Impossible to reach anyone at NY unemployment - phone system just hangs up on me
I've been trying to reach someone at the unemployment office for over 3 weeks now. Every single time I call, I get the same recording about 'high call volume' and then it just disconnects me! No option to wait, no callback feature, nothing. I need to verify some info on my claim because my payments stopped suddenly in May - no explanation why. I've sent 8 messages through the online portal with zero response. My rent is due next week and I'm seriously panicking. I've tried calling at 7:59am right before they open, tried midday, tried an hour before closing - same result every time. Has anyone actually managed to get through to a human being? This system is completely broken!
42 comments
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Luca Conti
welcome to unemployment hell my friend. ive been dealing with this garbage for like 2 months now. the phone system is designed to make u give up. they dont want to help anyone, just collect their paychecks while we starve 🤬
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Zara Ahmed
•Did you ever manage to get through? I'm seriously about to lose my apartment over this.
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Luca Conti
•finally did after 6 WEEKS of trying. had to call 200+ times in one day no joke. my fingers were numb from hitting redial.
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Nia Johnson
•The system is totally rigged against us. They make it impossible on purpose so people just give up.
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CyberNinja
I found an actual solution after spinning my wheels for weeks! I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically waits on hold FOR you and then calls you when a real agent is on the line. Seriously saved my sanity and I finally got my issue fixed in one call. Talking to an agent got my payments unlocked so fast after weeks of nothing. Check out this video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Mateo Lopez
•sounds sketchy tbh... did it actually work? 🤔
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CyberNinja
•100% worked for me. I was desperate after trying for literally a month with no luck. Got connected to an agent who fixed my issue in 10 minutes once I finally talked to someone.
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Aisha Abdullah
•yeah right, another 'miracle solution'... what's the catch? 🙄
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CyberNinja
•no catch - it just does what the website says. holds your place in line and calls when an agent picks up. beats calling 100 times a day for weeks.
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Ethan Davis
•wait hold up - does this actually work or is it just the usual BS?
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CyberNinja
•Worked for me! was the only way I could talk to a live agent after weeks of trying. I was about to give up completely before I found it.
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Yuki Tanaka
I've found that calling at EXACTLY 7:58am helps sometimes. They officially open at 8 but the phone system kicks in a couple minutes early. Still took me 3 days of trying this method before I got through tho.
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Carmen Ortiz
The entire NY unemployment system is completely broken. I lost count of how many times I've been hung up on. What worked for me was emailing my state representative - they have special contacts in the unemployment office and can sometimes expedite things when you're desperate.
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MidnightRider
•how do you find out who your state rep is? never thought of trying this route
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Carmen Ortiz
•Just google "find my NY state representative" and put in your address. Their websites usually have contact forms or direct email addresses. Be sure to include your claim # and contact info.
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Andre Laurent
Here's what I learned after FINALLY getting through after 6 weeks of hell with ny unemployment: First, you need to understand that there are literally thousands of people calling simultaneously. The system is antiquated and can't handle the volume. The old trick of calling right at opening doesn't work anymore because everyone does it. Here's what worked for me: 1) Call between 1:30-2:30pm when lunch rushes are over 2) When you get the automated system, choose the option for existing claims (even if you're calling about something else) 3) When it asks for your PIN, enter it wrong twice - this sometimes routes you to a different queue 4) If you get hung up on, wait 10 minutes before calling back (their system flags repeat immediate calls) After all this didn't work consistently, I finally used claimyr.com which basically waits on hold for you and calls when an agent is ready. It was the best money I've ever spent to finally get my benefits paid quickly after months of struggling. Also - document EVERYTHING. Get the name of anyone you speak to, confirmation numbers, and take screenshots of your account. The system is so broken you need to protect yourself with evidence of every interaction.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
•This should be pinned at the top of this sub. Seriously helpful info!
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Zara Ahmed
•Thank you for this detailed breakdown! Did the trick with entering wrong PIN really work? Seems counterintuitive.
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Andre Laurent
•It worked for me twice! I think it routes you to a 'PIN reset' queue which is less busy than the main claim queue. Not guaranteed but worth a shot if you're desperate.
