How long does unemployment application take to process with NYS Department of Labor?
I submitted my initial unemployment claim through the NYS Department of Labor website last Tuesday and I'm getting really anxious about when I'll hear back. My account just shows 'claim pending' and doesn't give me any timeframe. I lost my job at a restaurant in Albany and really need to know when benefits might start. Has anyone gone through this recently? How long should I expect to wait before my application gets processed?
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Grace Lee
From my experience with NYS Department of Labor, initial claims usually take about 2-3 weeks to process if there are no complications. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - you can't get paid for weeks you don't certify. The system will backpay you once approved.
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William Rivera
•Oh wow I didn't know I had to file weekly claims while waiting! How do I do that if my claim isn't approved yet?
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Mia Roberts
mine took forever last year, like 5 weeks because they needed to verify my employment history
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The Boss
The NYS Department of Labor processing time depends on several factors. Simple claims with straightforward employment history typically process within 2-3 weeks. However, if there are any issues requiring adjudication - like gaps in employment, job separation circumstances, or wage verification problems - it can take 4-6 weeks or longer. You should receive either an approval notice or a request for additional information within this timeframe.
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Evan Kalinowski
•What counts as 'job separation circumstances' that would cause delays? I'm worried because I had some scheduling conflicts with my manager before getting let go.
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Victoria Charity
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when my claim was taking forever. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach someone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Got my claim status sorted out the same day I used it.
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William Rivera
•That sounds too good to be true... but I'm getting desperate. Did they charge you a lot?
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Victoria Charity
•They focus more on just getting you connected rather than the cost. Was worth it for me since I couldn't reach anyone the normal way.
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Jasmine Quinn
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! I've been waiting 6 WEEKS and still nothing. They ask for more documentation, then lose it, then ask again. Meanwhile I'm behind on rent and they don't care at all.
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Oscar Murphy
same boat here, filed 3 weeks ago and nothing yet
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