Missed weekly certification in August - can I still claim NY unemployment backpay?

You have to call them and explain the situation. They'll probably ask why you missed the certification and then they can manually add it for you. I missed a week back in June and they fixed it for me.

I had the EXACT same problem last month! After trying to call for days, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls the unemployment line for you and then connects you when they finally reach a human. Got through to someone who fixed it for me in 10 minutes - best money I've spent in a while since I got my benefits paid out right after. They also have a YouTube video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

You have 7 days after the end of the week to certify for benefits. After that you need to request backpay. You'll have to talk to someone on the phone and explain your situation. They might approve it if you have a good reason. Just keep trying the phone number.

If its just one week you missed, you'll probably be OK. The agents can backdate it for you. BUT you need a "good cause" reason why you missed it. And FYI - they're not very flexible with what counts as a good cause. Medical emergency or death in family = yes. Just forgot = probably not. But be polite and you might get lucky with a sympathetic agent.

I literally just went thru this whole ordeal last month. Here's what you need to do: 1. You absolutely MUST speak to a claims specialist - not just any rep. Regular reps will tell you they can't help. 2. Getting through the phone system is nearly impossible these days. After trying for 2 weeks, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that waits on hold for you and then calls when they reach a rep. Talking to the agent got my $ unlocked so fast after weeks of frustration. 3. When you talk to them, explain clearly what happened. Have your work search records ready to prove you were actively looking during that missed week. 4. If the first person says no, call again. Different agents interpret the rules differently. 5. Be super polite no matter how frustrated you are. The agents have discretion and are more likely to help if you're nice. Good luck! The system is broken but with persistence you'll get your money.

I went through this exact same thing a while back. NY unemployment is such a mess right now. My advice - use a document to keep track of when you certify each week. Set multiple reminders on your phone. The backpay process is a complete nightmare.

You're screwed lol. I missed a week last year and they told me "too bad so sad" 🤡 NY unemployment system is garbage.

Does anyone know if there's a specific form for requesting backpay? I can't find anything on the website about it.

It's so stupid that they make it impossible to fix this online. Like we're living in 2023 and you still have to call and beg someone to fix a simple mistake? The whole ny unemployment system needs to be rebuilt from scratch.

Make sure when you call you have your work search records for that week ready to go. They'll definitely ask for them and might deny your backpay if you can't prove you were looking for work during that missed week.

Have you tried going to one of the in-person career centers? Sometimes they can help with this kind of stuff and the lines are usually shorter than phone wait times.

hahaha good luck getting anyone on the phone, I've been trying for THREE WEEKS straight!!! the ny unemployment phone system is a joke

Lawyer here (but not YOUR lawyer - this isn't legal advice). NY law allows for backdating certifications if you had "good cause" for missing the deadline. Technological issues, health problems, or family emergencies usually qualify. Document everything and be persistent.

I stoped trying to call them after spending literly 6 hours on hold one day. Then my friend told me about claimyr.com - they call for you and connect when someone answers. Got my issue fixed in like 20 minutes once I was talking to a person. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent.

call on tuesday around 10:30am. for some reason thats when the wait times are shortest. idk why but it worked for me twice.

I went through this exact same thing a few months ago! Don't panic - you can definitely get your missed week paid out. Here's what worked for me: First, try calling right at 8am when they open - that's your best shot at getting through without waiting forever. If that doesn't work, honestly consider using one of those callback services like Claimyr that others mentioned. I was skeptical at first but it saved me literally hours of hold time. When you do get through, be super polite and have a good reason ready. Internet/phone issues actually do count as "good cause" - I used that exact excuse when my certification wouldn't go through on the app. Also have your work search records ready for that missed week because they'll definitely ask. Most importantly - if the first agent says no, hang up and call back. Different agents interpret the rules differently and some are way more helpful than others. It took me 3 calls but I eventually got someone who backdated it for me. The payment showed up about 2-3 days after they fixed it in the system. You got this! Just be persistent and don't give up.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now - missed my certification for the first week of September and just noticed it when doing this week's claim. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that it's fixable! Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like the key things are: 1. Having a good reason (internet issues should work) 2. Being super polite to the agent 3. Being willing to call multiple times if the first person says no 4. Having work search records ready I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy first, but if that doesn't work I'll check out this Claimyr service that so many people are recommending. It's frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops for what should be a simple fix, but at least there's a path forward. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is way more helpful than anything on the official DOL website!