How long does it take to get unemployment back pay from NYS Department of Labor?
My unemployment claim was finally approved after being stuck in adjudication for almost 6 weeks. NYS Department of Labor said I'm eligible for back pay going back to when I first filed, but it's been 2 weeks since approval and I still haven't received any of the retroactive payments. My weekly claims show as paid but only the current week actually hit my account. Anyone know how long it typically takes for back pay to come through? I'm really behind on rent and bills at this point.
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Ella Cofer
Back pay usually processes within 2-3 business days after your claim is approved, but it can take up to 7-10 business days during busy periods. Since you mentioned it's been 2 weeks, there might be an issue with your payment method or banking information. Check your my.ny.gov account to see if all your direct deposit details are correct.
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Taylor To
AuthorThanks! I double checked and my banking info looks right. Should I be worried something else is wrong?
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Kevin Bell
I had the exact same thing happen to me last month. My claim got approved but the back pay took forever. Turns out there was some kind of flag on my account that was holding up the payments even though my weekly claims showed as processed.
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Taylor To
AuthorHow did you find out about the flag? Did you have to call them?
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Kevin Bell
Yeah I tried calling for weeks but could never get through. Finally used this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent was able to see the hold on my account and release my back pay within 24 hours.
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Diez Ellis
@Kevin Bell That Claimyr service sounds really helpful! I ve'been trying to get through to NYS DOL for weeks with no luck. Did they charge you anything to help get connected? I m'pretty desperate at this point and willing to try anything that actually works.
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Savannah Glover
If your weekly claims are showing as paid but you're not receiving the money, there's definitely a payment processing issue. This is separate from adjudication problems - your claim is approved but something is blocking the actual fund transfer. You need to speak with someone at NYS Department of Labor to identify what's causing the delay.
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Felix Grigori
This is so frustrating! Why can't they just tell us what the problem is instead of making us guess??
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Felicity Bud
mine took 3 weeks to get back pay but that was during peak season last year, yours should be faster
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Max Reyes
The NYS Department of Labor system is such a mess. I've been waiting 4 months for my back pay and every time I call they give me a different excuse. First it was adjudication, then it was a system update, now they're saying there's some kind of verification issue. Meanwhile I'm about to lose my apartment because I can't pay rent!
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Mikayla Davison
That's terrible! Have you tried reaching out to your local assembly member's office? Sometimes they can help cut through the red tape.
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Diego Vargas
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim was approved 10 days ago and I can see all my weekly certifications marked as "paid" in the system, but only received payment for one week. It's really concerning when you're counting on that back pay to catch up on essential expenses. From what I've read in other forums, sometimes there can be automated holds placed on accounts for various reasons even after approval. Have you tried logging into your NY.gov account to see if there are any pending issues or notifications that might explain the delay?
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QuantumQuest
I checked my NY.gov account and don't see any pending issues or notifications - everything looks normal there. It's really frustrating because like you said, we're both counting on that back pay for essential expenses. Did you find anything in your account that might explain the delay? I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service Kevin mentioned to get through to someone who can actually see what's going on with my payments.
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Jamal Anderson
I'm in a similar boat - approved 3 weeks ago but still missing most of my back pay. I actually did try Claimyr after seeing it mentioned here and it was worth it. Cost me $20 but I got connected to a DOL rep within an hour instead of spending days trying to call. Turns out there was an identity verification flag on my account that wasn't showing up anywhere in my online portal. The rep cleared it and I got my back pay deposited 2 days later. Sometimes these holds are invisible to us but obvious to them.
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StormChaser
@QuantumQuest I'm in almost the exact same boat - approved claim, payments showing as processed but money not hitting my account. I actually did end up trying Claimyr after reading Kevin's recommendation and it was worth it. Got connected to a NYS DOL rep within about an hour (way better than the weeks I spent trying to call directly). Turns out there was an identity verification hold on my account that wasn't showing up anywhere obvious in the system. The agent was able to clear it and I got my back pay deposited the next business day. Might be worth the fee if you're really struggling to get through on your own.
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