NY unemployment application stuck since Feb 10 - no updates, car and apartment at risk

same thing happened to me. took 6 WEEKS to get my first payment. system is completely broken. try calling right when they open at 8am, thats how i finally got through to somone who actually helped

I understand how stressful this is. Your claim is likely stuck in identity verification or a wage investigation. Here's what you need to do: 1. Keep certifying weekly even though you're not getting paid yet 2. Check your Message Center and Document section for any requests for additional information 3. Call specifically between 8:00-8:30am or 5:30-6:00pm when wait times are shortest 4. Ask for a Tier 2 claims specialist when you get through 5. Request they look at your claim status in detail - sometimes they need to manually override a system flag Regarding your housing situation, call 211 immediately to ask about emergency rental assistance programs. Many counties have funds specifically for people waiting on unemployment benefits. For your car, call the lender and explain you're waiting on unemployment - many have hardship programs that can defer payments for 30-60 days.

the nysdol ppl r completely useless. u need 2 call ur STATE SENATOR not assembly. senators have more power. my brothers claim was stuck 4 almost 2 months until his senator fixed it in 3 days

I was in this exact situation last month! After trying for weeks to get through the regular phone system, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in less than 30 minutes. They have this system that waits on hold for you then calls when an agent is ready. I was skeptical at first but it seriously worked - the agent was able to see my claim was stuck because my former employer hadn't responded to their inquiry. She pushed it through manually and I had my first payment 2 days later with full backpay. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Definitely worth checking out when you're this desperate. I was about to lose my apartment too.

The NYSDOL is DELIBERATELY delaying claims!! This is how they save money - make the process so frustrating that people give up or find work before getting paid. I had to call 74 TIMES over 3 weeks before getting my claim fixed. The whole "flag your account" thing is a LIE they tell everyone who calls. They're trained to get you off the phone without actually doing anything. And those "callbacks" from the priority list NEVER HAPPEN. I was promised 5 different callbacks and got ZERO. The system is DESIGNED to fail!!! You need to DEMAND to speak to a supervisor immediately when you call. Don't accept their excuses. Tell them you're facing eviction (which you are) and need immediate assistance. Be polite but FIRM.

Unemployment counselor here. Your situation requires immediate attention given the housing/transportation risk. There are some technical steps to take: 1. Your claim is likely in one of three statuses: identity verification hold, employer dispute, or monetary determination review. 2. While you're waiting, ensure you've uploaded clear copies of your ID documents to your account portal. Often claims are delayed because documents were uploaded but not clearly visible or properly categorized in the system. 3. For immediate financial assistance, contact your county's Department of Social Services for emergency assistance - many counties can provide one-time emergency grants specifically for people waiting on unemployment benefits. This could help with your rent while the claim processes. 4. If you call NYSDOL again, request a "claim status escalation" - this is the specific terminology that triggers a 72-hour review process. Many representatives won't offer this unless specifically requested. 5. Continue certifying weekly without fail, so when your claim is approved, you'll receive full backpay for all weeks certified. The current average processing time for claims with issues is unfortunately 4-5 weeks, though escalated claims can be resolved faster.

UPDATE: Finally got through this morning! I called at 8:01am and waited 47 minutes, but finally spoke to a really helpful agent. Turns out my claim was stuck because of an employer response issue - my former company disputed my claim saying I was fired for misconduct (completely untrue, I was laid off due to budget cuts). The agent escalated my claim to a supervisor who will be contacting both me and my former employer in the next 48 hours. She said this happens a lot when employers try to avoid unemployment tax increases. At least now I know what's happening! I also contacted the Department of Social Services as suggested here and they're processing an emergency rental assistance application for me. Fingers crossed this all gets resolved soon. Thank you everyone for your advice!

Have you checkt ur spam folder? Sometimes the unemployment emails go there instead of inbox. My friend almost missed an important verification email because it was in spam and she almost lost benefits.

my cousin works for nys unemployment and she says theres a huge backlog right now because they switched computer systems in january and tons of claims are stuck in limbo. shes working overtime every weekend trying to fix the mess. not saying its right but thats why everythings so messed up right now

hang in there! I went thru something similar last year and it was sooo stressful but it did eventually work out. sending positive vibes your way!