How long until NY unemployment tells you you're denied? No update for weeks

ya same thing with me, been waiting 6 weeks. no idea whats going on.

Unfortunately, NY unemployment is experiencing significant delays right now. The department's staff has been overwhelmed with applications since the budget cuts last November. Here's what you should know: 1. Pending status for 4-6 weeks is common right now, especially for cases that might need additional review 2. If you had multiple employers or quit one job while being laid off from another, your case requires manual review 3. The system won't automatically deny you - a claims examiner has to review your case The fastest way to get an update is to speak with an actual claims examiner. Keep trying to call early mornings (right when they open) or try the alternate number: 888-209-8124.

KEEP CERTIFYING EVERY WEEK NO MATTER WHAT!!! Even if you think you'll be denied, you need to keep certifying. If they approve you later, they'll only pay for weeks you certified. I learned this the hard way last year and lost out on 3 weeks of payments because I didn't certify while waiting.

I was in the same boat last month and finally got my determination letter after 7 weeks. It's ridiculous how long they make people wait with no income. The system is totally broken.

The pending status is actually a good sign rather than a bad one. If they were going to immediately deny you, it would have usually happened within the first 1-2 weeks. Cases that require additional review (like yours with the part-time job situation) take longer but often get approved. The NYSDOL is legally required to make a determination within 30 days, but they're consistently missing this deadline due to staffing issues. You have a few options: 1. Continue calling the main number, but try at exactly 8:00 AM when they open 2. Submit a message through your online account requesting status update 3. Contact your state representative's office - they often have direct channels to unemployment office 4. Try calling the appeals department instead (even though you don't have a denial yet) Keep certifying weekly without fail while you wait!

After waiting 3 weeks with pending status I tried calling literally 35 times with no luck getting through. I was about to give up when my friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an actual NY unemployment agent by holding your place in line. I was super skeptical but I was desperate so I tried it. They got me through to a real person in about 45 minutes who fixed my issue on the spot. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Just sharing because I know how frustrating the wait is. Good luck!

I got denied after waiting 8 weeks, and what REALLY sucks is that I had to pay back the pending payments they had already sent me!!! So just be prepared for that possibility if you're getting payments while in pending status. Make sure you appeal within 30 days if you do get denied - I almost missed my deadline because the denial letter came 2 weeks after it was dated.

Quick update on the voluntary quit situation since that's what might be affecting your claim: If you voluntarily quit your part-time job but were laid off from your full-time job, you may still qualify for benefits based on your full-time employment. The key factors are: 1. Your primary income came from the job you were laid off from 2. You had good cause for leaving the part-time position 3. You accurately reported both employment situations During your fact-finding interview (when you finally get one), be prepared to explain why you left the part-time job and provide any documentation that supports having good cause to leave it. Valid reasons might include schedule conflicts with your main job, unsafe working conditions, significant wage reduction, etc.

MY SISTER HAD THE EXACT SAME SITUATION!!! She quit her weekend job but got laid off from her main job. Took 7 weeks but she got approved. They eventually called her for a phone interview about why she quit the part-time job. As long as you had a good reason for quitting the smaller job you should be fine!!

anyone know if theres an email we can use instead of calling? the phone system is useless

I finally got through after using the Claimyr service the other person mentioned. Just got off the phone with an agent who told me my claim was delayed because they needed to verify with my previous employer about why I left. She said they've been short-staffed since January and are working through a huge backlog. She expedited my claim after I explained my situation. Might be worth trying if you can't wait any longer.

I'm going through something similar right now - filed in early February and still stuck on pending status. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring that I'm not alone in this mess. One thing I learned from calling my local assemblyman's office (which someone mentioned earlier) is that they can actually submit what's called a "legislative inquiry" on your behalf to the unemployment office. It basically puts your case in a priority queue. My assemblyman's constituent services person said they've been doing dozens of these per week because of how backed up the system is. Also wanted to add - if you do eventually get that fact-finding interview call, ANSWER THE PHONE even if it's from an unknown number! My neighbor missed her call twice and it set her back another month. They usually call from a generic state number that doesn't show up as "NY DOL" or anything obvious. Keep your head up - it sounds like most people in your situation eventually get approved, it's just a matter of surviving the wait financially.

