NY unemployment claim review finally assigned to agent after 4 weeks - what to expect next?

same thing with me, was stuck for almost 5 weeks. once they assigned my case to someone in Albany it only took 3 days to get my first payment! hang in there

The Binghamton office actually tends to process claims faster than Albany in my experience. The severance payment was likely what triggered the extended review. They need to verify the amount and ensure they calculate your benefits correctly based on when that income was received. For future reference, whenever your claim shows "under review" for more than 3 weeks, that's your cue to call in. The system rarely updates automatically when there's a special circumstance like severance pay. One thing to keep in mind: once approved, you'll receive payments for all the back weeks you've been certifying. So you should get a lump sum for the 4 weeks you've been waiting, assuming you've been doing your weekly certifications this whole time.

This matches exactly with my experience last month. The key things you should know: 1. Make sure you continue certifying every week without fail 2. Keep checking your account - sometimes payments are released without any notification 3. The Binghamton office is actually pretty efficient (I had them too) 4. Once they release your funds, it takes 1-2 business days to hit your bank account if you have direct deposit set up The good news is that once they start paying, the system usually runs smoothly after that. The first payment is always the hardest to get through.

I had my claim assigned to binghamton too but it took them like 3 weeks after that to do anything. and then suddenly got 5 weeks of payments all at once. wish they would just communicate better about whats going on!!!

I struggled for WEEKS trying to get info about my claim. Called literally 40+ times and kept getting disconnected or hitting dead ends. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in 20 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent I spoke with said the same thing about Binghamton office - they're actually processing claims faster than Albany right now because Albany has a backlog. My experience matches yours - once assigned to an agent, payment came about 10 days later. The waiting is absolutely brutal though.

does anyone know if having severance pay makes ur benefits lower?? i got a severance package too and im worried they're gonna count that against me and reduce what i get each week. the whole system is so confusing and i feel like theres always some catch that screws us over

My claim got assigned to an agent and then nothing happened for a month lol. Had to call like 5 times before someone actually did something. Good luck!

One other important tip: document everything. Write down the date, time, and name of any agent you speak with, along with a summary of what they told you. If there are any issues later, having this documentation can be extremely helpful. Also, check your spam/junk folder regularly. NYSDOL sometimes sends important emails that get filtered out by email providers.

Anyone else notice unemployment takes way longer to process in 2025 than it used to??? My brother got approved in like a week back in 2021. system gets worse every year smh

I just got my first payment today after being stuck in review for 6 weeks! Mine was also assigned to the Binghamton office. The thing that finally moved it along was sending a message through the secure messaging center specifically asking for a status update and mentioning I was having trouble paying bills. Got a call the next day and payment two days after that. Might be worth trying if you don't see movement in the next week.

Just wanted to add my experience with the Binghamton office - I had my claim assigned there in February and it took exactly 8 days from assignment to first payment. The agent I spoke with was really helpful too and gave me similar timeline expectations. One thing that might help while you're waiting: if you haven't already, make sure you have all your bank account info updated in the system for direct deposit. I've seen people get delayed even after approval because their payment method wasn't set up properly. Also, that tip about the 607 area code is spot on - I got a call from that number and almost didn't answer because I thought it was spam! Definitely answer any calls from 607 or 518 area codes during business hours. Sounds like you're on the right track though. The fact that your employer didn't contest anything and submitted everything promptly is huge. That's usually where most delays happen.

This is super helpful info! I'm in week 3 of review right now and was starting to panic. My employer also submitted everything promptly but I haven't called yet to check on assignment status. Reading everyone's experiences with the Binghamton office is giving me hope - sounds like they're actually pretty efficient once things get moving. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - did you get any kind of notification when your claim was actually assigned to a caseworker, or did you only find out by calling? I've been checking my account daily but it just keeps saying "under review" with no updates. Also really appreciate the tip about answering 607/518 calls! I would have definitely ignored those thinking they were spam.

