NY unemployment claims pending for 5 months after getting fired - can't reach anyone by phone

That's WAY too long to be waiting. Sounds like your claim might be stuck in adjudication, especially since you were fired rather than laid off. They probably need to verify the circumstances with your employer. Have you checked your online account to see if there are any messages or requests for additional information that you might have missed?

same thing happened to me! waited 4 months and nothing. turns out they needed more info from me but never sent the notice!! check your spam folder maybe?? also the message center in ur account sometimes has stuff that doesnt trigger email notifs

When claims involve termination, they often get flagged for review, especially with a long work history like yours. Here's what I suggest: 1. Keep certifying weekly (which you're doing - good) 2. Send a secure message through your online account specifically asking about your claim status 3. Try calling right when they open at 8:00 AM 4. Contact your state representative's office - they often have dedicated liaisons for unemployment issues 5. Check if there's an option to schedule a callback rather than waiting on hold If your claim is approved, you'll receive all back payments from when you first filed, so don't worry about losing those weeks of benefits.

After trying for WEEKS to get through the phone lines, I finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in less than an hour. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - basically they hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Totally worth it for me since I had a similar situation where my claim was stuck for months and I needed an actual human to fix it. They resolved my issue in one call.

The NY unemployment system is COMPLETELY BROKEN right now!!! I've been dealing with these idiots since August and it's now JANUARY!!! They don't answer phones, don't respond to messages, and then they have the nerve to blame US when things go wrong. I've called 47 TIMES in one day and couldn't get through. The whole system needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch!!! Sorry for the rant, but I've been exactly where you are and it's infuriating. The only thing that eventually worked for me was showing up IN PERSON to a career center. Most of them can't directly help with claims, but if you make enough noise, sometimes they can connect you with someone who can.

I waited 3 months for my claim to process after being fired from my retail job (apparently "excessive tardiness" even though my bus was always late and not my fault but whatever). The thing that finally worked was calling my state senator's office. They have people who specifically handle unemployment issues. I got a call back from unemployment within 2 days after my senator's office contacted them. They backdated everything and I got all my money at once. Try that route!

my cousin works for the state (not unemployment but different dept) and she says they r super backlogged right now cuz of the big tech layoffs in nyc plus that huge manufacturing plant that closed upstate. she said like 40% more claims than normal or something

Back to your original situation - the fact that you were fired after 10 years is likely what's causing the delay. When an employee is fired, the employer often contests the unemployment claim. If they did, your case would require a hearing where both sides present their case. Have you received ANY notice about a hearing or interview? These can sometimes go to regular mail rather than appearing in your online account.

One last thing to try: the NYSDOL has a Twitter account (@NYSLabor) where they sometimes respond to people having issues. Some folks have had success sending them a direct message with their contact info (never include your SSN or claim ID in public tweets). Worth a shot while pursuing the other avenues mentioned.

Quick update: I actually got mine resolved finally. Called using that service I mentioned, got through to someone who told me my claim had been stuck because they needed proof I'd been searching for work, but the notification never got sent to me due to a "system error." Once I uploaded my job search records, my claim was approved within a week and I got all my backpay. The whole thing could have been resolved in 5 minutes if I could have just gotten someone on the phone months ago. The system is beyond broken.