NY unemployment overpayment waiver status - anyone heard back?

I got my waiver approval letter last week, but I submitted mine back in early April, so that's about 4 months of waiting. The NYSDOL website says they're processing waivers in the order received, but they're severely backlogged due to the high volume of claims from the system glitch that caused all those duplicate payments. If your coworkers submitted before you, that might explain why they heard back first.\n\nDon't panic yet - in my experience, they're approving most of these waivers since it was clearly their fault. The letter I received specifically acknowledged the system error that resulted in duplicate payments being issued to claimants.

Thanks, that's somewhat reassuring. Did they give you any kind of status updates during those 4 months or did the approval letter just show up out of nowhere?

my friend got hers approved like 2 weeks ago but she waited almost 5 months!! its crazy how long they take considering THEY messed up not us

This is fairly typical with NYSDOL, unfortunately. They're operating with reduced staff while facing increased workloads. For anyone dealing with time-sensitive claims or appeals, I recommend creating a paper trail by sending follow-up inquiries through your online account messaging system rather than just waiting. Documentation of your attempts to resolve the issue can be helpful if there are any future disputes about timeline responsibility.

THEY'RE HOPING PEOPLE FORGET OR GIVE UP!!! I waited SIX MONTHS for my waiver approval! No communication, no updates, NOTHING until the letter showed up. Then they had the NERVE to say I should've contacted them sooner if I was concerned about the delay. The system is DESIGNED to frustrate people into paying money they don't owe!\n\nCall them EVERY WEEK until you get an answer. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these people. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - dates, times, who you spoke with. They tried to tell me I never submitted my supporting documents even though I had confirmation numbers!

this happened to my cousin too, he waited so long he actually started making payments cause he was scared theyd garnish his wages! then got approved 2 weeks after he started paying lol

I'm in the exact same boat! Submitted my waiver on May 12th and nothing yet. My anxiety is through the roof because I can't afford to pay back $2,850 right now. Has anyone had success calling them directly? I've tried three times but can never get through to an actual person.

I was in a similar situation last month and was getting nowhere with the regular phone line. After weeks of frustration, I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual NYSDOL agent. They have this service that helps you bypass the hold times - they basically call and wait on hold for you, then connect you when an agent is available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE\n\nOnce I actually spoke with someone, they were able to look up my waiver status and tell me it was in the final review stage. Got my approval letter about 10 days later. Worth considering if you're stressed about the uncertainty.

Update: I finally called today and waited on hold for 2.5 hours! The representative told me my waiver is \

2.5 hours omg thats crazy!! i wouldve hung up after like 30 mins lol

i got my letter yesterday actually! submitted in april and it was approved thank god. they didnt ask for any more info just sent the approval. hang in there!!

That's great news for you! Did they tell you anything about why it was approved or was it just a standard letter?

For those waiting on overpayment waiver decisions, here's some helpful information:\n\n1. NYSDOL is currently taking 3-5 months to process these specific waivers related to the system error from last year.\n\n2. By law, they must consider your financial hardship when deciding on waivers, not just whether the overpayment was your fault.\n\n3. While waiting for a decision, you technically don't have to make payments, but interest may accrue if your waiver is eventually denied.\n\n4. If you receive a letter saying your waiver was denied, you have 30 days to appeal the decision.\n\n5. Document all your communications with NYSDOL - dates, reference numbers, names of representatives.\n\nThe most important thing is to ensure NYSDOL has your current contact information and to check your online account regularly for updates.

This is INCORRECT about the interest! They CANNOT charge interest on overpayments that are under appeal or waiver consideration! That's federal law! And they are ABSOLUTELY charging penalties even though these were THEIR mistakes. The whole system is BROKEN!

Just to clear up some confusion - @AngryClaimant is partially right. While NYSDOL cannot take collection actions or charge penalties during the waiver consideration period, they technically can assess interest from the date of the overpayment determination. However, if your waiver is approved, all interest is forgiven along with the principal amount.\n\nIf you're really concerned about the wait, one option is to request an \

Thank you for this clarification! I didn't know about the expedited review option. I'm not quite at the eviction notice stage but definitely feeling the financial strain. Do you know if they have specific criteria for what qualifies as hardship for expedited review?

To answer your question about hardship criteria for expedited review, NYSDOL considers these circumstances:\n\n- Imminent eviction (notice required)\n- Utility disconnection (notice required)\n- Inability to afford essential medications\n- Dependents with special needs requiring financial resources\n- Recent job loss with no immediate prospects\n- Medical emergencies requiring payment\n\nYou'll need documentation to support your claim. A personal statement explaining your situation along with relevant financial documents is usually sufficient. The expedited review doesn't guarantee approval of the waiver, but it does move your case to the front of the queue for consideration.

I wonder if I qualify for this. I'm behind on my electric bill (got the 30-day notice) and had to put my medication on a credit card last month because I couldn't afford it otherwise. Might be worth trying the expedited review route.

I've been monitoring these waiver decisions for months now and I've YET to see anyone get DENIED unless they clearly committed fraud. These were SYSTEM ERRORS that NYSDOL admitted to! They're just dragging their feet because every day they delay is another day they can frighten people into making payments they don't need to make! It's all BUREAUCRATIC GAMES!

my friend works for the state (not unemployment office tho) and she says theyre just super understaffed not like theyre trying to be evil or anything lol

I just got my approval letter today!!! Almost exactly 3 months after submission. The letter states that they determined the overpayment wasn't my fault and was due to a

congrats!!! so happy for u!

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I tried that Claimyr service that someone mentioned and actually got through to a rep today. They told me my waiver is approved but the letter is still being processed and should arrive within 2 weeks. Such a weight off my shoulders! To anyone still waiting - definitely try to speak with someone directly if you can.

That's great news! So relieved for you. And congratulations to all of us who got through this mess!