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NY unemployment partial benefits delay after working just under threshold hours

Filed for partial unemployment after working 20.75 hours over three days at the school I work at. We had closures during spring recess but I still work half days on Thursdays normally. Just discovered they mailed a verification form to my employer and now I'm freaking out. I'm leaving for a family trip for 12 days starting next Friday and worried this will delay my payments or cause problems with my ability to certify while away. Has anyone dealt with this? Does the employer verification completely halt payments until they respond? The timing couldn't be worse.

Unfortunately yes, payments usually get delayed until they get that form back. They're checking to make sure your reported hours match what your employer says. If everything matches up it should be fine but could take 1-2 weeks depending on how fast your employer sends it back.

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Fiona Sand

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Ughhh that's exactly what I was afraid of. My HR dept isn't exactly known for their speedy responses šŸ˜« Any idea if I can still certify while I'm away?

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Yeah you can still certify from anywhere! Just log in online or use the mobile site during your usual certification window. Just make sure you have decent internet connection.

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This is why the partial unemployment system is such garbage. They make it so difficult for people working reduced hours. Like we aren't struggling enough already šŸ™„

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After endless phone tag with NY unemployment, I finally found a service that got me through to an actual human. I used claimyr.com and they called the unemployment office, waited on hold, then connected me to a live agent when they picked up. Talking to the agent got my benefits unlocked so quickly after weeks of nothing. Here's a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

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Does this actually work? I've been trying to get through for like a month now...

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100% worked for me. I was skeptical too but was desperate after calling like 50 times a day and getting nowhere. The callback came about 2 hours after I signed up.

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Ashley Simian

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sounds like one of those ads that pops up everywhere. anyone ACTUALLY try this with ny unemployment specifically?

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Finnegan Gunn

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Yes, specifically for NY unemployment. That's literally what it's designed for - calling NYSDOL and other govt agencies that have ridiculous hold times. I got my issue resolved in one call after weeks of trying on my own.

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hmm I've been burned by so many of these 'services' before... what makes this different?

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Finnegan Gunn

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They don't promise to fix your claim or anything - they just get you through to a human at unemployment which is honestly half the battle. Once I talked to someone they fixed my issue in like 10 minutes.

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Oliver Cheng

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Just FYI - if you're working 21.5 hours thats just under the 30 hour threshold in NY where they consider you fully employed. As long as you're reporting your hours accurately you should be fine, but yeah they do verification checks randomly. The form is standard procedure.

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Taylor To

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The verification is completely normal. I've had it happen twice. You can still certify from anywhere while traveling (I did it from florida). Just be honest about any work hours during the week you're certifying for. Also if you work at a school, aren't you usually not eligible during planned school breaks? You might want to check that out.

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Fiona Sand

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Wait what?? I didn't know about the school break thing! I thought since I'm a part-time hourly employee (not salaried) I could still claim for weeks with reduced hours.

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Taylor To

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It depends on your exact employment type. If you're a substitute or per diem worker it's different than if you're regular part-time staff. The NY unemployment handbook has a special section just for educational employees. You should probably check that out ASAP.

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Fiona Sand

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Omg thank you for flagging this. I had no idea. I'll look into it right away!

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Ella Cofer

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I work at a school too and went thru the EXACT same thing last month. I got my payment about 10 days after they sent the verification form. My HR actually called me to let me know they got it and filled it out. Def call your HR and ask them to respond quickly!

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Fiona Sand

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Thanks for the tip! I'll call HR tomorrow and ask them to expedite it.

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Kevin Bell

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Listen, do NOT stress about certifying while traveling. I went to europe for 2 weeks and was still able to certify on the mobile site with no problems. Just remember the time difference if applicable! I set an alarm so I wouldn't forget.

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The real pro tip: If you need to actually talk to someone at unemployment about this or any issue, stop wasting hours on hold. I've been where you are and it's maddening. After a friend recommended it, I tried claimyr.com and they got me connected to an agent within a couple hours. it was the only way I could talk to a live agent without losing my mind on hold all day.