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Jamal Washington
Not falling for another unemployment 'hack'... these never work. The system is designed to be frustrating so people give up and don't collect benefits they're entitled to.
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Mei Wong
•Normally I'd agree but I actually had success with Claimyr.com - it was the only thing that worked after weeks of trying everything else.
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Jamal Washington
•hmm really? ive been burned by so many of these servces before
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Mei Wong
•Same, but this one actually delivered. It's simple - they just wait on hold and call you when a real person picks up. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Try contacting them through Twitter. Seriously. I tweeted at @NYSLabor with my issue (no personal details) and they DM'd me asking for my info. Had a call from them 2 days later.
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PixelWarrior
•This acutally worked for me too! didn't think it would but they responded within 24 hrs
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Amara Adebayo
another day, another person discovering how TERRIBLE ny unemployment phone system is 💯 been like this for YEARS even before the pandemic
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Giovanni Rossi
Sending good vibes your way OP. The system is a nightmare but don't give up! I was in your exact shoes last winter - payments stopped randomly, couldn't reach anyone. Finally got it sorted and got backpay too. Keep trying!
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Zara Ahmed
•Thanks for the encouragement! Did you do anything specific that finally worked to get through?
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Giovanni Rossi
•Honestly? I used claimyr.com after a friend recommended it. Before that I spent 3 weeks trying to call with no luck. Got connected to an agent who fixed everything in one call.
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Fatima Al-Mansour
Their phone system hasnt even been upgraded since the 90s probably. I heard they still run on COBOL programming which is ancient. No wonder everything's falling apart.
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Dylan Evans
Have u tried the alternate number? Sometimes 888-209-8124 has a different queue than the main number. Worked for me once but not consistent.
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Sofia Gomez
•That number just gives me the same runaround and hangs up too ðŸ˜
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Dylan Evans
•dang sorry it worked that one time for me but maybe they fixed the 'loophole
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StormChaser
So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when my neighbor told me about claimyr.com - thought it was BS but I was desperate. It actually WORKED and I finally got my claim fixed after weeks of trying! It was the only way I could talk to a live agent. They just wait on hold and call you when someone picks up.
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Dmitry Petrov
•I've been burned by so many of these 'services' before... what makes this different?
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StormChaser
•It's just a hold service - they don't access your account or need any sensitive info. They just call and wait on hold so you don't have to, then connect you when a human answers.
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Dmitry Petrov
•hmm might try it. literally nothing else has worked for me in 3 weeks of trying
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Ava Williams
Call your state assembly person!!! This is what they're there for!! My benefits were stuck for 2 months, called my assemblyman's office, and they got it fixed in 5 days.
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Miguel Castro
i feel u on a spiritual level 🤣 been stuck in unemployment purgatory since april. the system is a joke.
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Avery Davis
I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare right now! Been trying for 2 weeks straight and that stupid automated system just hangs up every single time. It's like they designed it to be as frustrating as possible. I'm honestly at my wit's end here - my savings are almost gone and I can't even get a human on the phone to explain why my payments just stopped out of nowhere. The online portal messages go into a black hole too. How is this even legal?? We pay into this system and then when we need it most, it's completely broken. Really hoping some of these suggestions work because I'm running out of options fast 😤
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Taylor Chen
•Ugh, I totally feel your pain! Same exact thing happened to me - payments just stopped with zero explanation and that phone system is absolutely useless. I was literally going crazy trying to get through for weeks. What finally worked for me was using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - I was super skeptical at first but honestly it was the only thing that got me connected to an actual human being. They just wait on hold for you and call when someone picks up. Saved my sanity and got my payments flowing again within days of talking to an agent. Might be worth a shot if you're as desperate as I was!
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Mateo Silva
•I'm in the exact same boat as you! It's absolutely maddening how broken this system is. I've been calling for almost a month now and it's the same story every time - that stupid "high call volume" message and then CLICK, they hang up on you. No queue, no callback option, nothing. It's like they don't want to help anyone. I've tried every trick people mention - calling right at opening, trying different times of day, using different numbers - nothing works. The worst part is knowing there are real people sitting in that office getting paid while we can't even get through to ask a simple question. I'm seriously considering contacting my local news station about this because it's beyond ridiculous at this point.
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