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How long after NY unemployment monetary determination letter until approval and payment? Waiting since 7/16

I received my monetary benefit determination letter on July 16, 2025 showing I'd get $504 weekly if approved. It's been almost 3 weeks now and I still haven't received any notification about actual approval or payment. My payment history just shows $0.00 for each week I've certified. Is this normal wait time? Getting really anxious since rent is due soon. Anyone know how long after that determination letter it typically takes to actually see money hit your account? My claim status just says "pending" with no other explanation.

PaulineW

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mine took 5 days after the determination letter. somethings prob wrong with your claim, call them asap

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Thanks. Did you have any issues with your claim or was it straightforward? I've tried calling multiple times but can't get through.

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This isn't normal timing. The monetary determination letter just confirms your potential benefit amount based on your wages. The actual approval should come within 7-10 days after that letter if everything is in order. Since it's been 3 weeks, there's likely something holding up your claim that requires additional review. Common issues that cause delays: - Identity verification flagged - Former employer contesting the claim - Missing/incomplete information - Random selection for additional verification You absolutely need to contact them. Your claim won't move forward on its own if it's stuck for any of these reasons.

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Thanks for the detailed explanation! That makes sense. My employer did say they might contest it because they claim I quit (I was actually laid off). Could that be why? I've been trying to call every day but can't get through.

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Chris Elmeda

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Oh no! If your employer contested the claim saying you quit when you were laid off, that would ABSOLUTELY cause this delay! The DOL has to investigate when there's conflicting information about why you're no longer employed. They might be trying to schedule a phone interview with you to get your side of the story before making a determination. Check your mail and email CAREFULLY - they might have sent you a notice about a scheduled phone hearing that you missed!!!

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I've been checking my mail obsessively and haven't received anything about a phone interview. I'm going to double check my spam folder right now though. Would they email about this or only send physical mail?

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They typically send both mail and email for important communications like hearing schedules. Check your NY.gov messaging center too - sometimes notices appear there first. And be sure your contact information is up to date in your account.

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Jean Claude

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I had a similar situation last month. My employer contested my claim, and it took 5 weeks from my monetary determination letter until I finally got approved and paid. The key was getting through to someone at NYSDOL who could tell me what was happening. After failing to reach anyone for 2 weeks, I found this service called Claimyr that connected me to an unemployment agent in about 25 minutes. It basically keeps dialing for you and gets you through their phone system. I was skeptical but it actually worked - the agent told me my claim was held up due to the employer contest and scheduled my phone interview right then. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE and their site is claimyr.com if you're interested. Once I had my phone interview, I got approved within 3 days and they paid all my back weeks at once.

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Charity Cohan

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did you actually use this service? seems like a scam to me tbh

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Jean Claude

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Yes, I did use it. I was desperate after trying for two weeks to get through. Not saying it's the only option, but it worked for me when nothing else did. The agent I spoke with was definitely a real NYSDOL employee who had access to my claim info.

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Thanks for the suggestion. I'm getting desperate so might try this. Did your employer also claim you quit when you were actually laid off? How did the phone interview go?

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Josef Tearle

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THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! I went through something similar last year and waited SIX WEEKS with ZERO communication! Then one day money just showed up in my account with no explanation!!! Never even got to talk to anyone! But my friend got approved in 4 days so it's COMPLETELY RANDOM who they decide to torture with waiting!!!!!

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PaulineW

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you probably answered smething wrong on ur weekly certification. happened to my roommate. he said he was available for work but then also said he was on vacation for 3 days that week. automatic flag.

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I double checked all my certifications and I'm pretty sure I answered everything correctly. I said I was ready, willing and available to work each week, actively looking for work, and didn't work or earn any money. Should I try re-certifying?

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No, don't re-certify for weeks you've already certified for - that can cause more problems. If your employer contested the claim stating you quit rather than being laid off, that's almost certainly the issue. That automatically triggers an investigation which requires a claims examiner to review and often schedule a fact-finding interview.

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Charity Cohan

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u need 2 call right at 8:00am when they open. thats how i got thru after my account was on hold 4 weeks

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I've tried that a few times but will keep trying. Do you know if it's better to call on certain days of the week?

