NY unemployment approval letter taking too long - applied in November with no response

That's definitely longer than normal. NY unemployment determination letters usually come within 2-3 weeks after filing. After 4 months, something's wrong. Have you checked your spam folder? Sometimes the determination emails get filtered there. Also, check your online account documents section - the letters are often uploaded there before you get the physical mail.

OMG the same exact thing happened to me last year! Applied in August, didn't hear ANYTHING until JANUARY!! The system is so broken. I called like 50 times and just got hung up on by their stupid automated system. So frustrating!!!!!

There are a few things that might be causing the delay: 1. Identity verification issues 2. Employment history verification problems 3. Your previous employer contesting your claim 4. System backlog (especially after holidays) 5. Missing information in your application At this point, you need to speak with someone directly. The fastest way is to use a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they connect you directly to a NYSDOL agent by navigating the phone system for you. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

yea 4 months is way to long. u should try messaging them thru the online portal. go to messages and send them something asking for status update. sometimes they respond in a few days that way. better than calling

The 4 month delay is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE but also totally normal for NYSDOL these days! They're deliberately understaffed to save money while people suffer waiting for benefits they DESERVE! I waited 3 months last year and only got approved after I contacted my state assembly member's office. CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE!!! That's the secret backdoor that actually works.

I had a similar situation but it was because there was a question about my last job. I quit instead of being laid off and they were investigating if I was eligible. Have you worked at multiple jobs in the past 18 months? Sometimes that causes delays too because they have to verify with each employer.

After struggling with the same issue (waited 2.5 months for determination), I tried Claimyr that someone mentioned above. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes when I had been trying for weeks on my own. The agent found that my claim was stuck because of a flag that needed manual review. They removed the flag while I was on the phone and my determination letter came three days later. For multiple employer situations like yours, speaking directly to someone is really the only solution.

One more critical thing - make sure you've been certifying for benefits every week, even without approval. If your claim is eventually approved, you'll only get paid for weeks you properly certified. Many people don't realize this and miss out on thousands in backpay.

my cousin works for nysdol (not in unemployment dept tho) and she says they got a huge backlog after the holidays. like thousands of claims backed up. but 4 months is still too long even with backlog

Based on everything you've shared, I believe your claim is stuck in what's called 'adjudication limbo' - where it requires manual review but hasn't been assigned to an adjudicator. Multiple employers plus the holiday backlog are likely culprits. The good news is that once you get through to someone, these issues can often be resolved quickly. Please come back and let us know what works for you - it helps others in similar situations.