How long until NY unemployment calls for interview? My claim stuck in limbo

I had the EXACT same situation in February. Filed after my construction job ended, got the pending status, and was told to wait for an interview. Ended up waiting 5 freaking weeks before they called me! And the worst part? They called from a blocked number at 8am on a Tuesday when I was in the bathroom. Missed it, and had to start the whole process again. The system is completely broken.

After spending weeks trying to reach someone at ny unemployment, I finally found a service that actually worked! Used claimyr.com and got connected to a real human being within 30 mins. They sorted out my pending interview issue right there on the call. Best decision I made after struggling with the system for weeks. Check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - talking to an agent got my benefits unlocked so fast!

The interview wait time is completely random right now. A friend waited 2 weeks, I waited almost 2 months (this was in April/May). It's complete chaos at the unemployment office from what I can tell. Your best bet is to keep calling every few days to check status and see if there's any movement.

OK here's what you need to know about the pending interview situation with NY unemployment (I went through this whole nightmare in March): 1. The interview is usually about verifying why you left your previous job. They want to make sure you didn't quit voluntarily or get fired for misconduct. 2. Wait times are all over the place. Some get called within days, others wait 6+ weeks. There's no rhyme or reason to it. 3. Your claim will stay pending until after this interview. They won't release payments until it's resolved. 4. When they finally call, it will likely show as "Unknown Number" or "No Caller ID" so answer EVERY call. 5. If you miss the call, you'll be put back in the queue and the wait starts again. 6. You CAN try to expedite this by contacting your state representative/assemblyperson. Their offices often have direct contacts at unemployment. 7. Another option is using claimyr.com - it's the only service I've found that actually gets you through to a live agent. Costs money but when you're desperate it's worth it. Hang in there - the system is absolutely overwhelmed and broken, but keep advocating for yourself!

just wanna say the ny unemployment system is absolute garbage. spent 3 months trying to get my claim processed and missed an interview call bc they called at 7:30am when i was asleep. had to start all over. this system is designed to make ppl give up.

I wonder if you can speed up the interview process... has anyone tried callin your state representative? When i had issues with my claim last yr my assemblyman's office got it fixed in like a week

When I went through this, I found that they were massively backlogged on interviews. I was told 2-3 weeks but it took almost 7 weeks for them to call me. And here's the kicker - the actual interview took 5 MINUTES. Literally just verified my last day of work and reason for separation. The whole system is broken.

Quick question for those who've been thru this: does the interview happen over the phone or do they make you come in person? I keep getting different answers from ppl

Try calling right when they open at 8am. I got through faster that way. Also, keep calling daily - sometimes different agents will tell u different things. I had one tell me I was waiting for an interview and another tell me there was a document missing. Turns out the 2nd person was right and I would've just been waiting forever for an interview that wasn't even scheduled yet 🤦‍♀️

Not to scare you but my "interview" never happened. After waiting 6 weeks, I called again and they told me my claim was denied weeks ago but nobody ever contacted me. Had to file an appeal which took another month. The communication from ny unemployment is absolutely atrocious.

Weird suggestion but have you tried reaching out on Twitter? I tweeted at NYSDOL and surprisingly got a DM asking for my info. They expedited my interview after that. Worth a shot.

I've been through this 3 times in the last few years (yay for unstable employment 🙃). First time: 3 week wait. Second time: 6 week wait. Third time: 10 DAY wait. It's completely random and depends on their current backlog. One thing I can say - be 100% honest in the interview about why you left your job. They WILL contact your employer to verify.

Ok so everyone's telling you how long it takes but nobody's telling you what to expect in the actual interview. They're going to ask: - Last day worked - Reason for separation (layoff, fired, quit) - If you were fired, they'll ask for details - If you quit, they'll ask why (this could disqualify you if not for good cause) - Whether you're able and available to work - Sometimes they ask about job search efforts The call usually lasts 10-15 minutes. Have your facts straight and dates ready. Don't contradict what your employer might have told them.

My cousin works for NY unemployment (not gonna say more for her privacy). She says they're severely understaffed right now and interview wait times are 3-5 weeks on average. But here's a tip - if you are in a true financial emergency (like eviction notice), tell the rep when you call and ask for an expedited interview. They CAN do this but most people don't know to ask.

After waiting 5 weeks for this mysterious interview, I finally broke down and paid for claimyr.com to get me through to an agent. The agent I spoke with actually completed my interview right there on the phone and approved my claim! Apparently sometimes the regular agents can do the interview if they have the authority. Worth a try instead of waiting for a call that might never come.