NY unemployment phone number keeps disconnecting me - anyone get through?

welcome to the club lol. been trying since monday and getting nowhere. the system is totally broken

The phone system is overwhelmed right now because of the new quarter starting. Here's what helped me get through last month: 1. Call exactly at 8:00 AM when they first open 2. If that fails, try between 11:30-12:15 when some agents are going to/returning from lunch 3. Don't press 1 for English immediately - wait about 5 seconds 4. When asked about your issue, unemployment payment issues seem to get routed better than general questions It still took me 4 tries, but I eventually got through using this method. Good luck!

I was dealing with the EXACT same issue last week and it was driving me insane. After 3 days of constant busy signals and disconnections, I finally found Claimyr.com which actually got me through to a rep in about 18 minutes. They have this system that waits on hold for you and calls you back when they reach an agent. Saved me so much frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Totally worth it for me since I was about to lose my mind with the constant disconnects!

have u tried the alternate number? sometimes 888-209-8124 works better than the main one. their phone systm is GARBAGE tho so good luck lol

It's IMPOSSIBLE to get through!! I spent TWO WEEKS trying every day, different times, different phone numbers. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO KEEP US OUT! They don't want to pay benefits so they make it impossible to actually talk to anyone. This is by design, not accident. DO NOT GIVE UP - that's what they want!!

I had the same problem last month and finally got through by using a specific technique. Call exactly at 8:00:30 AM (30 seconds after they open), then when the menu starts, immediately press 1, then 6, then 1 again at each prompt. Don't wait for the full menu options. For some reason this specific path seems to have the least congestion. Also, try calling on a Wednesday - statistically it has lower call volumes than Mon/Tue/Fri based on my experience helping clients with NYSDOL issues.

i had this problem to. kept calling for days. finally i went on the website and used the message center thing instead. took 3 days but they called ME back! try that maybe?

I'm a career counselor who works with UI claimants regularly. A few practical tips: 1. The NYSDOL phone system uses an algorithm that prioritizes certain types of claims and issues. When you reach the automated system and it asks why you're calling, saying "Payment not received" tends to get higher priority than "Question about my claim" 2. The lowest volume days are typically Wednesday and Thursday. 3. If your claim was denied, you have exactly 30 calendar days to request a hearing from the date on your determination letter. This is critical - don't miss this deadline. 4. While trying to reach them by phone, also submit your issue through your online account message center AND send a secure message through the Contact Us form on the website. This creates multiple tickets in their system. 5. Be persistent but also make sure you're continuing to certify each week while trying to resolve this issue.

just checked back - did u ever get thru? im still having same issue 🙄

I've been dealing with the same nightmare for weeks! The phone system is absolutely broken. What finally worked for me was a combination of strategies - I called at exactly 8:00 AM on a Wednesday using the 1-6-1 menu sequence someone mentioned, and also kept submitting messages through the online portal. It took about 12 attempts but I finally got through last week. The key is being persistent and trying multiple approaches at once. Don't give up - your benefits are worth fighting for! Also make sure you keep certifying weekly while you're trying to resolve this.