Has anyone successfully reached a real person at ny unemployment for backpay issues?

I was in the same exact boat, man. Took me almost 3 months to get through to someone. The trick that finally worked for me was using claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold for you and then calls your phone when a real person picks up. Talking to an actual human got my backpay released in 48 hours after months of nothing. Literally the best decision I made during this whole nightmare. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I spent WEEKS trying to get someone. What worked for me was calling exactly at 8:00am the minute they open. Had to try 3 days in a row but finally got through. You have to be super persistent and keep trying. Good luck!

The whole NY unemployment system is a joke. I'm convinced they make it impossible to reach anyone on purpose to save money. They owe me over $4000 in backpay from last year and I'm still fighting to get it. The only thing that worked was showing up IN PERSON at the career center and refusing to leave until they helped me. Even then it took another month to see the money.

Have you tried calling your state representative? I was stuck in backpay hell for 3 months with ny unemployment. Called my assembly person, their office has a direct contact at unemployment. Had my $3200 within 10 days of them intervening. Don't waste time with the regular customer service numbers.

FOR REAL HELP WITH NY UNEMPLOYMENT BACKPAY ISSUES: After 3 months of trying everything, here's what actually works: 1) Use claimyr.com to get through to a live agent. It's the only reliable way to break through the phone system. They wait on hold so you don't have to, then call you when they reach a person. 2) While waiting for that, email your state assembly person AND state senator (do both). Their offices have special contacts at unemployment. 3) Be super specific when you finally talk to someone. Have exact dates, claim numbers, and all documentation ready. 4) If they tell you they've "escalated" your claim, ask for a ticket number and expected timeframe. Follow up if you don't hear back. 5) Document EVERYTHING. Every call, who you spoke with, confirmation numbers, emails sent. I was owed $5100 in backpay and was about to be evicted. Finally got paid after following these steps. The system is designed to wear you down so you give up. Don't. Hope this helps someone. The claimyr.com service was genuinely a game-changer - talking to a real human made all the difference.

there is no magic number. the entire system is broken on purpose. they make it impossible to reach anyone by design. i gave up after 4 months and just took a crappy job i hate because i couldnt fight anymore.

Try 888-209-8124 and press 1, then 1, then 9, then 2. Thats how I finally got a human after weeks of trying. Be prepared to hold for at least 2 hours tho. And if they disconnect you (which they do CONSTANTLY) you gotta start all over. The whole system is rigged against us.

Honestly if ur dealing with backpay, phone calls dont do shit. I tried for 2 months. What worked was sending a paper letter through certified mail to the commissioner's office. Sounds crazy but got my backpay 2 weeks later. Google the address for NY DOL commissioner.

After 11 weeks of trying, i finally got through last week. here's what worked: call the TTY/TDD line even if ur not hearing impaired (888-783-1370). Way less people use it so better chance of getting through. Still had to wait 40 mins but actually got a human.

pro tip: u need to call EXACTLY at 7:58am not 8am. Everyone calls at 8 when they open so lines jam up. If u call 2 min before, ur already in queue when they start answering.

I went through this EXACT same thing. Waited 3 months for backpay, landlord threatening eviction, constant anxiety. I finally broke down and used claimyr.com and within 10 minutes of talking to the agent, they found the issue - my former employer had contested my claim but never submitted the required paperwork, so my account was stuck in limbo. Agent pushed it through manually and I had my money 2 days later. Sometimes you just need to talk to the right person who actually knows what they're doing.

lmao good luck. been trying since november. called 200+ times. emailed 30+ times. contacted my state rep. filed a complaint with the governor's office. NOTHING WORKS. the system is completely broken and they don't care. the backpay is probably never coming.

Honestly the state of new york unemployment is so bad im moving out of state. took me 6 months to get my backpay and by then i had maxed out credit cards and ruined my credit score. system is broken beyond repair.

The only thing that worked for me was saying I had a 'technical issue with my payment method' when calling the main line. For some reason they prioritize those calls. Then once I got an agent I explained my actual backpay issue. Worth a try.

Try early morning on tuesdays, for some weird reason tuesdays seem to have shorter wait times. Took me 17 calls but finally got a human. Backpay issue fixed in one call - turns out all they needed was one form I'd never been told about 🤬

If u qualify for backpay ur supposed to automatically get it. If it's showing pending something is wrong with ur claim. Could be identity verification issue, could be former employer contesting, could be missing documentation. You NEED to speak to a specialist, not general customer service. That's the real challenge.

try the callback feature on their website. i requested a callback and actually got one... 3 weeks later 🙄 but at least I eventually got to talk to someone

Pssst... here's a secret most people don't know: if you file a formal complaint with the NY State Attorney General's office about your unemployment claim, DOL has to respond within 10 business days by law. That's how I finally got my backpay after 4 months of nothing. https://ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds/Filing-a-Consumer-Complaint