How long does it take for a deputy to make a decision on unemployment claim in New York?
My unemployment claim has been stuck in adjudication for almost 6 weeks now and I'm getting really stressed about it. The NYS Department of Labor website just says 'pending deputy decision' but gives no timeline. I submitted all the documents they requested about my separation from my retail job back in January but haven't heard anything since. My savings are running out and I need to know if there's a typical timeframe for how long deputies take to review cases. Has anyone been through this process recently? What should I expect?
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Yuki Ito
Deputy decisions can vary significantly depending on the complexity of your case and current caseload volumes. For straightforward separation issues, you might see a decision within 4-8 weeks, but more complex cases involving misconduct allegations or disputed facts can take 10-12 weeks or longer. The NYS Department of Labor aims to resolve most adjudications within 21 days, but they're often backlogged. Since you're at 6 weeks, you're unfortunately in a common timeframe for this process.
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Ethan Taylor
•That's longer than I was hoping for but at least now I know it's normal. Should I be doing anything while I wait or just sit tight?
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Carmen Lopez
I went through this exact situation last year and it took 9 weeks total for my deputy decision. The frustrating part is there's really no way to expedite it once your documents are submitted. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even though you're not getting paid - this preserves your claim dates. If the decision is in your favor, you'll get backpay for all those weeks. The waiting is brutal but try to be patient.
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Andre Dupont
•Did you try calling to check on the status at all? I've been thinking about calling but heard the wait times are insane.
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Carmen Lopez
•Yeah I tried calling a few times but could never get through to anyone who could give me real information. Most agents can only see the same status you see online.
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QuantumQuasar
If you need to speak with someone about your case status, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. They have this system that calls for you and gets you connected when an agent is available. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was able to get clarification on what specific documents my deputy was waiting for, which helped ease my anxiety about the process.
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Ethan Taylor
•That's interesting, I hadn't heard of that service before. Did they actually give you useful information about your case timeline?
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QuantumQuasar
•They couldn't give me an exact date but confirmed my case was actively being reviewed and what stage it was in. Much better than just staring at 'pending deputy decision' online.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
The whole deputy process is so frustrating!! I've been waiting 8 weeks now and my case involves a dispute with my former employer about whether I was laid off or fired. Every week that goes by without a decision makes me more anxious about whether they'll even approve my claim. The uncertainty is almost worse than not having the money.
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Yuki Ito
•Employer disputes definitely add time to the process since the deputy has to review statements from both sides. Hang in there - most people do eventually get their decisions, even if it takes longer than expected.
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Jamal Wilson
mine took like 3 weeks but that was for a simple layoff situation, yours sounds more complicated
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Mei Lin
Just wanted to say I feel your pain on this. The waiting game with NYS Department of Labor is rough and there's really no transparency in their process. I ended up getting approved after 7 weeks but those 7 weeks felt like forever when you're worried about paying rent and bills.
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