Can't reach NY unemployment by phone - benefits stuck pending since February

The regular number is basically useless right now. I was in the same situation last month - pending for WEEKS with no way to talk to anyone. After trying for days, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through. It costs a little but they got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. The agent was able to see that my identity verification had a flag on it, fixed it right there, and my payment processed the next day. Wish I'd known about this earlier instead of stressing for two weeks.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'm honestly desperate at this point, so I'll check out that video. Did you have to give them any personal info or just payment?

hav u tried calling exactly at 8:01am? thats when i got thru last week. also try the alternative 888 number instead of the 800 one, sometimes works better

I've tried calling at 8:00am sharp but not 8:01 specifically. What's the 888 number? The only one I have is the main 888-209-8124 number.

When your benefits are stuck in pending status for this long, it typically means there's an issue that requires manual review. The most common reasons are:\n\n1. Identity verification problems\n2. Employment history discrepancy\n3. Eligibility question flag\n4. Missing documentation\n\nI would recommend:\n- Check your online account for any messages or alerts\n- Look at your document upload section to see if they're requesting additional documentation\n- Send a secure message through your NY.gov account explaining your situation\n- Try calling right when they open at 8:00am Monday-Friday\n\nAlso, if you're really struggling financially while waiting, contact your local Department of Social Services about emergency assistance programs.

Thank you for these details! I don't see any requests for documentation in my account, but there might be an issue with my employment history verification since my last employer shut down. I'll try the secure message approach too.

The phone system is a JOKE!!! I've been dealing with NY unemployment for 3 months now and STILL can't get a human on the phone. They designed it that way ON PURPOSE so they don't have to pay people!! My claim was \

While I understand your frustration, contacting your state representative is actually good advice. Their offices often have dedicated contacts at NYSDOL who can escalate claims that are stuck. I've seen many cases resolved this way. However, the delays aren't usually intentional - the system is just overwhelmed and outdated, especially after the seasonal spike in claims in January/February.

I got through last week after nearly a month of trying! Here's exactly what worked for me: call at 8:00am sharp, press 1 for English (or whatever language), then 1 for existing claim issues, then 1 again for payment issues, then 3 for all other questions. This got me to a different queue than the usual one that hangs up. Still waited 42 minutes but actually spoke to someone! They fixed my pending issue (was a wage verification problem) and my payment came through two days later.

Thanks for the specific instructions! I'm definitely going to try this exact sequence tomorrow morning. Good to know there's actually hope of getting through. Did they tell you why your claim was held up?

Yes, turns out my former employer had reported different quarterly wages than what I entered on my application. The difference wasn't huge but enough to flag the system. The agent manually verified my paystubs and overrode the hold.

have u checked ur spam folder? sometimes they send emails that end up there, i missed mine for 2 weeks lol. also try reaching out on twitter, they sometimes respond faster there than on phone

I haven't thought to check spam! Doing that right now... But nothing there. The Twitter idea is interesting though - what's their handle?

@NYSLabor is their official account. sometimes if u tweet at them they'll DM u for claim info

What's likely happening is that your claim has been flagged for review in one of the verification queues. These are typically processed in the order received, but certain issues take priority. Here's what you should know:\n\n1. Calling repeatedly doesn't usually speed up the process and sometimes can actually cause duplicate flags in the system\n\n2. Your best options are:\n - Use the secure message system through your NY.gov account\n - Send specific documentation related to your employment history\n - Check your correspondence tab daily for any notices\n - Contact your state assembly person or senator for assistance\n\nBased on current processing times, claims flagged in February should be reaching resolution soon. However, if you haven't received any correspondence indicating why your claim is pending, that suggests there might be a technical issue rather than a documentation problem.

This is really helpful insight. I actually haven't received ANY correspondence which is part of why I'm so confused. I didn't realize contacting my state rep was an option - I'll try that route too if I can't get through by phone this week.

When I used Claimyr to get through last month, they didn't need any personal info about my claim - just payment info for their service. The agent I spoke with said they're seeing tons of

yea i heard about this service from my neighbor too, he said it worked but seems weird to pay just to talk to unemployment ppl

I felt the same way initially, but after wasting hours trying to get through over two weeks, the cost was worth it to finally get my claim unstuck. Saved me from late fees on bills too.

UPDATE: I finally got through! Used the specific number sequence that @profile4 suggested at exactly 8:00am. Was on hold for an hour but actually spoke to someone! Turns out there was an identity verification flag on my account even though I submitted all the documents. The agent manually approved it and said my payments should process within 3 business days. Thanks everyone for the help!

Great news! Glad it worked for you too. The crazy thing is each agent seems to have different abilities to fix things - I talked to 2 people before finding one who could actually help with my issue.

That's excellent! Make sure to keep an eye on your payment history page over the next few days to confirm the payments process correctly. If you don't see movement within the 3 business days, follow up with another call using the same method that worked for you.