Filed NY unemployment mid-October - still waiting with ZERO communication!

Yep welcome to the ny unemployment system 🤡 I waited 4 months for mine to get processed last year. Keep calling and don't let them brush you off!! They'll keep saying "it's being processed" until you make enough noise.

After trying for weeks to get through their phone system, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they actually got me connected to a live agent within an hour. Talking to a real human changed everything - got my benefits flowing within days. Best money I've spent to get my benefits released quickly. They have a YouTube video explaining how it works too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The "entitlement review" means they're checking if you qualify for benefits. Usually happens if there's something unusual about your employment history or how you left your job. Did you quit or were you fired? That can trigger extra review. Also check your spam folder - they might have emailed you a questionnaire that got filtered.

I FEEL THIS SO HARD. Mine took 5 months to process because they kept "losing" my documents. Keep every receipt, take screenshots of everything you submit, document every single call with date/time/rep name. The system is intentionally frustrating to make people give up.

Contact your state assembly person or state senator's office. That's what finally worked for me. They have special liaisons at unemployment who can look into stuck claims. Google "find my NY state representative" and call their office tomorrow morning.

KEEP CALLING. The folks who give up are the ones who never get paid. The squeaky wheel gets the oil in this broken system. And make sure your ID.me verification is complete - that's a common holdup these days. Check your email and spam folder for messages from them.

Honestly the system is DESIGNED to make you give up. They're counting on it. I've been dealing with the ny unemployment system on and off for years and it's never been this bad. Keep certifying every week no matter what. When you finally break through, you'll get backpay for all those weeks you certified.

Did you check your account online to see if there are any outstanding documents they need? Sometimes they request additional info but don't tell you about it. Log in and check your messages and document section.

So I was in the EXACT same situation last month, and I was about to lose my mind with the constant runaround. After seeing suggestions here, I went to claimyr.com which is basically a service that waits on hold for you then calls when they get a human. Within 45 minutes I was talking to someone who actually fixed my claim! All the backpay hit my account 3 days later. The hold time without them would have been 4+ hours, but they have some way of getting through faster.

Check your email spam folder!!! I missed an important email asking for additional documentation because it went to spam. They only give you 7 days to respond before they put your claim on hold.

Here's everything I learned from my 4-month unemployment battle last year: The key to getting your NY unemployment benefits unstuck is persistence and documentation. Most claims that sit for months have some minor issue that could be fixed in 10 minutes if you could just talk to the right person. - Call early in the morning (7:30am) when the system first opens up - After each call, document who you spoke with and what they said - Check your online account AND email daily (including spam folder) - Continue certifying every single week even while waiting - Contact your state representative's office (they have special contacts) - Consider using claimyr.com if you can't get through - they'll wait on hold and connect you with an agent when one is available - If you get conflicting info from different reps (happens constantly), ask to speak with a supervisor - When you do get through, ask specifically: "Is there anything missing from my claim that's causing the delay?" Once your claim is approved, you'll get all the back weeks paid at once. Don't give up - that's exactly what they're hoping you'll do.

Look, I hate to say it, but you need to start contacting your representatives and making noise. NY unemployment is overwhelmed and understaffed, and the only people who get attention are the ones who raise hell. Email your state assembly person, state senator, even the governor's office again. Use social media to highlight your issue. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

i wuz waiting 11 weeks before i got mine. system is broken af. keep calling, be nice to the ppl cuz they proly getting yelled at all day, and eventually ull get someone who actually helps. also triple check ur certifications - one wrong answer can freeze everythin

Are you able to see your payment history when you log in? Sometimes it says "pending" with a date. That at least tells you it's in the system. If it's not showing anything at all, there might be an identity verification issue.

It's the worst when you call and they just tell you to "wait" with no actual info. Try asking these specific questions next time you get through: 1. Is my claim pending or denied? 2. Is there any specific documentation missing? 3. Is there an ID verification issue? 4. Can you escalate this to a supervisor due to the extended wait time? Don't let them rush you off the phone without answers.

Had the same problem and finally got it fixed using Claimyr.com - they wait on hold for you and then connect you when a real agent picks up. Talking to a human made all the difference - the agent saw my claim was stuck in review and pushed it through right then! Got backpay for all weeks the next day. After months of calling myself and never getting through, this was the best solution I found.