How long does unemployment take to get approved in NY - still waiting after 5 weeks
Filed my unemployment claim 5 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything back from NYS Department of Labor. My claim status just says 'under review' and I can't get through to anyone on the phone. I lost my job at a retail store in December and really need these benefits to start coming through. Is this normal timing or should I be worried something went wrong? How long does unemployment take to get approved normally?
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Avery Davis
5 weeks is longer than usual but not unheard of, especially if there are any issues with your application that need adjudication. The typical timeline is 2-3 weeks for straightforward claims, but if NYS Department of Labor needs to verify your employment history or investigate the reason for separation, it can take 4-6 weeks or more. Check your online account for any pending issues that might need your attention.
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Ev Luca
•I checked my account and there's nothing showing that needs action from me. Should I keep filing my weekly claims even though nothing has been approved yet?
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Collins Angel
Yes definitely keep filing your weekly claims! If you stop filing them you could lose benefits for those weeks even after your claim gets approved. I made that mistake when I was waiting for my claim and lost 3 weeks of payments. The adjudication process can be slow but you need to maintain your weekly filing to get backpay for the whole period.
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Ev Luca
•Thank you! I wasn't sure about that and almost stopped filing since nothing was happening.
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Marcelle Drum
UGH the NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely terrible. I've been trying to call for WEEKS and either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours just to get hung up on. There has to be a better way to reach someone about claim status.
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Tate Jensen
•I had the same frustration until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents by calling for you. I used it last month when my claim was stuck in adjudication and finally got to talk to someone who explained what was holding things up. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way better than spending hours on hold.
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Marcelle Drum
•Is that legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point but don't want to get scammed.
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Tate Jensen
•Yeah it's real, I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They don't ask for any personal info upfront and you only pay if they get you connected to an agent. Much better than the endless hold music.
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Adaline Wong
same boat here, filed in early december and still waiting... this is ridiculous
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Gabriel Ruiz
The whole system is broken honestly. They make it so hard to get help when you're already struggling financially. I don't understand why they can't just hire more people to process claims faster instead of making everyone wait months for basic unemployment benefits.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•I hear you, it's really stressful when you're counting on those payments to pay rent and bills.
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