NY unemployment put on hold after answering break in claims questionnaire - help!

You might have triggered their system when you mentioned the break in employment. The NYSDOL has gotten really strict about claim verification in 2025 - especially when there's any employment between claim periods. Don't panic though! This is usually just a standard verification delay, not a full investigation.\n\nWhat usually happens is they need to verify with that employer about your dates and earnings. Did you report all earnings during that brief employment period when you were working?

Yes, I reported everything correctly! That's what's so frustrating. I worked for exactly 2 weeks in February, reported all earnings each week, and then went back to claiming after that. I don't understand why they're asking about it now in April when they already paid me the back payments last week!

omg this SAME THING happened to me in january!!! the system is completely broken. took me 3 weeks to get it fixed and i almost missed rent. good luck

3 weeks?? I can't wait that long! Did you do anything specific to get it resolved or did it just randomly start working again?

honestly i just kept calling every single day until someone finally fixed it. the first 5 people i talked to had no idea what was going on

This is actually a known issue with the NY unemployment system right now. When you have a brief period of work followed by continued unemployment claims, the system sometimes triggers a secondary review even if you've already reported everything correctly. \n\nHere's what you need to do:\n\n1. Send a secure message through your NY.gov account specifically stating that you've already reported this employment period and received back pay\n\n2. Call the claims center at 888-209-8124 and explain the situation - be very specific about dates\n\n3. Have documentation ready showing your employment dates and that you previously reported them\n\nThe hold is usually lifted within 3-5 business days once you get through to someone. The problem is reaching an actual claims specialist.

Thank you for such clear instructions! I've sent the secure message already. I've been trying to call but can't get through - been on hold for over an hour three different times this week already.

After trying for 4 days to reach someone at NYSDOL about a similar issue, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have this service that somehow gets you past the hold times. I was skeptical but they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE\n\nThe agent I spoke with was able to remove the hold right away once I explained the situation. Apparently these automated reviews are happening a lot but can be cleared manually by the right person.

I've never heard of this before. Did you actually get through to a real NYSDOL agent? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Yes, a real live NYSDOL agent! It connected me directly to them - I just had to explain my situation like I normally would. With how backed up the phone lines are right now, it saved me days of frustration.

Just wanna say the same thing happened to my cousin and his account was on hold for like 2 weeks. something about the computer system flagging accounts when theres work gaps. he got it fixed eventually

The WHOLE system is designed to make us give up!!! I had THREE holds last year for stupid reasons. Each time it was some

While I understand your frustration, this is more likely a case of outdated systems than malicious intent. The NY unemployment system was last majorly updated in 2023, and it still struggles with handling scenarios that deviate from standard patterns (like brief employment periods during an active claim year).\n\nThe current verification hold is actually designed to prevent fraud, which increased 300% during 2024. Unfortunately, legitimate claimants get caught in these security measures. Speaking to an agent directly is definitely the fastest solution since they can override the automated hold.

That's what they WANT you to think! Why does their

I work with unemployment cases regularly, and this is what's happening: When you receive back pay and then immediately file again, the system sometimes triggers what's called a

Thank you so much for explaining what's happening! I've been trying to call but the wait times are insane. I'm going to try using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above to see if I can get through faster. This is really helpful to know what information to have ready!

UPDATE: I finally got through to NYSDOL! Used that Claimyr service and it worked exactly like they said - got me through to an agent in about 25 minutes instead of endless hold.\n\nThe agent confirmed exactly what several of you mentioned - it was an automated

awesome!! so glad it worked out for you!!

Great news! And now you know what to do if it happens again (though hopefully it won't). The system has these quirks but once you know how to navigate them, it gets easier.

I had this happen back in January and still waiting for resolution... called 36 times no joke. My situation is a bit different though since I also moved counties during the hold period which apparently complicates things. Tried sending documents through the portal but they keep saying they can't access them. Anyone else deal with changing counties during a claim?

Moving counties shouldn't affect your claim that dramatically since unemployment is state-administered. Sounds like you might have a different issue - possibly a document verification problem. Try sending your documents again but make sure they're PDF format under 5MB. The system rejects other formats or larger files without clear error messages.

@Emma Johnson I feel your pain! 36 calls is beyond ridiculous - the system is definitely failing you. For county changes during claims, I've seen this cause issues when the system tries to verify your address against employment records. Here's what worked for a friend who had the same problem: 1. When you upload documents, try using a different browser (Chrome if you used Safari, etc.) 2. Make sure your address change was properly updated in your NY.gov profile BEFORE uploading documents 3. If documents still won't go through, try faxing them instead - some people have better luck with that The Claimyr service others mentioned might be your best bet at this point since regular calling clearly isn't working. 36 attempts shows you've definitely tried the normal route! Don't give up - you shouldn't have to wait months for something that should be a simple verification.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my claim got flagged after a brief temp job, but reading through everyone's experiences makes me feel less alone in this mess. @Arjun Kurti I'm so glad you got your issue resolved! For anyone still struggling with holds, I wanted to add that I've found calling right when they open (8 AM) on Tuesdays gives you the best chance of getting through without waiting hours. Mondays are apparently their busiest day. Also, if you're having document upload issues like @Emma Johnson, try uploading from a computer instead of your phone - the mobile interface seems even more glitchy than the desktop version. The fact that so many of us are going through the same automated hold issue shows this is definitely a system problem, not individual mistakes. Hang in there everyone - it's frustrating but it does get resolved eventually!

I just went through this exact same situation last month! My account was put on hold after I answered a questionnaire about a 3-week temp job I had already reported months earlier. It's so frustrating when you've done everything correctly and the system still flags you. What helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - screenshots of when I originally reported the employment, copies of all my weekly certifications, etc. When I finally got through to an agent (took me about 2 weeks of trying), having all that documentation ready made the conversation go much smoother. They were able to see that I had already properly reported everything and lifted the hold immediately. The agent explained that these secondary reviews are unfortunately common right now, especially if there's any gap or temporary work in your claim history. It's not that you did anything wrong - the automated system just gets confused and flags accounts for manual review. @Arjun Kurti I'm glad you got yours resolved so quickly! For anyone else dealing with this, don't lose hope. It's a pain but it does get sorted out once you reach the right person. The key is persistence and having your documentation organized when you finally get through.