NY unemployment claim pending since September - car about to be repossessed

I'm sorry you're going through this. Unfortunately, 4-month pending claims aren't uncommon right now with NYSDOL. When you call, are you trying the main unemployment number or have you tried the alternative line at 888-209-8124? Some people have better luck if they call exactly at 8:00am when they open or after 4:00pm when call volume decreases. Also, have you checked your online account for any alerts or messages requesting additional documentation? Sometimes they need more info but the notification gets lost.

same thing happened to me last year except mine was stuck for 3 months. turned out they had flagged my account for 'identity verification' but never sent me the notice. you should email them too not just call

Your situation sounds very stressful, and I completely understand your frustration. Based on my experience working with claimants in similar situations, here's what I'd recommend: 1. Document everything - dates of calls, names of representatives you've spoken with, and any reference numbers. 2. File for hardship consideration. When your claim has been pending over 8 weeks AND you're facing imminent loss of housing, vehicle, or utilities, you qualify for expedited processing. This requires filling out Form UI-640 (Financial Hardship Acceleration Request). 3. Contact your state assembly member or senator's office. They have direct lines to DOL liaisons who can often resolve these issues much faster than calling the general line. 4. Submit a message through your online account specifically mentioning "financial hardship" and "expedited processing request" in the subject line. The repossession threat should qualify you for expedited review, but you need to formally request it.

NYSDOL is COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! I waited SIX MONTHS last year and only got paid after I threatened to call the governor's office. The whole system is designed to make people give up. They're probably hoping you'll just find a job and stop claiming so they don't have to pay you. It's disgraceful how they treat people who are just trying to get benefits they EARNED and are ENTITLED TO!!!

After two months of getting nowhere with my claim by calling, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and finally got through to an actual claims specialist who fixed my issue in one call. They basically call NYSDOL for you and connect you when they get through. Cost me a bit but saved me from losing my apartment. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. With your car about to be repossessed, it might be worth it just to get this resolved immediately.

have u tried going to an actual unemployment office? sometimes face to face works better than phone... my cousin had a 3 month pending claim and got it fixed in 1 day when she went in person

My claim was stuck too but i got approved last week thank goodness. What worked for me was sending a message through my ny.gov account every single day asking for status update. i think they got annoyed lol. but seriously try that + the assembly member suggestion someone else gave. also make sure your id.me verification is complete, that holds up a lot of claims.

Based on what you've described, this sounds like your claim might be stuck in adjudication, which happens when there's a question about your eligibility that needs to be resolved before payments can be released. Since September 2025 is an unusually long wait even by current standards, I recommend taking several actions simultaneously: 1. Follow the advice about contacting your state representative - this is often the fastest route 2. File the UI-640 hardship form as mentioned above 3. If you haven't already, check if there are any issues flagged on your account that require documentation 4. Make sure you've properly completed all quarterly recertifications You mentioned speaking with someone in October who said they would advance your claim. Request the name and ID number of any representative you speak with in the future, and note the date and time of the call. This creates accountability. I hope you get this resolved quickly before your car situation becomes worse.

Just checking back - have you had any luck with any of these suggestions? The car repossession situation is concerning and time-sensitive. If you've tried contacting your assembly member but haven't heard back, sometimes your county's legal aid society can help with unemployment issues as well.