NY unemployment determination notice shows wrong earnings - need help appealing!

I went through this exact situation last year! You definitely need to appeal this ASAP. Here's what you should do: 1. Log into your NY.gov account and go to your unemployment dashboard 2. Look for the "Request for Reconsideration" section (it might be under Documents or Messages) 3. Upload clear scans of ALL your wage documentation - W2s, pay stubs, etc. 4. Also write a detailed explanation of why you believe the determination is incorrect 5. If possible, calculate your correct quarterly wages and include that breakdown Most importantly, don't wait the full 30 days! The sooner you submit everything, the faster they'll correct it. My review took about 3 weeks, and they backdated my correct benefit amount.

this happened 2 me also!! they messed up my wages by like $10k and gave me the minimum benefit. i just kept certifying while i waited for them to fix it. took almost 2 months but they fixed it eventually and paid me the difference for all the weeks

You need to submit a Request for Reconsideration of your Monetary Determination. This is a formal process that requires specific documentation. Here's what to include: - Complete copies of all pay stubs covering the base period (which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed) - All W-2 forms for the base period years - A detailed quarterly breakdown of your earnings - Any correspondence from employers verifying your employment dates and wages The NYSDOL typically processes these reviews within 2-4 weeks, though it can take longer during high-volume periods. Continue certifying for benefits weekly while your request is pending review. For fastest processing, make sure your documentation is clearly labeled and organized by quarter. If your review is approved, you'll receive retroactive payments for the difference between what you received and what you should have received. If you have trouble uploading documents through your account, you can also mail them to: NYS Department of Labor PO Box 15130 Albany, NY 12212-5130

To answer your follow-up question - yes, they will automatically update your benefit amount if they approve your reconsideration. You'll receive a revised Monetary Determination Notice showing your corrected wage information and updated weekly benefit amount. Any difference in benefits will be paid retroactively for weeks you've already certified.

my cousin had the same issue last month!!! she said the website was SUPER confusing when trying to submit the appeal. something about the system timing out when uploading documents. might want to try early morning when the site isnt as busy

I tried for THREE WEEKS to upload my documents for a similar issue and the system kept crashing or timing out. Then I tried calling and was on hold for hours every day with no luck. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual NYSDOL agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to look at my case and tell me exactly what was happening with my wage review. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - totally worth it considering I was about to lose my mind trying to get through.

I'm in a similar situation right now! My determination notice came in last week and showed only about half of my actual earnings. I've been stressing out because my husband just had surgery and we REALLY need the correct benefit amount. Does anyone know if there's a specific form we need to fill out for the reconsideration request? Or do we just upload documents with an explanation? The website isn't very clear about the process...

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with NYSDOL (finally!!). The rep explained that one of my employers didn't report my wages correctly to the state. She said I need to: 1. Fill out form TC-403E Wage Statement Request 2. Get a written statement from my employer confirming my correct wages 3. Submit copies of ALL pay stubs showing the missing wages She also said it's taking about 3-4 weeks for these reviews right now due to high volume. At least I know what to do now. Will keep certifying weekly while I wait for the correction.

The entire NY unemployment system is DESIGNED to frustrate people and deny proper benefits! I've seen DOZENS of cases where they "accidentally" underreport wages. It's not an accident - it's a systematic attempt to reduce payouts! DO NOT just accept their determination. ALWAYS appeal. ALWAYS fight for what you're entitled to. They count on people giving up because the process is so frustrating. The law requires them to pay you based on your ACTUAL earnings, not whatever they feel like paying! I worked in HR for 15 years and saw this happen constantly. The state "loses" wage reports, "misplaces" documentation, and makes "errors" that ALWAYS benefit them, never the claimant. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and don't back down!

One important thing to remember: while your reconsideration request is pending, you should continue certifying for benefits weekly. You'll receive benefits based on the current determination during the review period. If your request is approved, you'll receive retroactive payments for the difference. Also, make sure your documentation clearly shows which quarters are affected. The base period for NY unemployment is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So if you filed in February 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. Make sure you're providing documentation for those specific quarters.

Random question but has anyone noticed that the monetary determinations seem to be taking longer to process lately? When I filed last year it only took like 3 days to get mine but my friend just filed and has been waiting over a week now...

FINAL UPDATE: My wage reconsideration was approved! It took almost 5 weeks, but I finally got a revised Monetary Determination showing my correct wages of $41,850. My weekly benefit amount increased from $318 to $504! They're also sending me retroactive payments for the difference on the weeks I've already certified. For anyone dealing with this issue, here's what worked for me: 1. Submitted all my W-2s and quarterly pay stubs through the messaging system 2. Got a letter from my employer confirming my wages 3. Called (multiple times) until I got through to someone who could check on the status Thanks to everyone who helped with advice. This forum was a lifesaver when I was stressing about this whole situation!