Really appreciate you sharing this detailed update! I'm currently in week 2 of review and this gives me a much better idea of what to expect. The fact that your employer didn't contest the severance payment is huge - that's probably what will make your case move faster than some others. I had no idea about the different area codes for the offices. Definitely going to make sure I answer any calls from 607 or 518 numbers. It's crazy how much useful info you got from that one 30-minute call - makes me think I should probably call sooner rather than later too. The tip about continuing to certify weekly is so important. I've been doing it religiously but wasn't sure if it actually mattered while in review status. Good to know all those weeks will get paid out in a lump sum once approved. Fingers crossed you get your payment in the next week or two! Keep us posted on how it goes.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm in week 5 of review right now and was starting to lose hope. My situation is almost identical - got a severance package and have been stuck on "under review" this whole time. Reading about everyone's experiences with the Binghamton office gives me some optimism. I made the mistake of not calling earlier because I kept thinking "maybe next week it'll update automatically." Big mistake! Finally called yesterday and found out my claim was assigned to Albany (518 area code) just last week. The agent said my employer submitted everything back in late February, so there was definitely a delay in getting assigned to a caseworker. One thing I learned that might help others - the agent told me that severance cases specifically require additional documentation review, which is why they take longer. But once they're assigned, the actual decision usually comes pretty quickly since most employers don't contest legitimate claims. Going to follow everyone's advice here and keep certifying weekly while I wait for that Albany office call!

This is such valuable information, thank you for sharing all the details! I'm currently in week 2 of review and have been getting increasingly anxious watching that "under review" status. Your experience gives me a much clearer picture of what's actually happening behind the scenes. The breakdown of the timeline is super helpful - knowing that your employer submitted docs on Jan 14 and you were assigned to a caseworker on Jan 17 shows there can be some lag time even after employers do their part. I'm going to definitely call at the 3-week mark instead of waiting longer like I was planning to. I also had a severance payment, so it sounds like I should expect a similar review process. Did the agent give you any indication of whether the severance affects your benefit amount, or is it more just about verifying the timing and circumstances? Really appreciate you taking the time to document your experience in such detail. Posts like this are lifesavers for those of us navigating this confusing system. Hoping you get that payment soon and can finally breathe a sigh of relief!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly informative! I just went through a very similar situation with the Binghamton office last month. Like many of you, I had a severance package and was stuck in review for about 5 weeks total. What I found helpful was calling exactly at the 4-week mark - the agent was able to tell me that my case had actually been assigned 10 days earlier, but there was a backlog with the caseworker. She also explained that with severance cases, they have to verify the exact dates and amounts with your former employer, which adds extra processing time. One thing I wish I had known earlier: if you have direct deposit set up, your first payment usually comes through on a Tuesday or Wednesday once it's approved. They told me this helps with their batch processing schedule. For those still waiting - the anxiety is absolutely brutal, but once that first payment hits, the weekly payments after that are pretty reliable. I've gotten mine every week since without any issues. The initial approval really is the hardest part of the whole process. Keep doing those weekly certifications and definitely answer those 607/518 calls! You've got this!

I'm currently at week 2 of review and this entire thread has been a goldmine of information! Just wanted to add my experience so far - I also had a severance package and my online status has been stuck on "under review" since I filed. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to call at the 3-week mark to check on assignment status. It's really helpful to know that the "under review" status doesn't actually update when you get assigned to a caseworker - I would have kept waiting indefinitely thinking the system would notify me! One question for those who have been through this: did any of you have to provide additional documentation about your severance, or did your former employer handle all of that? My HR department said they submitted everything but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that could cause delays. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. Knowing that 4-6 weeks seems to be the normal timeline (especially with severance) is helping me set realistic expectations instead of panicking every day. Will definitely keep certifying weekly and update this thread once I hear something!

This thread is incredibly helpful and gives me so much hope! I'm currently in week 3 of review with a severance situation and was starting to really stress about bills. The detailed breakdown of your timeline and the specific office information is exactly what I needed to hear. I had no idea that different offices handle claims or that there were specific area codes to watch for. Almost missed a call from a 607 number last week thinking it was spam - glad I saw this before that happens again! Planning to call this Friday (hitting the 3-week mark) to check if I've been assigned to a caseworker yet. The fact that your employer didn't contest the severance and submitted everything promptly gives me confidence since my former employer has been pretty cooperative too. Thanks for sharing all the specific details and keeping everyone updated. Posts like this make such a difference when you're stuck in the "under review" limbo! Will definitely keep certifying weekly and hopefully can share some good news soon.