I'm in a very similar situation - filed in mid-February after being laid off from my main job, but I had also quit a small retail job a few weeks before the layoff because the hours conflicted with my full-time position. Been stuck on pending for about 4 weeks now with zero communication from NYSDOL. Reading through all these responses is both frustrating and reassuring - frustrating that the system is this broken, but reassuring that I'm not the only one dealing with this nightmare. The advice about contacting your state representative is something I never would have thought of, and I'm definitely going to look into that legislative inquiry option. One question for those who eventually got through - when they called you for the fact-finding interview, did they give you advance notice or was it just a random call? I work during the day and I'm worried about missing it if they call while I'm in meetings. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. At least we're all suffering through this together!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in late January after being laid off from my main job, but I had also left a weekend catering gig a month earlier because they kept changing my schedule last minute. Been pending for 6 weeks now with absolutely no updates. What's really getting to me is the financial stress of waiting with no income. I've been applying for jobs but the market is tough right now, especially in my field. The uncertainty of not knowing if I'll eventually get benefits or if I'm just wasting time waiting for a denial is eating at me. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - it's honestly the most helpful information I've found anywhere. I'm definitely going to try the legislative inquiry route and keep certifying every week like others suggested. The Claimyr service also sounds worth looking into if I can't get through soon. Has anyone had success with the secure messaging system in the online portal? I sent a message asking for a status update about 10 days ago but haven't heard back yet.

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed in early February after being laid off from my full-time job, but I had quit a small part-time retail position about a month before the layoff because they kept scheduling me during hours that conflicted with my main job. Been stuck on pending for about 5 weeks now with zero communication. The waiting is absolutely killing me financially and mentally. I keep checking my account multiple times a day hoping something will change, but it just keeps saying "pending determination." I've been certifying every week like others suggested, but it feels pointless when I don't even know if I'll be approved. Reading everyone's experiences here is honestly the first time I've felt like I'm not alone in this mess. The legislative inquiry option sounds really promising - I had no idea that was even a thing! I'm definitely going to look up my assemblyperson tomorrow and see if they can help move things along. Has anyone who had a similar quit/layoff situation actually gotten approved yet? I'm trying to stay optimistic but the uncertainty is brutal. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've found on the official NYSDOL website!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed in mid-February after being laid off from my main job, but I had also quit a small weekend job at a restaurant a few weeks prior because they kept changing my schedule without notice and it was interfering with my full-time position. I've been stuck on pending status for about 4 weeks now. This thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the legislative inquiry option or services like Claimyr. The financial stress of waiting with no income while not knowing if you'll even be approved is absolutely brutal. I've been living off savings and it's getting scary. Based on what Christopher and others have shared about quit/layoff situations, it sounds like having a valid reason for leaving the part-time job (like scheduling conflicts with your main employment) should work in your favor. I'm definitely going to look up my assemblyperson and see about getting a legislative inquiry submitted. Keep certifying every week no matter what - that advice from Aurora about losing out on payments really stuck with me. We're all in this together and hopefully we'll start seeing some movement on our claims soon. The system is clearly overwhelmed but it sounds like most people eventually get through it.

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I filed in early February after being laid off from my full-time job, but I had also quit a small retail job about 3 weeks before the layoff because they kept scheduling me during my main job's hours. Been pending for about 5 weeks now with zero updates. The financial stress is overwhelming - I've been burning through my savings and have no idea if I'm waiting for an approval or eventual denial. Reading everyone's experiences here is the first time I've felt like I'm not completely alone in this nightmare. I'm definitely going to try the legislative inquiry route that Omar mentioned - I had no idea that was even an option! Also going to look into that Claimyr service since calling the regular number has been completely useless. For those asking about the secure messaging system - I tried it about 2 weeks ago and got a generic "your claim is under review" response after 10 days that gave no real information. But at least it confirmed someone is looking at these cases. Keep certifying every week like Aurora said - that advice about losing payments if you don't certify really scared me straight! Hopefully we'll all start seeing some movement on our claims soon. This system is absolutely broken but it sounds like most people with our quit/layoff situations eventually get approved.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation and it's so frustrating! Filed in late January after getting laid off from my main job, but I had also quit a small delivery driving job a few weeks earlier because they kept changing my routes to conflict with my full-time schedule. Been stuck on pending for about 6 weeks now. The uncertainty is killing me - I keep wondering if I should just assume I'm getting denied and focus entirely on job hunting, or if there's still hope. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me some optimism though. It sounds like having a legitimate reason for quitting the part-time job (like schedule conflicts) should work in my favor. I'm definitely going to try contacting my assemblyperson's office for that legislative inquiry. Never knew that was an option but it sounds like it actually gets results! Also planning to look into the Claimyr service since I've called the main number probably 50 times with no luck. Keep certifying every week - that advice has been drilled into my head from reading this thread! At least if I eventually get approved, I won't lose out on any payments. Hang in there everyone, we're all in this mess together and it sounds like most people eventually make it through the system.