NY unemployment payments sent to KeyBank card but still haven't received it - how long is normal wait?
Finally got some movement on my NY unemployment claim after MONTHS of waiting and getting my case expedited. They released my payments to a KeyBank debit card on 1/10/2025, and the KeyBank website said I should've received the card by 1/18/2025. It's now several days past that date and still nothing in my mailbox! How long did it take for everyone else to get their KeyBank card after payments were released? Starting to worry it got lost in the mail or something... Really wish my credit union worked with NY unemployment for direct deposit instead of dealing with this card nonsense.
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Ava Thompson
Mine took about 14 business days even though the website said 7-10 days. The tracking information was completely useless too. I'd give it until the end of the month before really worrying about it being lost. The first card always takes the longest in my experience.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better. I'll try to be patient for another week then. Did you have to activate it a certain way when it finally showed up?
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Miguel Herrera
IT TOOK FOREVER FOR MINE TO COME TOO!!! KeyBank is THE WORST partner for unemployment. I had to wait almost 3 weeks back in November when my payments got approved. Then when it finally came, the activation process was glitchy and I had to call their customer service which is another nightmare!!! They should just let us use our own banks like normal people!!
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Zainab Ali
•While I understand the frustration, there are actually some benefits to the KeyBank card system. It allows NYSDOL to distribute funds faster than ACH transfers to personal banks in many cases. The initial card is slow, but once you have it, weekly payments are usually available within 1-2 business days.
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Connor Murphy
I never got mine either and had to request a replacement. Waited 3 weeks, called KeyBank, and they said it was sent but admitted lots of cards get lost. Call KeyBank at 866-295-2955 to check if yours was actually sent. If you wait too long, your funds might get returned to NYSDOL which causes a whole new headache trying to get them released again.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Oh no! That's exactly what I'm worried about. How long did the replacement take to arrive once you requested it? And did they charge you a fee?
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Connor Murphy
•Replacement took about 10 days. They waived the fee for the first replacement since it wasn't my fault it never arrived. But make sure you call them first to confirm it was actually sent before requesting a new one.
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Yara Nassar
mine took bout 2 weeks to come in the mail. just keep checkin the mailbox everyday. good news is once u got the card, the payments show up fast after that. no more waiting
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StarGazer101
This is a common issue. Here's what you need to know: 1. First KeyBank cards typically take 10-15 business days to arrive, despite what the website claims 2. Cards are mailed from Ohio, not New York, which adds time 3. The tracking provided by KeyBank is not actual USPS tracking and is often inaccurate 4. You can call KeyBank at 866-295-2955 to verify your card was mailed and the address is correct 5. After 15 business days, you can request a replacement if it hasn't arrived If you're struggling to get through to a representative at KeyBank, consider using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They help connect you to an actual human agent without waiting in phone queues. There's a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Thanks for the detailed info! I haven't been able to get through on the KeyBank line at all - it keeps disconnecting me after the automated system. I'll check out that Claimyr service, anything to avoid more waiting at this point.
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Keisha Jackson
I got my card 3 weeks after they said I should have received it lol! The mail is terrible in my area tho so could be part of the problem. But when I got another payment in February it showed up on my card in like 2 days so at least there's that. Hang in there!
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Zainab Ali
To add some clarity: KeyBank is required to mail your card within 3 business days of receiving the payment instruction from NYSDOL. However, standard mail delivery can take 7-10 business days, and during high volume periods (like January), it can take longer. If you haven't received your card by January 31st, you should: 1. Call KeyBank to confirm your mailing address is correct 2. Ask if the card was returned as undeliverable 3. Request a replacement if needed Also, once you receive your card, you can set up online transfers to your personal bank account through the KeyBank portal. Many claimants don't realize this option exists and it's typically faster than waiting for a direct deposit option through NYSDOL.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•I had no idea about the transfer option! That's really helpful to know once I finally get this card. I'll definitely give KeyBank a call if nothing shows up by the 31st. Thanks for the information.
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Ava Thompson
Update us when you get it! I'm curious if delivery times have improved at all since I had to deal with this last year.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Will do! I'm checking my mailbox obsessively every day. I'll let everyone know once it finally arrives.
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Yara Nassar
my cousin said he had the same problem last year n the card came eventually. but he had already requested a replacement so he ended up with two cards lol
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Connor Murphy
Just wanted to share that I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above when I couldn't get through to KeyBank after trying for DAYS. Got connected to an agent in about 10 minutes. They confirmed my card was sent to the wrong address somehow even though my correct address was in the system. The agent fixed it right away and expedited a new card. Worth every penny to not deal with that awful phone system.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•That's really good to know! I've been trying to call for two days with no luck. Did they charge you a lot for the service?
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Connor Murphy
•I don't remember the exact amount but it was reasonable considering the hours of frustration it saved me. Their website shows the current rates. The card arrived 3 days after that call via expedited shipping.
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Paolo Romano
is anyone else having trouble with the keybank website? i got my card finally but can't even login to see my balance. their whole system seems broken to me
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Miguel Herrera
•YES!! Their website is TERRIBLE! It kept locking me out and then I'd have to call to reset things. Try using the mobile app instead - it actually works better than their website for some reason.
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Dmitry Ivanov
UPDATE: My card FINALLY arrived today! It took exactly 18 business days from when the payment was issued. The envelope was really beat up too, looked like it had been through the ringer. But at least I got it and was able to activate it without issues. Thanks everyone for the advice and sharing your experiences!
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Ava Thompson
•Great news! Glad it finally showed up. Make sure you set up that bank transfer option someone mentioned above so you don't have to keep using the card if you don't want to.
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Zainab Ali
•Excellent! For future reference, if you keep claiming benefits, subsequent payments will be loaded onto this same card much faster (usually 1-2 days after certification). And yes, definitely set up the bank transfer option in your online account for more flexibility.
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