Can't file weekly ny unemployment claim - website down and phone system not working?

The same thing has been happening to me for the past two days! I usually file on the website but it's been down for "maintenance" and the phone system just hangs up. Try going to the library to use their computers, that's what I'm planning to do tomorrow.

Listen I've been stuck in this exact situation but found a solution that ACTUALLY works! I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get thru to someone on the phone. They basically wait on hold for you then connect you with a live agent. Talking to a real person got my payments processed same day. They have a YouTube video explaining how it works too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - seriously it was the only way I could finally talk to someone after weeks of trying.

This happens all the time with ny unemployment. The systems are ancient and break constantly. Do you have a friend or family member who could let you use their computer for 10 mins? That's usually what I do when my internet goes out.

Try calling EXACTLY at 7:30am on Monday morning. That's been the sweet spot for me to get through. It's still a pain but it's your best chance. Also check if any community centers in your area offer free computer access - a lot of them do but don't advertise it well.

The whole system is designed to make you give up. They made it impossible to get thru so people just stop trying to claim. Makes their numbers look better when less people are collecting benefits 🤮

Ok here's what worked for me after 2 weeks of trying: First, try the website at 2-3AM when traffic is lowest. If that doesn't work and you NEED to use the phone system, here's my full breakdown: 1) Call during non-peak hours (Tuesday/Wednesday around 10:30am or 2:30pm have been best) 2) If you get the high volume message, hang up and immediately redial - sometimes you get through on the 5-7th attempt 3) When the automated system asks for your information, speak VERY clearly and pause between numbers 4) If all else fails, I had success with Claimyr.com - they basically stay on hold for you then connect you directly when an agent is available. Talking to a live person got my issues fixed in one call after weeks of trying other methods. The unemployment system is completely overwhelmed right now. Their call center can only handle a fraction of the volume they're getting. Persistence is key - it took me 11 days of trying these methods to finally get through.

McDonald's has free wifi if you wanna try sitting in their parking lot and seeing if your phone can connect to file that way. Not ideal but it worked for me when I was desperate.

Unpopular opinion: maybe try NOT claiming by phone. Their phone system has been garbage for decades. Try using a friends phone to do it online through the mobile site. Way more reliable than calling.

I never post here but I gotta say I was in this EXACT situation 3 weeks ago and what helped me was getting someone on the phone that could actually process my claim. Standard calling doesn't work, but I found claimyr.com and it finally got me through to a real person. The rep processed all my backed up weeks and I got paid within 2 days. Best money I ever spent after weeks of stress!

I just checked Twitter and apparently there's a system outage today that's affecting both the website and phones. Might explain why nobody can get through. They never announce this stuff officially tho 🙄

ask a friend to claim for you!! just give them ur info and have them do it. thats what i did when i was out of town and it worked fine