How to get a unemployment card from NYS Department of Labor?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after waiting 2 weeks for adjudication but I don't know how to get my unemployment card. The NYS Department of Labor website mentions something about a debit card but I haven't received anything in the mail yet. It's been 5 days since my claim was approved. Do I need to request the card somewhere or does it come automatically? I'm worried I'm missing a step because I need to access my benefits soon.
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Diego Mendoza
The unemployment debit card (KeyBank card) gets mailed automatically after your first benefit payment is issued by NYS Department of Labor. It usually takes 5-7 business days after your payment is released. You don't need to request it separately. Check your online account to see if your payment status shows as 'released' - that's when the card shipping process starts.
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Chloe Wilson
•Thanks! My payment shows as 'pending' still. How long does it usually take to go from pending to released?
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Anastasia Romanov
mine took forever to come!! like almost 2 weeks and I was freaking out thinking they lost it or something. but it did eventually show up. the envelope is plain white so easy to miss
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StellarSurfer
If you need to check on your card status or if it's been more than 10 business days, you can call KeyBank directly at the number on the NYS Department of Labor website. They handle all the unemployment debit cards for New York. Also make sure your address is correct in your my.ny.gov account because that's where they send it.
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Sean Kelly
•This is good advice. I had an old address on file and my card went to the wrong place initially. Had to update my address and request a replacement card through KeyBank.
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Zara Malik
I was having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor about my card status and found claimyr.com - they help you actually reach someone at the unemployment office. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals when I needed to verify my payment was processed correctly.
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Luca Greco
•Never heard of that service before but might be worth it if you really can't get through the regular way.
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Anastasia Romanov
once you get the card you'll need to activate it online or by phone. there's instructions that come with it. and heads up the PIN they give you is temporary so change it right away to something you'll remember
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Maxwell St. Laurent
Just wanted to add that you can also track your payment status through the my.ny.gov portal under "Unemployment Services" - it shows exactly when your payment moves from pending to released. I found this helpful because I could see the progression rather than just waiting and wondering. Once it shows as released, the card typically arrives within that 5-7 business day window that Diego mentioned. Also double-check that you certified for your weekly benefits correctly as any issues there can delay the payment release.
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Carmen Ruiz
•That's really helpful about tracking through my.ny.gov! I didn't know you could see the status progression there. I'll check that instead of just waiting around. Quick question - when you say "certified for weekly benefits correctly," what exactly should I be looking out for? I want to make sure I didn't mess anything up that could be causing the delay from pending to released.
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