How long for NY unemployment to release approved back payments? Going on 7 weeks!

ya know this the new normal with them... they tell u its coming and then make u wait 4ever lol. my cousin waited like 3 months for his backpay even after they said it was approved

There's actually a specific timeframe they're supposed to follow for back payments. Once approved, you should see the funds within 2-3 weeks in most cases. If it's been 7 weeks, that's definitely outside their normal processing window. You might want to ask for a supervisor next time you call, as your case may be stuck in their system somehow.

When this happened to me in February, I was losing my mind calling every day and getting nowhere. Then I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual agent in about 20 minutes instead of trying for days. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. The agent I reached was able to see exactly where my backpay was stuck and pushed it through. Got my money 3 days later after waiting almost 2 months!

Back payments should be processed within 2-4 weeks after approval. At 7 weeks, something's definitely wrong. I'd recommend the following: 1. Get a call reference number every time you speak with someone 2. Ask specifically if there's a 'hold code' on your back payments 3. Request to speak with the Back Pay Processing Unit directly 4. If they say it's 'in the system,' ask them to specify exactly which processing stage it's in Often, back payments get stuck when there's a flag in the system that no one's addressing. The regular agents sometimes can't see or don't know how to remove these flags.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!! They ALWAYS say "it's in the system" or "being processed" - that's their way of getting you off the phone! I waited SIX MONTHS for backpay they promised was "coming soon" back in 2024. Had to involve my state representative to finally get it fixed. The DOL is DELIBERATELY slow-walking payments hoping people give up!!!!

My wife went through this last year. It took about 5 weeks after they told her it was approved. The most frustrating part was no one seemed to know why it was taking so long. Just kept saying "it's in process" without any details. She just kept checking her account and one day it randomly showed up.

I just went through this exact situation! Back payments from Dec-Feb were stuck for 2 months after "approval". The issue was that there was a quarterly review flag that got placed on my account by accident. When I finally reached a tier 2 agent, they saw the flag and removed it. Money came through 4 days later. The frustrating part is the regular agents often don't have access to see these flags or don't know what they're looking for. You need to specifically request to speak with someone who can check for "payment blocks" or "release holds" on your account.

After seeing your response, I definitely think using Claimyr would help in your situation. It's specifically designed to get you past the busy signals and connect with an actual agent who can help. When my backpay was stuck, the regular agents couldn't see the problem, but when I finally got through to someone who knew what they were doing, they fixed it right away.

Quick update on the back payment timeframes - the NYSDOL actually published new guidelines in January 2025 stating that all approved back payments should be processed within 21 business days. If it's been longer than that (which 7 weeks definitely is), you have grounds to file a formal complaint through their escalation process. To file the complaint: 1. Go to the NYSDOL website 2. Navigate to "Contact Us" 3. Select "File a Complaint" 4. Choose "Payment Delay" as the issue 5. Include your claim ID, the date of approval, and all reference numbers This creates a formal record and typically triggers a review within 48-72 hours.

Just want to add something important - when you do get through to an agent, make sure to get their ID number and the exact name of what they're checking in their system. Write everything down. This can be crucial if you need to reference the conversation later. Also, ask them to add detailed notes to your file about what they told you regarding the back payments being approved.

After reading through this thread, it sounds like your back payments are likely stuck with a system flag or hold. Based on my experience and what others have shared, here's what I recommend: 1. Use Claimyr or keep calling until you reach an agent 2. Specifically request a tier 2 specialist who can check for payment holds 3. Ask them to check for quarterly review flags, payment blocks, or pending certifications 4. File the formal complaint as suggested above 5. If all else fails, contact your state representative The system is frustrating but persistence usually pays off eventually. Keep documenting everything and don't give up!