How long does an unemployment claim take to process with NYS Department of Labor?
I submitted my initial unemployment claim through my.ny.gov about 10 days ago and I'm still showing 'pending' status. I know they said it could take time but I'm starting to get worried since I need to pay rent next week. For those who've been through this recently, how long did your NYS Department of Labor claim actually take to get approved? I read online it's supposed to be processed within a few weeks but wanted to hear from real people what their experience was like.
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Andre Dupont
The standard processing time for NYS Department of Labor claims is typically 2-3 weeks from the date you file, but it can vary depending on your situation. If your claim requires adjudication (like if there are questions about your employment separation), it can take 4-6 weeks or longer. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - that's important for getting paid once it's approved.
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AstroAdventurer
•Thanks for the info! I have been doing my weekly claims. What exactly triggers adjudication? My employer laid me off due to budget cuts so I thought it would be straightforward.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
mine took almost 5 weeks last year and that was without any issues. the system is just really backed up. keep filing your weekly claims though or you'll lose those weeks
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Jamal Wilson
•Same here, took forever even though I had all my documentation ready. The waiting is the worst part.
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Mei Lin
If you need to check on your claim status or get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I was having issues getting through their phone lines. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Basically helps you get connected to an actual agent instead of sitting on hold forever. Might be worth looking into if you're getting anxious about the timeline.
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AstroAdventurer
•Interesting, I hadn't heard of that. Have you actually used it? I've tried calling the NYS Department of Labor number multiple times but can never get through.
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Mei Lin
•Yeah I used it a few months ago when my claim got stuck in some weird status. Worked pretty well, got through to someone within a day instead of weeks of trying on my own.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Are you SURE you filled everything out correctly?? I've seen people wait months because they made one tiny mistake on their application and didn't realize it. Double check your my.ny.gov account to make sure there aren't any messages or requests for additional information that you might have missed!
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AstroAdventurer
•I've checked multiple times and don't see any messages requesting more info. My account just shows the claim as 'pending' with no other details.
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GalacticGuru
The NYS Department of Labor is a joke honestly. They make you jump through hoops and then take forever to process anything. I waited 7 weeks for mine and when I finally got through to someone they said it was just sitting in a queue. No rhyme or reason to it.
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Amara Nnamani
•Ugh tell me about it. The whole system feels designed to make you give up.
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Yuki Ito
I'm in a similar situation - filed about 2 weeks ago and still pending. From what I've gathered talking to others, the timeline really depends on whether your case gets flagged for review. Simple layoffs like yours should be faster, but the system is just overwhelmed right now. One thing that helped me was creating a my.ny.gov account if you haven't already - you can track your claim status there and make sure you're not missing any requests for documentation. Also, definitely keep filing those weekly claims even while pending. I know the wait is stressful when bills are due, but hang in there!
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