How to figure unemployment claim status when NYS Department of Labor website is confusing
I'm completely lost trying to figure out my unemployment situation. Filed my initial claim 2 weeks ago after getting laid off from my warehouse job and the my.ny.gov portal is showing all these different sections but I can't tell what's actually happening with my claim. There's something about 'pending adjudication' but no explanation of what that means or how long it takes. I've been filing my weekly claims like it says but haven't received any payments yet. The job search requirements section mentions I need to do 3 work search activities per week but I'm not sure what counts and what doesn't. How do I figure out if my claim is actually going through or if there's some problem I need to fix?
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Zoe Walker
The adjudication process can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on why your claim was flagged. Common reasons include needing to verify your employment history, clarify your reason for separation, or confirm your identity. Check your my.ny.gov account daily for any messages or documents they might request. For job search activities, applying for jobs, attending job fairs, and networking events all count - just keep detailed records with dates and employer names.
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Ryan Kim
•Thanks, that helps! I don't see any messages requesting documents so maybe it's just taking time to process. Should I keep filing weekly claims even while it's in adjudication?
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Elijah Brown
Yes definitely keep filing your weekly claims! If you stop filing you'll lose benefits for those weeks even if your claim gets approved later. I made that mistake during my first unemployment claim and had to appeal to get those weeks back.
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Maria Gonzalez
I had the same confusion when I first filed. The NYS Department of Labor system isn't very user-friendly. What helped me was calling their customer service line but good luck getting through - the wait times are insane. I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Natalie Chen
•Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach anyone at NYS Department of Labor.
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Maria Gonzalez
•Yeah I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Got connected to an agent within 20 minutes who explained exactly what was holding up my claim.
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Santiago Martinez
the unemployment system is such a mess, they make it deliberately confusing so people give up and stop filing. been through this 3 times over the years and its always the same runaround
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Samantha Johnson
For job search activities, make sure you're logging everything in their system. Online applications count but you need the company name and position title. Networking activities need specific details about who you contacted. Career counseling sessions and job fairs also qualify. The key is documentation - they can audit your job search log at any time.
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Ryan Kim
•Good to know about the audit thing. I've been kind of loose with my record keeping so I better start being more detailed.
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Nick Kravitz
Same boat here! Filed 3 weeks ago and still nothing. The waiting is the worst part when you have bills to pay.
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