NY unemployment payments delayed since January - still 'determining benefit rate' despite receiving determination letter

This happened to me too! The system is completely broken right now. I waited almost 7 weeks with the same 'determining benefit rate' status even though I had my determination letter. What finally worked was using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent (https://claimyr.com). Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. The agent I spoke with said there was a 'system flag' on my account that only they could remove. Two days after speaking with someone, my payments started including all my backpay. Without getting through to a human, I'd probably still be waiting.

had the same issue last month, took me 4 calls to finally get someone who knew what they were doing. turns out their system flagged my account because i had worked in another state briefly last year. keep calling!!!

This is unfortunately a very common issue right now with the NYSDOL system. When there's a discrepancy between their automated determination system and any of your employment records, it can trigger a manual review flag that puts your claim in limbo. Here's what you should do: 1. Continue certifying weekly benefits even though you're not receiving payments yet 2. Check your message inbox on the portal daily (sometimes they send requests for additional information without notifying you) 3. Send a specific message through the portal referencing your determination letter date and asking about the specific hold reason 4. Try calling right when they open at 8:00 AM Monday morning The good news is that once this is resolved, you'll receive all backpay for the weeks you've been certifying. The frustrating part is getting someone to actually look at your claim and remove the hold.

THEY DO THIS ON PURPOSE!!! I swear they make us wait hoping we'll give up. I had to call 63 TIMES before getting through last month. When I finally spoke to someone they fixed my issue in FIVE MINUTES. It was a "system error" they said. Yeah right. They're just understaffed and don't care about us.

The problem is likely that there's a mismatch between the information in your determination letter and something else in your file. This happens most commonly with: 1. Wage discrepancies from an employer not properly reporting 2. Employment in multiple states during your base period 3. A previous claim that hasn't been properly closed in the system 4. Identity verification flags that weren't cleared I recommend specifically requesting an "escalation" when you contact them. Use that exact word. Also, document everything: take screenshots of your portal showing the status, keep copies of all letters, and note the dates/times of all your contact attempts. This documentation can help if you need to involve your state representative, which might be your next step if this continues much longer.

just keep calling. thats all u can do. the system sux but eventually youll get thru. try calling at like 8:02am exactly thats when i got through.

I had a friend who went through this exact situation and she ended up contacting her state assembly person's office. They have special contacts at unemployment and got her issue fixed within a week. Might be worth trying if nothing else works!

Have you checked if there's any additional information they're requesting? Sometimes they need more documentation but the notification gets buried in the system. Go to your online account and check the "Messages" section thoroughly. Also check if there are any action items in your dashboard that need completion. I was stuck for 3 weeks before I realized they were waiting for me to upload a document I didn't know they needed!

btw did u check ur spam folder? they sent me an email that went to spam and i almost missed it. just a thought

IF YOU WANT RESULTS FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INSPECTOR GENERAL!!! That's what finally worked for me after waiting 10 WEEKS!!! They hate when you do this and suddenly they find time to fix your claim!!! https://www.oig.dol.gov/hotline.htm

After trying everything myself, I used that Claimyr service I mentioned and got through in about 15 minutes. The agent told me there was a 'wage investigation' flag on my account even though they'd already sent the determination letter. Apparently the system can automatically send the letter but then put a separate hold on actual payments. Makes zero sense but that's how their broken system works. Definitely worth getting to a real person however you can.

One last important note: make sure you're still certifying for benefits every week while you wait for this to resolve. Many people stop certifying when they don't see payments, but you need those certifications to get backpay for all weeks once the issue is fixed. Set a calendar reminder to certify every Sunday without fail.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in late January and it's been over 6 weeks of the same "determining benefit rate" status. What's really frustrating is that I can see in my online account that they've already calculated my weekly benefit amount ($347) but the payments just won't release. I've tried calling dozens of times with no luck getting through. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like there might be some kind of automated system flag that only a human agent can clear. I'm going to try contacting my assembly person this week since several people mentioned that worked for them. This whole system is absolutely broken - how can they send determination letters but then act like they don't know our benefit rates? Hang in there Emma, hopefully we both get this resolved soon! 🤞