating how the system just hangs up on you without even giving you a chance to wait in a queue. I'm going to try several of the strategies mentioned here - the 7:59am calling trick, contacting my state assembly office, and filing a complaint with the DOL Advocate Office. The idea of calling exactly at 8:00am on Tuesdays with multiple phones simultaneously sounds promising too. One thing I wanted to add - for anyone else in this boat, make sure you're calling from a quiet location. I realized I was sometimes calling from my car or while walking around, and even though I never got through, I figure when I finally do connect I want to be in a place where I can clearly hear instructions and have all my paperwork spread out in front of me. This thread has been incredibly helpful - it's both comforting and depressing to know so many others are going through the same nightmare. The system is clearly broken but at least we can share strategies and support each other. Thanks everyone for the detailed advice!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - 4 months is absolutely unacceptable! I had a similar issue last year where I was locked out for weeks. Here's what finally worked for me: Try calling the 8124 number at exactly 8:01am (not 8:00am when everyone else calls). I found there's a sweet spot right after the system fully comes online. Also, if you have an old rotary or push-button landline phone, try using that instead of a cell phone - I swear the older phone systems sometimes get routed differently. For the ID.me issue, don't wait for their "specialist review" - call them directly at 866-775-4363 and ask to speak with a Tier 2 support agent. Tell them it's preventing you from accessing unemployment benefits and they'll usually expedite the review. One more thing - document EVERY call attempt with date/time stamps. When you finally get through to DOL, mention that you have 4 months of documented attempts. That's your "good cause" evidence for the delayed waiting week claim. Don't give up! Your benefits are waiting for you once you break through this ridiculous system.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to NY unemployment problems. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone sharing their experiences and strategies here - this thread is incredibly valuable for those of us stuck in this broken system. I've been dealing with my own unemployment nightmare for 2 months now (not quite as long as some of you, but long enough to understand the frustration). Reading through all these suggestions has given me a clear action plan: 1. Try the 8:01am calling strategy with a landline 2. Contact my state representative's office 3. File a complaint with the DOL Advocate Office 4. Keep detailed documentation of everything What really struck me is how many different approaches people have had to try before something worked. It's clear there's no single solution - you really do need to attack this from multiple angles simultaneously. To the original poster - 4 months is absolutely unacceptable, but don't lose hope. Based on what I'm reading here, your persistence WILL pay off eventually. The fact that you have months of documented call attempts is actually valuable evidence when you finally get through. Thanks again to everyone sharing their hard-won knowledge. Hoping we all get resolution soon!