Last 4 weeks of NY unemployment payments stuck in limbo - not releasing to my account

Hey this happened to me back in February. Turned out they randomly decided to review my claim and froze payments during the "review period" without telling me. Had to wait 3 weeks before I finally got thru to someone who told me that. Such bs how they don't even notify us when they do this stuff.

After spending literally weeks trying to get through on the phone lines, I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls for you and connects you directly with an agent when they answer. Totally fixed my payment issue - turns out they had flagged my account for some random verification thing. The agent was able to release all my payments while I was on the phone. Talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast, wish I'd known about this sooner! Check out this video if you're interested: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Check if you answered any of the weekly questions differently. I once said I was "not available for work" on ONE day because I had a medical appointment and they froze my payments for 3 weeks. The system is super sensitive to any changes in how you certify.

Have you traveled outside your work search area? Even if you say you were looking for work while away, they sometimes flag your account for review if you're certifying from a different location/IP address. happened to me when I went to help my mom for a week in Jersey.

So the way NY unemployment works right now is completely BROKEN. Let me share what I've learned after dealing with this exact situation twice in the past year: First, what's probably happening is either: 1) Your account got randomly flagged for a "routine review" 2) There was a system glitch 3) Something triggered their fraud detection even though you did nothing wrong, or 4) They need additional documentation from you but never bothered to tell you. Here's what actually works to fix this: 1. Calling is your best option, but regular calling is nearly impossible. After 3 months of trying, I discovered claimyr.com which calls for you and connects when they get an agent. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent and get my issues resolved. 2. Once you get through to someone, be super specific about seeing "funds pending" status and ask if there are any holds or flags on your account. Sometimes they can release everything while you're on the phone. 3. If they say you need to upload documents, ask exactly where to upload them and get confirmation when they're received. 4. Get the agent's name and ID number before hanging up. 5. If they say your payments are released, know that it usually takes 2-3 business days to hit your account. Don't give up! The money is rightfully yours, but the system makes us fight for it at every step. Getting through to a live person is absolutely critical to resolving these issues.

Did you start working part time recently? If you reported ANY income during those weeks, sometimes the system holds payment until someone manually reviews it.

omg this is happening to me right now too!! been waiting for 5 weeks. nothing has changed with my claim but suddenly payments just stopped. i keep certifying every week hoping they'll eventually release the money in a big lump sum. the uncertainty is killing me tho

Pretty sure there's a system-wide issue going on. I know at least 3 other people with the exact same problem right now. The unemployment office is just overwhelmed and understaffed. you'll get the money eventually but you have to just keep trying to contact them.

Do you have a work search record ready if they ask for it? Sometimes they randomly audit people and won't release funds until they verify you've been looking for work. Make sure you have dates and places you've applied documented.

Have you checked ur inbox in the unemployment portal? Sometimes they send messages there but NEVER email you to let you know you have a message 🤦‍♀️ classic ny unemployment nonsense lol

The EXACT same thing happened to me last month. I called 211 and asked to speak to someone about unemployment issues. They can sometimes connect you with resources or give you alternative numbers to try. Worth a shot if the main line isn't working.

Try calling at exactly 7:59am. The lines open at 8:00 and if you're in queue right when they open, you sometimes can get through faster. I had success with this method after weeks of trying at random times.

could be ID verification. they started doing random identity checks and if you get flagged for one, they freeze payments until you verify. But of course they dont bother TELLING you this is happening 🙄

have u tried contacting your state representative? my coworker did this after waiting 2 months for her payments and suddenly unemployment called HER back within 48 hours. sometimes political pressure is the only thing that works with these ppl

This happens if they need to verify your identity sometimes. when you finally get through, ask if they need additional documentation. My friend had his account frozen for 6 weeks and turns out they just needed him to upload his drivers license again 🤬

don't listen to anyone telling you to just wait it out. i made this mistake and waited 2 months thinking it would resolve itself. it never did until I finally got through to someone. You HAVE to talk to a rep to get this fixed.

have you tried the online message center instead of calling? Sometimes they actually respond there within a few days if you mark it as urgent. worth trying while you keep calling.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been stuck in "funds pending" for 3 weeks after everything was working fine for months. The frustration is real - especially when you're counting on that money for basic expenses like rent. I've been reading through all these responses and it sounds like getting through to an actual human is the only way to resolve this. The system seems designed to make us give up, but we can't let that happen. I'm going to try some of these suggestions like calling right when they open or using that Claimyr service. Hang in there - sounds like most people eventually get their back payments once they can talk to someone!

This is incredibly frustrating and sadly way too common with NY unemployment right now. I went through something similar last year where my payments just stopped without any explanation. After weeks of trying to get through, I finally connected with an agent who told me my account had been flagged for a "routine review" that I was never notified about. The whole experience was a nightmare - you're already stressed about being unemployed and then the system that's supposed to help you creates even more anxiety by withholding your benefits without explanation. What worked for me was being persistent with calling (I know easier said than done) and keeping detailed notes of every attempt to contact them. When I finally got through, having all my documentation ready helped resolve things quickly. The agent was able to release all my pending payments immediately once they saw everything was in order. Don't give up - the money you're owed is there, it's just trapped in their broken system. Keep trying to reach someone and hopefully you'll get it sorted out soon!