NY unemployment payment released but not on debit card after 3 days - who to contact?

This happened to me last month! The automated system said released but took 4 days to show up on my card. KeyBank has a separate customer service line for NY unemployment debit cards: 1-866-295-2955. They can tell you if the payment is pending in their system. If KeyBank says they don't see it, THEN you need to contact NYSDOL directly about the missing payment.

If KeyBank doesn't see the payment, you definitely need to contact NYSDOL directly. There could be a system glitch where it shows released on their end but didn't actually process. The regular unemployment number is 1-888-209-8124, but good luck getting through - their wait times are ridiculous right now because of all the new claims from those seasonal layoffs in October.

I recently had this exact problem! After the release date it took a WHOLE WEEK to hit my card!! The system is so backed up right now. I'd wait at least 3-4 business days after the release date before panicking.

This is actually a common issue right now. The system will say "Released" but there's often a delay in the actual transfer to KeyBank. Here's what to do: 1. First, make sure your payment method hasn't changed in the system 2. Check that your KeyBank card is still active (not expired) 3. Verify your claim wasn't flagged for any reason (like unreported income) If all that checks out and it's been more than 3 business days, you need to speak with an actual claims specialist at NYSDOL. The regular unemployment line rarely connects you to the right person.

keybank IS THE WORST!!!! they hold our $$ hostage and nobody can reach nysdol to fix anything. system is BROKEN. i had same issue last yr and ended up having to go to my state assembly person's office for help. took 3 WEEKS to get MY MONEY!!!!

After trying for days to get through to NYSDOL about a similar issue (payment said released but never arrived), I finally used Claimyr to reach an agent. It connected me directly to a claims specialist who fixed my issue in minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE and their website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it when you need to actually talk to someone at unemployment without waiting all day.

In my experience as someone who dealt with NY unemployment for 8 months, there are three possibilities when payments show as released but don't arrive: 1. Banking delay (usually 1-3 business days) 2. Payment was released but then put on hold (happened to me) 3. System glitch in the release process KeyBank saying they don't see it points to options 2 or 3, which means you need to speak with NYSDOL directly. The automated system won't tell you if there's a hold after release.

@OP - Did you try that Claimyr service I mentioned? I used it last week and got through in about 20 minutes. The agent told me there's been a processing delay with some payments due to a system update they did on 11/10. Might explain your situation.

Did u have to give them ur ssn and birth date and stuff to use that service? kinda sketchy to give personal info to a third party just to make a phone call no?

Just as a follow-up for anyone reading this thread in the future: when payments show as "Released" but don't arrive within 3 business days, always check with KeyBank first (1-866-295-2955), then contact NYSDOL directly. System glitches like this have become more common since their platform update in 2025.