NY unemployment approved but no payment after 3 months - stuck in priority review?

I was stuck in the same situation last month! After waiting 6 weeks with an approved claim but no payments, I was desperate. Someone on here recommended this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual NYSDOL agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. The agent was able to see that my claim had a 'pending review' flag that wasn't showing up in my online account. They removed it on the spot and my backpay hit my account 3 days later. Check out their demo video if you're interested: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - their website is claimyr.com. Seriously made a huge difference for me after weeks of frustration.

Priority review status doesn't actually mean much in the NYSDOL system right now. It's basically their way of flagging accounts that have called multiple times, but it doesn't necessarily move you ahead in the queue. What matters more is WHY your claim is delayed. Most likely scenarios based on your description: 1. Identity verification issue (very common in 2025) 2. Former employer contesting your claim 3. Work search requirement verification 4. Wage investigation Have you received ANY correspondence beyond the approval letter? Check your message center AND your physical mail. They often send important notices only one way or the other.

same thing happpened to me it took 11 WEEKS to get paid even tho i was approved. the system is completely broken, they say priority but theres nothing priority about it lol. keep calling and eventually youll get someone who actually knows what there doing

I'm experiencing a similar situation right now and feeling absolutely hopeless. The NYSDOL system seems intentionally designed to be as frustrating and impenetrable as possible. I've been approved since January, received my monetary determination, certified religiously every week, and STILL nothing. Every representative tells me something slightly different. One says it's in review, another says there's a hold code they can't explain, another says it looks fine on their end and should process soon. I've spent literally HUNDREDS of hours on the phone. My landlord is threatening eviction. I've gone through my entire savings. And all they can say is "wait for a callback"? It's absolute madness. This system is actively harming New Yorkers when we're most vulnerable.

One thing that might help - check if your claim has been marked for quarterly review. The NYSDOL system automatically flags certain claims for review at the quarterly changeover periods (end of March, June, September, December). Since you filed in February and we just passed the June quarterly period, your claim might have been automatically pulled for review. Here's what I'd recommend: 1. Request a formal case escalation by specifically using the phrase "I'd like to request a supervisor escalation for my claim" when you call 2. Upload any additional supporting documents to your online account, even if they weren't requested (pay stubs, termination letter, etc.) 3. Send a secure message through your online account specifically mentioning the approval letter you received and requesting clarification on why payments haven't been released 4. If you've been approved, you should eventually receive ALL backpay - document everything carefully

Have you tried contacting your state assembly member's office? When my husbands claim got stuck for 2 months, I finally called our assembly member and their office has a special liaison to DOL who helped unstick it within a week. Worth a try!

When you call, are you getting through to actual claims specialists or just the first-level customer service reps? There's a huge difference in what they can do. The first-level reps basically just read information off your account but can't make any changes. You need to get to a Tier 2 or Tier 3 specialist to actually fix issues.

So frustrating!!! I'm having the EXACT same problem right now. Approved in March, but no payments yet. Every week I certify and nothing happens. Called probably 100 times. Ugh.

I was in a similar position back in January. Approved claim but no payment for nearly 3 months. I finally got mine resolved after following these specific steps: 1. When you call NYSDOL, immediately ask for a "Payment Status Investigation" - this is their internal term that flags your account differently 2. Request that they add notes to your account stating you've received an approval letter but no payment for [X] weeks 3. Ask them to verify there are no outstanding "action needed" items that might not be visible on your end 4. If they tell you there's nothing they can do, politely ask to speak with a supervisor or claims examiner 5. Keep detailed records of every call - representative name, ID number, date/time, and what was promised In my case, it turned out there was an employer response deadline that hadn't expired yet, even though I'd already been approved. Once that deadline passed, my payments started automatically. The system is incredibly broken right now with all the changes they made to the NYSDOL platform in late 2024.

just keep caling them every day eventually ull get somone who knows what there doing sometimes u gotta call 10+ times

Update on my situation - I finally got through to a knowledgeable agent using Claimyr after weeks of failed attempts calling directly. The agent saw that my account had been flagged for a special review because my former employer reported a slightly different last day of work (off by 2 days) than what I entered. Once that was cleared up, my payments were processed within 48 hours. If you've been approved and aren't getting paid, there's almost certainly a specific flag or hold on your account that the regular customer service reps either can't see or don't know how to clear.

When you say you received an approval letter, was it an actual approval or just a monetary determination letter? Those are different things. The monetary determination just tells you what your weekly benefit amount would be IF you're approved, not that you're actually approved yet.

Yes, there's a difference between monetary determination and claim approval. The monetary determination just means they've calculated what you would receive based on your earnings history. You still need formal claim approval, which can be delayed for various eligibility reasons. Based on your timeline (filing in February, now in May with no payment), it sounds like your claim is stuck in adjudication. This happens when there's a question about your eligibility that needs to be resolved before payments can begin. Common adjudication issues include: - Questions about your reason for separation from employment - Work search compliance verification - Identity verification (especially common in 2025 with the new system) - Availability for work questions You should have received a notice if your claim needed adjudication. Check both your online message center AND your physical mail. Sometimes these notices only go one way or the other.

The website is useless for seeing what's actually happening with your claim. Half the time the status doesn't even update correctly. That's why everyone ends up having to call constantly.

One last thing to check - make sure your direct deposit information is entered correctly. I've seen cases where people were approved and payments were being issued, but they were going to an incorrect account number. Double-check all your payment information in your online profile, and consider adding/updating your banking details even if you think they're correct. Sometimes this can trigger a review of pending payments.

After reading through all this, it seems like your best options are: 1. Use a service like Claimyr to reach an actual claims specialist who can see what's happening 2. Contact your state assembly member's office for assistance 3. Request a formal supervisor escalation and payment investigation 4. Check all your documents to ensure nothing is missing The key is getting to someone who can actually see the specific hold on your account. Regular customer service reps often can't see or fix the real issues. Good luck - hope you get your backpay soon!