NY unemployment claim still pending after 3 weeks - spoke with agent but still in review
Filed my NY unemployment claim on 5/22/2025 and it's still showing as 'pending' in the system. It's been over 3 weeks now and I'm getting really anxious since rent is coming up. Has anyone else experienced these long delays recently? I finally managed to speak with an actual person from NYSDOL yesterday after calling non-stop for two days. They just told me my claim is 'still under review' but couldn't give me any timeline or explanation why. Should I be worried? What's the normal processing time these days?
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Malik Robinson
pending for 5 weeks b4 mine went through. system is totally backed up right now bc of all the layoffs in tech. just keep certifying every week!!
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Emma Taylor
•5 weeks?! That's insane. Did you get backpay for all those weeks once it finally processed?
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Isabella Silva
Three weeks is unfortunately pretty common right now. The NYSDOL is experiencing higher than normal claim volumes due to the recent downsizing across several industries. Make sure you're continuing to certify every week while waiting for approval - you'll receive backpay for all weeks certified once your claim is processed. If it goes beyond 5 weeks, request a formal review of your claim status through your online account (Look under 'More Online Services' then 'Request Claim Review'). That sometimes triggers them to look at delayed claims faster.
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Emma Taylor
•Thank you! I've been certifying weekly, so that's good to know about the backpay. Will they notify me when it's finally approved, or do I just keep checking my account?
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Isabella Silva
•You should receive both an email and a message in your online inbox when your claim status changes. But I'd recommend checking your account daily anyway - sometimes the notifications get delayed or filtered to spam. The approval usually appears under the 'Payments' tab before you get any notification.
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Ravi Choudhury
I'm in the EXACT same situation right now! Filed 5/18 and still pending. It's making me crazy because I can't get through to anyone. How did you manage to actually speak to a person?? I've been calling that stupid automated system for days and it just hangs up on me every time saying "all representatives are busy".
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CosmosCaptain
•I was in that same calling nightmare last month! After wasting 3 days trying to get through, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an unemployment agent in about 20 minutes. It basically keeps dialing and navigating the phone tree for you until it gets through, then calls you when there's an actual human. Saved me so much frustration! They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE that shows how it works. The website is just claimyr.com if you want to check it out.
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Emma Taylor
•I literally called over 50 times across two days. Started calling right when they opened at 8am and just kept redialing every time it hung up on me. Finally got through around 10:30am yesterday. It was pure luck honestly. The agent I spoke with said they're dealing with a huge backlog right now.
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Freya Johansen
THEY ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!!!! The entire system is designed to frustrate people into giving up. I had to wait 7 WEEKS last year and when I finally got through, they claimed they "needed additional information" that no one had ever asked me for. Complete bureaucratic garbage. Keep calling every single day and document EVERYTHING including who you speak to and when. They'll try to deny your backpay if you don't stay on top of them.
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Omar Fawzi
•While I understand your frustration, I want to clarify that backpay isn't typically denied if the delay is on NYSDOL's end. As long as you're certifying weekly, you'll receive payment for all eligible weeks once approved. The current delays are mostly due to the new fraud prevention measures implemented in January 2025 and the higher claim volume. Some claims do require additional verification, which adds time, but the system isn't designed to make people give up.
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Emma Taylor
•7 weeks is insane. I hope it doesn't take that long for mine. Did calling regularly actually help speed things up for you?
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Chloe Wilson
my sister waited almost 4 weeks and then it suddenly changed to approved and the money showed up in her account 2 days later. hang in there!
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Emma Taylor
•That gives me some hope. Thanks!
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Diego Mendoza
I had a pending claim back in February and what finally worked for me was sending a message through my online account AND emailing my state representative. Within 3 days of contacting my rep, I got a call from someone at a higher level in the DOL who fixed my claim on the spot. Worth trying if you're getting desperate!
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Chloe Wilson
•this is actually really smart! political offices can cut through red tape faster than we can
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Emma Taylor
•That's a great idea, I hadn't thought of contacting my representative. Did you just email their office explaining the situation?
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Malik Robinson
just wondering but did u have any jobs in the last 18 months out of state? that always makes it take longer
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Emma Taylor
•No, all my work has been in NY. I did change jobs about 8 months ago though - maybe that's causing some verification issues?
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Omar Fawzi
Update for everyone: I just checked my account and my claim was FINALLY approved this morning! It took exactly 24 days from filing to approval. All my certified weeks show as paid now, with the payment scheduled for tomorrow. Huge relief! Going to keep certifying weekly going forward. Thanks everyone for your advice and support through this stressful time.
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Ravi Choudhury
•Congrats!!! This gives me hope since I'm at about the same timeline. Did they tell you what caused the delay or did it just suddenly change?
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Chloe Wilson
•great news!!! 🎉
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