Can't get through to NYS Department of Labor unemployment phone lines - need urgent help
I've been trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for over a week now and I literally can't get through to anyone. My unemployment claim got flagged for some kind of verification issue and it's been pending for 12 days. Every time I call the main number it just says high call volume and hangs up on me. The automated system doesn't give me any options to speak to a real person. I tried calling at different times - 8am, lunch time, even 4:30pm right before they close. Nothing works. My rent is due in 3 days and I'm starting to panic. Has anyone actually gotten through recently? What number did you use?
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Miguel Castro
The phone system is absolutely horrible right now. I had the same issue last month - claim stuck in verification limbo and couldn't reach anyone. What specific verification issue are they asking for? Sometimes you can upload documents through the my.ny.gov portal instead of calling. Check your account messages to see if they gave you any specific instructions.
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Ava Martinez
•It just says 'additional information needed for claim processing' but doesn't specify what documents. I already uploaded my ID and social security card when I first filed.
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Zainab Abdulrahman
Try calling the moment they open at 8am sharp. Like literally start dialing at 7:59:50. Even then it takes persistence. I called 47 times one morning before getting through. Also make sure you're using the main claimant line, not the employer line by mistake.
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Connor Byrne
•47 times?? That's insane. There has to be a better way than spending your entire morning redialing the same number.
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Yara Elias
I was in the exact same boat 3 weeks ago - couldn't get through no matter what I tried. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. I was skeptical at first but honestly it worked. Got through in about 20 minutes and finally got my verification issue sorted out. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me from losing my mind calling all day.
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QuantumQuasar
•Never heard of this before. Is it legit or just another scam? I'm so desperate at this point I'd try anything but don't want to make things worse.
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Yara Elias
•It's legitimate - they don't ask for any personal info or login details. You just give them your callback number and they call you back when they get an agent on the line. Worth checking out the demo video to see exactly how it works.
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Keisha Jackson
The whole system is a joke honestly. I've been trying to reach them about an overpayment notice for 2 weeks. The website says call for more info but then you literally CAN'T call because no one answers! How are we supposed to resolve these issues if they make it impossible to talk to anyone??
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Miguel Castro
•For overpayment notices you usually have appeal rights. Check if there's an appeal form with your notice - sometimes that's faster than trying to call.
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Paolo Moretti
same problem here, been calling for days and getting nowhere. this is ridiculous
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