How do I know if my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim was approved?

You should receive a monetary determination letter either by mail or in your online inbox on my.ny.gov within 2-3 weeks of filing. This letter will tell you your weekly benefit amount if approved, or explain why you were denied. Check your online account under "correspondence" - sometimes the letters show up there before arriving by mail.

If your claim is still showing "under review" after 2 weeks, it might be in adjudication. This happens when NYS Department of Labor needs to verify information about your separation from work or eligibility. Keep doing your weekly certifications even if you haven't been paid yet - if approved, you'll get back pay for those weeks.

honestly the nys system is SO confusing, i had to call like 10 times before someone could tell me my status. the website never updates properly

You'll get a determination letter either in the mail or through your my.ny.gov account messages. Usually takes 2-3 weeks from filing date. The status will change from 'under review' to either 'approved' or 'pending adjudication' if there are issues to resolve. Once approved, you can start filing your weekly claims.

Check your payment history section too - if you see a $0 deposit with your benefit amount listed that's usually a good sign your claim is processing. The actual approval notice comes after but you might see the payment setup first.

I was in the same boat last month - couldn't get through to anyone on the phone and the website status was unclear. Someone on here mentioned using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Within a day I was connected to an agent who explained my claim was approved but stuck in a verification process. Really saved me weeks of wondering.

Keep checking your bank account too! Sometimes the first payment shows up before you get the official approval letter. NYS Department of Labor direct deposit usually comes through faster than the mail.

ugh I'm in week 3 of waiting and still nothing!! This is so stressful when you need the money. My status hasn't changed at all and I'm starting to think something went wrong with my application.

Also make sure you're checking the right section. Sometimes people look at 'claim status' when they should be looking at 'payment history' or vice versa. The my.ny.gov interface isn't the most intuitive.

same boat here, filed 8 days ago and nothing yet, starting to worry something is wrong

The waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking! I went through this same anxiety a few months ago. In addition to checking the correspondence section and payment history that others mentioned, also look for any requests for additional documentation in your account - sometimes they need wage verification or separation details that can hold up the process. The good news is that 10 days is still within the normal timeframe. Most approvals I've seen (including mine) came through between days 12-18. Keep doing your weekly certifications if those are available - that shows you're actively engaging with the system even while waiting for the determination.