How do you know if you were denied unemployment benefits by NYS Department of Labor?
I filed for unemployment about 2 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back from NYS Department of Labor yet. My claim status online just says 'pending' but I'm starting to worry they might have denied me. What are the signs that your unemployment claim got rejected? Do they send you a letter or email, or does it just show up in your online account? I'm getting really anxious because I need to know if I should start looking into other options for income.
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Ellie Kim
NYS Department of Labor will definitely notify you if your claim is denied. You'll receive a 'Notice of Determination' either by mail or through your online account that explains the reason for denial. The determination letter will also include information about your right to appeal within 30 days. If your claim is still showing 'pending' after 2 weeks, it's likely in adjudication, which means they're reviewing your eligibility.
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Luis Johnson
AuthorThanks for the info! Should I be worried that it's taking this long? I thought they were supposed to process claims faster now.
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Fiona Sand
same thing happened to me last year, mine was pending for like 3 weeks before i got approved. the system is just slow sometimes especially if theres any issues with your work history or something
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Mohammad Khaled
That's reassuring to hear someone else went through the same wait time. Did they ever explain why it took so long?
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Alina Rosenthal
If you haven't received a determination letter yet, your claim probably hasn't been denied. Common reasons for denial include not meeting work history requirements, quitting without good cause, or being fired for misconduct. The adjudication process can take several weeks, especially if they need to contact your former employer for additional information. You can check your claim status by logging into your my.ny.gov account.
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Luis Johnson
AuthorI've been checking my account daily but it never changes from 'pending.' Is there a way to speed this up or get more information about what's causing the delay?
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Finnegan Gunn
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! I waited 6 weeks just to get DENIED for some bogus reason about my separation from work. They make it impossible to get through on the phone and when you finally do they just tell you to wait more. Good luck getting any real answers from NYS Department of Labor.
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Ellie Kim
I understand the frustration, but if you were denied, you do have appeal rights. The determination letter should have included instructions on how to file an appeal within 30 days.
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Miguel Harvey
I had a similar issue where I couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to check on my claim status. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was actually pretty helpful for getting real answers instead of just waiting and wondering.
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Luis Johnson
AuthorInteresting, I've never heard of that before. Did they charge you a lot to use it?
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Miguel Harvey
They focus more on the value of actually reaching someone rather than cost. For me it was worth it just to get clarity on what was happening with my claim instead of stressing out every day.
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Ashley Simian
Oh man I'm in the same boat! Filed 3 weeks ago and still pending. I keep wondering if I messed something up on the application or if my old boss said something bad about me. This waiting is driving me crazy and I need to know if I should start applying for other assistance programs.
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Mohammad Khaled
Same here, the uncertainty is the worst part. At least if we knew what was taking so long we could plan accordingly.
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LunarEclipse
I went through this exact same situation last month. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, but here's what I learned: NYS DOL is required to send you written notice if your claim is denied, and it will definitely show up in your online account under "correspondence" or "determinations." The fact that yours still says "pending" is actually a good sign - it means they haven't made a negative decision yet. I called the customer service line (though it took forever to get through) and they told me that adjudication can take 4-6 weeks, especially if they need to verify employment details with your former employer. Try not to panic yet - 2 weeks is still within normal processing time, even though it feels like forever when you're waiting for income.
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