NY unemployment benefits held up - monetary determination says 'pending employer response'

This is actually pretty common with NY unemployment claims in 2025. Your employer has 10 days to respond to the DOL after they're notified of your claim. Until they respond (or the time limit expires), your benefits will show as pending. If your employer doesn't contest your claim, you should receive all back payments once approved.

same thing happend to me and it took 3 weeks before i saw any $$$. my boss was mad i left so he dragged his feet responding. nothing you can really do but wait it out sadly

THEY DO THIS ON PURPOSE!! The whole system is designed to delay payments and make people give up. I had the same thing happen and it took FIVE WEEKS before I got paid. By then I had to borrow money from family and take on credit card debt just to survive. The NYSDOL knows employers drag their feet and they don't do ANYTHING about it!!!

While you're waiting, make sure you continue to certify every week without fail. When your claim is finally processed, you'll receive all back payments for properly certified weeks. Also, document all your job search activities as the DOL can request this information later. If it goes beyond 3 weeks, you should try to speak with an agent. The standard advice is to call early in the morning, but getting through can be nearly impossible these days with the high call volumes.

I had this exact problem last month and wasted hours trying to get through on the phone. Finally used Claimyr.com and got a callback from NYSDOL in about 40 minutes. The agent told me my employer was being investigated for multiple issues with former employees' claims, which was causing the delay. They pushed my claim through after I explained my financial situation. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - definitely worth it when you're desperate to speak to someone.

I had a similiar situation and i was able to get it resolved by contacting my local state assembly persons office. They have liasons that work directly with DOL and can sometimes help speed things up. Might be worth a try while your waiting.

Update: My benefits finally came through! It took 17 days total from when I filed. Based on comments here, I tried both Claimyr to reach an agent (worked surprisingly well) and also contacted my state assembly member's office. Not sure which one did the trick, but I got a call yesterday saying my claim was approved and this morning all my back benefits were in my account! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions during this stressful time.

congrats!! make sure you keep certifying every week even if its approved, i missed one week and it was a nightmare getting it fixed