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Felix Grigori

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not falling for another unemployment 'hack'... these never work šŸ™„

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Not a hack - it's just a service that waits on hold for you. I was skeptical too but when you're desperate to reach someone after weeks of trying, it's worth it. They just call and wait on hold so you don't have to, then connect you when a person answers.

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Felix Grigori

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Hmm ok fair. god knows I've wasted enough of my life listening to that awful hold music šŸ¤®

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Felicity Bud

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LOL at everyone's surprise about the employer verification. They ALWAYS do this for partial unemployment claims - it's literally how the system works. NYS doesn't just take your word for how many hours you worked. Your employer has to verify everything. Welcome to the system šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļø

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Fiona Sand

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I'm new to this and just didn't realize. Thanks for the warm welcome I guess? šŸ˜’

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Felicity Bud

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Sorry didn't mean to sound harsh! Just been through this circus many times. The verification is standard and usually doesn't take too long. Hope it goes smoothly for you!

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Fiona Sand

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Thanks, appreciate it. First time dealing with all this so still learning the ropes.

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Max Reyes

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Here's what you need to know about NY unemployment when dealing with partial benefits and employer verification: ā€¢ The verification form is standard procedure - they're just confirming your work hours ā€¢ Payments typically will be held until verification is received, but not always ā€¢ You CAN certify from anywhere while traveling - use the website or mobile site ā€¢ For school employees: check if you're eligible during scheduled breaks (depends on your exact employment status) ā€¢ If you need to reach someone immediately about your claim, stop wasting time on hold - I've had success using claimyr.com to get through to a representative ā€¢ Make sure you're tracking your hours precisely - even small discrepancies can trigger investigations ā€¢ Keep certifying weekly even if payments are delayed The system is frustrating but navigable if you stay on top of everything. The NY unemployment system is overwhelmed like always, so being proactive about any issues is your best strategy.

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Fiona Sand

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Thank you so much for this detailed breakdown! Super helpful. I'll check out that service if my payment doesn't come through before my trip.

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Miguel Harvey

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This is why I love this subreddit. Actual helpful info instead of just complaints.

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Wait you're working at a school and taking unemployment during a scheduled break? Pretty sure thats not allowed under NY unemployment rules. Educational institution employees have special rules for breaks.

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Fiona Sand

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It's not for the break - it's for the reduced hours I had during regular weeks. I'm hourly, not salaried.

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Ahh gotcha, that makes more sense. Sorry for the confusion. Yeah hourly school staff can definitely claim partial benefits for reduced hours during normal school weeks.

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Adrian Connor

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Just tell your employer to hurry up and submit the form! I had this happen and literally walked down to HR and politely asked them to submit it ASAP. Got my payment 3 days later.

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Aisha Jackson

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I've been on and off partial unemployment for a year now (freelancer with inconsistent hours). The verification forms are random but they happen to almost everyone eventually. Just part of their fraud prevention. You'll get your money, it'll just be delayed a bit.

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Fiona Sand

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That's somewhat reassuring. Do you know how long the delays usually are?

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Aisha Jackson

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For me it's been anywhere from 1-3 weeks depending on how quickly my clients respond. Schools usually have dedicated HR so hopefully faster for you.

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honestly the fact that NY unemployment is STILL so hard to navigate after all this time is criminal. other states have much better systems. we really need to get with the program šŸ¤¬

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Lilly Curtis

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For real. My cousin in Michigan says their system is so much more user friendly.

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Leo Simmons

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Lmao try dealing with Florida's system and then come back and tell me NY's is bad. Trust me, we have it better than many states.

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Fair point. I guess the grass is always greener...

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Lindsey Fry

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whatever you do, DO NOT stop certifying weekly just because your payment is pending. keep doing it every week or you'll create even more problems for yourself.

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Saleem Vaziri

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You can reach NYSDOL by phone if you're persistent or use a service. I finally got through after trying claimyr.com and they handled everything for me. Got all my back pay from the delayed claims within days after speaking to someone. So worth it not to waste hours upon hours trying to call them yourself.

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