How to claim ny unemployment backpay weeks missed since October 31?
I stopped certifying for my NY unemployment on October 31 because I thought I wasn't approved yet. Just found out I was actually eligible this whole time! Is there any way to go back and claim those missed weeks from Oct 31 until now? That's almost 3 months of benefits I really need. Has anyone successfully claimed backdated weeks? Do I need to call NYSDOL or is there a way to do this online?
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Jamal Carter
u can't backdate that far i dont think... they give u like 1 week grace period to certify late
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Zoe Papadakis
•Seriously? That would be devastating if true. I was counting on getting those payments eventually. Has anyone had better luck with this?
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AstroAdventurer
I went through something similar last year. You CAN request backdating but you need to have a "good cause" reason why you didn't certify weekly as required. Being confused about eligibility might count but it's not guaranteed. You absolutely MUST call them directly - there is NO way to do this online. Be prepared to explain why you didn't certify each week.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thank you! What counts as "good cause"? I literally didn't know I was approved because their website is so confusing. Will that work?
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AstroAdventurer
•It depends on the agent you talk to honestly. Some are understanding about confusion with the system, others strictly follow the rules. Make sure you can explain exactly WHY you thought you weren't approved when you actually were. Have any confusing notices or emails ready to reference.
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Mei Liu
The same thing happened to me! I missed 6 weeks because I thought my claim was denied. I was FREAKING OUT about all that lost money. I called over and over for DAYS and couldn't get through to anyone!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!
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Zoe Papadakis
•That sounds exactly like my situation! Were you able to get your backpay eventually? What happened?
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Mei Liu
•Yes! But it took FOREVER to get through to someone. I finally got my backpay but it took like 3 weeks after I talked to someone. They had to review everything and I had to explain why I missed certifying.
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Liam O'Sullivan
According to NYSDOL regulations, you normally have one week to certify for benefits. However, there is a process called "Request for Backdated Claims" that you can use in this situation. You'll need to: 1. Contact NYSDOL directly by phone (this cannot be done online) 2. Explain your good cause reason for not certifying 3. Be prepared to certify for each missed week individually 4. Provide any documentation that shows why you were confused about your eligibility Make sure you can clearly articulate why you believed you weren't approved when you actually were. Documentation of any confusing communications will help your case significantly.
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Zoe Papadakis
•This is really helpful, thank you! Do you happen to know how long the backdating review process usually takes? And will they backdate all the weeks at once or do it week by week?
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Liam O'Sullivan
•The process typically takes 2-3 weeks for review after you speak with a representative. They'll usually process all weeks at once rather than week by week, but you'll need to certify for each individual week during your phone call. Just be prepared with your work search records for each of those weeks as they may ask about them.
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Amara Chukwu
I spent 2 days trying to reach NYSDOL about a similar issue last month - it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through. The phone system is completely broken. After wasting hours on hold only to get disconnected, I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent I spoke with was able to backdate 4 weeks of claims for me because I had documentation showing I was confused about my eligibility. Worth every penny not to spend days trying to get through.
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Jamal Carter
•does that actually work? seems sketchy to me tbh
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Amara Chukwu
•It's not sketchy at all - they just help you get through the phone system faster. You still talk directly to a real NYSDOL agent. I was desperate after trying for days and it actually worked for me.
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Zoe Papadakis
•I'm definitely going to check this out - I've already tried calling twice today and couldn't get through. At this point I'd try anything to get those missed payments.
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Giovanni Conti
Be VERY careful about this. I tried to claim 8 weeks of back pay last year and got DENIED. The NYSDOL handbook CLEARLY states you must certify weekly and their definition of "good cause" is VERY narrow. Usually only severe medical emergencies or technical issues ON THEIR END count. Not knowing you were approved probably won't qualify as good cause! They expect you to follow up if you don't hear back about your application status. So many people trying to game the system has made them super strict about backdating!
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Liam O'Sullivan
•While it's true that NYSDOL has become more strict about backdating claims, confusion about application status has been accepted as good cause in some cases, especially if there were unclear communications from NYSDOL. It really depends on the specifics of the situation and documentation available. It's always worth trying rather than assuming an automatic denial.
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Giovanni Conti
•Maybe I just got a really strict agent then. My experience was awful - they made me feel like I was trying to commit fraud when I was honestly just confused about my claim status. Just warning OP not to get their hopes up too high!
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
hi everyone quick question thats kind of related but a bit different... if i only certified for unemployment for 1 day of work missed instead of the whole week, can i go back and fix that? sorry to hijack the thread but figured someone here might know
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AstroAdventurer
•That's actually a different issue called a "partial certification correction." You need to call NYSDOL directly about that too. They can adjust your benefit amount if you certified incorrectly for a partial week. Don't wait though - do it ASAP.
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Zoe Papadakis
Update: I finally got through to NYSDOL after using Claimyr (thanks for the recommendation!). The agent reviewed my case and said they would allow me to certify for the missed weeks because I had documentation showing I was waiting for an eligibility determination and missed the notification. They're backdating 9 weeks! I have to wait 2-3 weeks for processing but at least it's approved. For anyone else in this situation - definitely call, have documentation ready, and be polite but persistent!
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Mei Liu
•That's AWESOME news!!! So happy for you! That must be such a relief!
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Great outcome! This is exactly why it's always worth pursuing these issues with NYSDOL rather than assuming nothing can be done. Documentation is absolutely key in these situations.
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