How long does it take to reopen an unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor?
I had to close my unemployment claim back in October when I started a temp job that was supposed to last through the holidays. Unfortunately they let me go last week and now I need to reopen my claim. I tried doing it online through my.ny.gov but it's asking me to file a whole new application instead of just reopening the existing one. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for NYS Department of Labor to process a reopened claim? I'm worried about missing rent payments if this takes weeks to sort out.
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Paolo Longo
You shouldn't need to file a completely new application if your benefit year hasn't expired yet. Try calling the NYS Department of Labor reopening line instead of doing it online. The system sometimes gets confused when you try to reopen through the website. When I reopened mine last year it took about 5-7 business days to start getting payments again.
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Keisha Johnson
•Thanks! Do you remember what number you called? I've been trying the main unemployment line but can never get through to anyone.
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CosmicCowboy
same thing happened to me except it took like 3 weeks because they had to verify my employment dates with the temp agency. make sure you have all your paperwork ready when you call
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Amina Diallo
•Three weeks?? That's insane. I can't wait that long to get benefits restarted. Is there any way to speed up the process?
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Oliver Schulz
The processing time for reopening a claim depends on several factors. If your benefit year is still active and there are no issues with your separation from the temp job, it should take 1-2 weeks maximum. However, if NYS Department of Labor needs to verify your reason for leaving the temporary position or if there's any question about your availability for work, it could take longer. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while the reopening is being processed - you can backdate them once approved.
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Keisha Johnson
•Should I keep filing weekly claims even though my account shows the claim is closed? I don't want to mess anything up.
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Oliver Schulz
•Yes, continue filing. The system will hold those claims in pending status until your reopening is approved, then release the payments retroactively.
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Natasha Orlova
I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and their phone system is absolutely useless. You'll sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected. I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you through to a real person at the unemployment office. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was a lifesaver when I needed to talk to someone about my claim issues.
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CosmicCowboy
•never heard of that before, is it legit? how much does it cost?
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Natasha Orlova
•Yeah it's totally legit. They basically navigate the phone system for you and get you connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. Way easier than trying to call yourself and getting nowhere.
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Javier Cruz
ugh this whole system is such a nightmare!! why does everything with unemployment have to be so complicated?? i just want to reopen my claim and get back to filing weekly like before but nooo they have to make it impossible 😤
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Emma Wilson
•I feel you! The bureaucracy is ridiculous but hang in there, it will get sorted out eventually.
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