Finally reached someone at NY unemployment who actually helped get my backpay

Congrats! I've been stuck in the same hell for the past 6 weeks. The online system is such trash and most of the ppl who answer phones don't seem to have any real authority to fix anything. How many times did you have to call before you got the good agent?

I was in the same nightmare situation but found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a rep in under an hour! Seriously it was the best decision ever - they just call for you, wait on hold, then connect you to a live agent when someone picks up. After trying for weeks on my own, I used them and finally got my issue fixed within a day. Here's their intro video if you're interested: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The whole system is design to make u quit. They hope you'll just give up and stop trying to get what YOU PAID INTO. I had to call 40+ times a day for TWO MONTHS to get my issue fixed. The state is just hopin people will walk away from there money.

This gives me hope! I've been stuck in limbo for 7 weeks. Haven't been able to pay rent and had to borrow money from friends. Did the agent tell you why your payments were held up? Mine just says 'pending review' with no other info.

OMG ARE YOU ME?? 😂 Seriously this is exactly what happened to me last month. Called and called and either got disconnected or talked to people who literally couldn't do anything. Then FINALLY got one good agent who fixed everything in like 5 minutes. The whole system is broken af but there are some good workers out there who can actually help. Don't give up!

I've fought with ny unemployment for months now. Here's what I've learned about getting actual help: First, documentation is key. Keep notes on EVERY call - who you spoke with, confirmation numbers, what they told you, dates/times. This helps when you finally reach someone competent. Second, be persistent but respectful. The system is broken, but the person on the phone didn't break it. Being polite while firmly explaining your situation works better than frustration. Third, try different contact methods - calls early morning, use the message portal, contact your state representative if you're truly stuck. Fourth, know your rights. Look up the official processing timelines for claims and appeals so you can reference them. Finally, if you're getting nowhere with regular calls, try using claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold for you and connect you directly to an agent. It saved me weeks of frustration and my backpay was processed within 48 hours after speaking with the agent they connected me with. Don't give up! The system is designed to be difficult, but persistence pays off.

What time of day did you call? I've heard mornings are better but I can never get through no matter when I try 😫

I don't understand why some payments go through immediately and others get stuck in this weird limbo. My first two weeks were fine then suddenly everything stopped with no explanation. The website is useless for actually telling you what's wrong with your claim.

Throw this whole unemployment system in the trash. I've never dealt with anything so inefficient in my life. Glad you finally got your money tho!

Anyone else notice how they seem to put random holds on accounts for no reason? I swear they do this on purpose to save money hoping people will just give up. Sketchy af.

What specifically did the agent do to fix your issue? I'm wondering if I could suggest the same solution when I finally get through to someone.

This is why I always tell people to KEEP CALLING no matter what! The first agent rarely has the power or knowledge to fix complicated issues. You have to get to tier 2 support or whatever they call it. Congrats on getting your $$!

My issue turned out to be my former employer contesting my claim even though I was clearly laid off. The first 5 agents I spoke with never mentioned this - it wasn't until I reached someone competent that they actually told me what was happening behind the scenes.