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Shelby Bauman

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This happened to me back in February. I think it depends on why you lost your job. My old boss initially told unemployment I was fired for misconduct when actually my position was eliminated. They had to investigate and it took like 5 weeks to get approved. Then all my back payments came at once. Also while I was waiting I figured out you can see if there are any issues with your claim by logging in to your account and going to the "View Payment History" page. If there's an issue, there will be some kind of message code next to the weeks that aren't being paid. Mine had something like "employer dispute" next to the weeks.

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Thank you! I just checked and there is a code next to my weeks that says "employer dispute - pending hearing" so you were exactly right. At least now I know what's going on. Did you have to do anything special to prepare for your hearing?

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Shelby Bauman

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Glad that helped! For my hearing I just wrote down dates and details about what happened with my job ending. The interviewer asked a lot of specific questions about my last day, why I was let go, if I had any warnings, etc. Be honest but make sure you're clear about being laid off vs quitting. They'll also contact your employer to get their side. My interview was only about 15 minutes.

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Jean Claude

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To answer your follow-up question - yes, my employer claimed I quit when I was actually laid off due to "restructuring." For the phone interview, I prepared by: 1. Writing down a timeline of events leading to my separation 2. Having my last few pay stubs ready 3. Finding emails or texts that supported my version of events 4. Having my supervisor's name and contact info handy The interview was about 20 minutes and pretty straightforward. The examiner asked specific questions about my last day, whether I received any warnings, if I was given a reason for separation, etc. I stayed calm and stuck to facts rather than getting emotional about it. Since you now know there's an employer dispute holding up your claim, your priority should be getting that phone interview scheduled. That's exactly why I finally broke down and used that call service - I needed to talk to someone who could schedule the interview.

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This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'm going to gather all those documents right away and prepare my timeline. I didn't think to look for supporting emails but I do have some that clearly show it was a layoff. I'll keep trying to get through to schedule the interview.

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PaulineW

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monday and tuesday are the worst days 2 call. try wednesday afternoon

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Based on what you've discovered with the "employer dispute - pending hearing" code, here's what you should expect next: 1. You should receive a notice in the mail with your scheduled phone interview date and time. These are typically scheduled 2-3 weeks out from when the dispute is identified. 2. The notice will include instructions about what documentation to have ready. 3. Make sure you're available at the scheduled time - if you miss this call, it can significantly delay your claim further. 4. During the interview, the claims examiner will ask specific questions about your employment separation. Be direct, factual, and consistent in your responses. 5. After the interview, a determination is usually made within 7-10 days. If you haven't received an interview notice within the next week, I would strongly recommend making contact with NYSDOL to check on the status and possibly get the interview scheduled sooner.

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Chris Elmeda

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I just went through this process last month and want to add one CRITICAL thing - after your interview, check your message inbox on NY.gov DAILY! They sent me a request for additional documentation after my interview with only a 48-hour window to respond! I almost missed it because I wasn't checking regularly enough!

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Thank you both for this detailed information. I'll make sure to check both my physical mail and NY.gov messages daily. I don't want to miss anything important. Should I continue certifying weekly while waiting for this to be resolved?

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Yes, absolutely continue certifying every week! If you're eventually approved, they can only pay you for weeks you properly certified for. Missing certifications means you won't get paid for those weeks even if your claim is approved.

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UPDATE: I was finally able to get through to someone at NYSDOL! They confirmed my employer is contesting the claim saying I quit, when I was actually laid off. The agent scheduled my phone interview for next Tuesday. I'll update again after that happens. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

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Jean Claude

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Great news! How did you finally get through? Was waiting on hold for hours or did you try something different?

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I ended up using that Claimyr service you mentioned. Felt weird paying to get through but it worked in about 30 minutes and saved me days of frustration. Now I'm just preparing all my documentation for the interview.

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FINAL UPDATE: Had my phone interview yesterday, and just logged in to see my claim has been approved! All my back weeks are now showing as paid and the money should hit my account in 1-2 business days. The interviewer was actually really nice and the whole thing only took about 15 minutes. Having my timeline and supporting emails really helped. For anyone else dealing with an employer dispute - definitely prepare your documentation and make sure you get that phone interview scheduled ASAP. Thanks again everyone!

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Shelby Bauman

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Congrats! Must be such a relief after waiting so long.

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Great outcome! Thanks for updating the thread - it will help others who find themselves in similar situations.

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