How to join unemployment class action lawsuit against NYS Department of Labor
I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor issues for months now - my claim has been stuck in adjudication since October with no explanation, I can't get through to anyone on the phone, and they keep denying my weekly claims without telling me why. I heard there might be class action lawsuits happening against NYS Department of Labor for how they've been handling claims. Does anyone know how to find out about joining one of these lawsuits? I'm at my wit's end here and need to explore all options.
14 comments


Connor Rupert
Before jumping into legal action, have you exhausted all administrative remedies? You need to file appeals for any denials first, request hearings if needed, and document everything. Class action suits against government agencies like NYS Department of Labor are complex and usually require showing systematic violations affecting large groups. Most individual claim issues can be resolved through the existing appeal process.
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Sophie Footman
•I've tried filing appeals but they just sit there too. How am I supposed to appeal something when they won't even tell me what the issue is?
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Molly Hansen
same boat here, been waiting since september and getting nowhere with appeals or anything else. if you find info about lawsuits please share
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Brady Clean
I was stuck in adjudication hell for 3 months until I found Claimyr. They actually got me through to a real NYS Department of Labor agent who could explain what was holding up my claim. Turned out there was an identity verification issue that never showed up in my online account. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to get through on your own.
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Skylar Neal
•How much does that cost though? I'm already broke from waiting for my benefits.
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Brady Clean
•It was worth it for me to finally get answers and get my claim moving. Much cheaper than hiring a lawyer for a lawsuit that might not even go anywhere.
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Vincent Bimbach
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! They're deliberately making it impossible to get benefits and hoping people just give up. I've been fighting this for 8 months and I'm ready to sue too. This is our money that we paid into!
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Kelsey Chin
You should contact employment law attorneys in NY who handle unemployment cases. Many offer free consultations and can tell you if your situation would qualify for any ongoing litigation. But honestly, most class actions take years to resolve and individual appeals usually work faster.
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Sophie Footman
•Do you know any specific attorneys who handle this stuff? I wouldn't even know where to start looking.
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Norah Quay
i had a similar issue last year and it turned out my employer had contested my claim but nobody told me. once i found out i could respond to their contest and got approved pretty quick
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Connor Byrne
I'm going through something similar - my claim has been pending since November and I can't get any real answers either. From what I've researched, there have been some class action suits filed against NYS DOL in the past few years, but they're hard to find info about. Try searching for "unemployment class action New York" on legal websites or contact the New York State Bar Association's lawyer referral service. They might be able to point you toward attorneys who are actively working on these cases. Also document everything - dates you called, screenshots of your online account, any correspondence. That paper trail will be crucial whether you go the legal route or keep fighting through appeals.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•Thanks for the detailed info! I've been documenting everything but didn't think to check the NY State Bar Association's referral service - that's a great suggestion. Do you know if there are any specific law firms that specialize in unemployment cases or have experience with DOL class actions? It's so frustrating that we have to become legal researchers just to get the benefits we're entitled to.
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Dylan Evans
I'm dealing with a very similar situation - my claim has been stuck since December with zero communication from NYS DOL. From what I've found, there are a few law firms that have handled unemployment class actions against NYS DOL, including Legal Aid Society and some private employment attorneys. You might want to check out the website for New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) - they sometimes take on systemic unemployment cases. Also, try reaching out to your state assembly member's office - sometimes they can help cut through the bureaucratic mess when individual appeals aren't working. The whole system seems designed to wear people down until they give up, which is exactly what we can't let happen. Keep fighting and definitely keep documenting everything like others have suggested.
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Max Reyes
•This is really helpful information! I've been stuck in the same nightmare since January and had no idea about NYLAG or that assembly members could help with DOL issues. It's crazy that we have to become experts in legal resources and government contacts just to access basic unemployment benefits. Has anyone had actual success getting their assembly member's office to intervene? I'm willing to try anything at this point - the stress of not knowing what's wrong with my claim or when it might be resolved is honestly affecting my health at this point.
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