NY unemployment rep refused to help with Key Bank card status when I called - had to argue to get assistance

same exact thing happened to me last week!!! the guy i talked to was super rude when i called about my payment being late but i used the 'report fraud' option. he lectured me for like 5 minutes about how i'm 'abusing the system' by selecting the wrong option. like excuse me for trying to find out where my MONEY is after calling the regular number 50+ times with no answer!!!

I understand your frustration, but there's actually a reason for this policy. The phone system routes calls to specific departments based on the option you select. When you choose 'change address,' you're connected to staff who primarily handle address changes and may not have training or system access for KeyBank card inquiries. That said, good customer service means trying to help or transfer you appropriately rather than making you call back. For KeyBank debit card issues specifically, you should select the payment method option in the menu or call the KeyBank unemployment card services line directly at 1-866-295-2955.

This is unfortunately common with NY unemployment's phone system. The problem is that their call volume is still overwhelming their capacity, so people find workarounds. Here's what I recommend: 1. For KeyBank card issues specifically, call KeyBank directly at 1-866-295-2955 rather than NYSDOL 2. Try calling NYSDOL right when they open at 8:00 AM 3. If you need to speak to a representative urgently and can't get through using normal methods, there's a service called Claimyr that can help you bypass the phone queue. I used it last month when my account was locked and it worked really well. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE and their website is claimyr.com 4. Document everything - get the representative's name, ID number if possible, and write down the date/time The system is frustrating, but representatives should still be professional regardless of which option you selected.

tbh its a numbers game... some reps are cool and will help u no matter what option u choose, others are by-the-book and wont budge. i always just hang up and try again if i get a strict one. eventually u get someone helpful

As someone who worked in a call center (not for unemployment), I can explain what's happening here. Each department has different performance metrics they're measured on. When you use the address change option, you're potentially making that department's call times and resolution metrics look bad because they're handling non-address issues. The rep was probably worried about getting penalized for spending too long on a call that should've gone elsewhere. That said, they SHOULD be helping you or transferring you appropriately, not telling you to hang up and call again. That's just lazy customer service and shows they don't value your time.

I had this EXACT problem trying to get my NY unemployment KeyBank card replaced when it was lost last month. Couldn't get through on the main line for DAYS. Finally called the employer contribution line and pretended I was an employer with a "quick question" and then explained my situation. The lady was actually super nice and transferred me directly to someone who could help with my card. Sometimes you just have to be creative with these systems when they're designed to fail us. BTW has anyone else noticed that the KeyBank cards are taking FOREVER to arrive in 2025? Mine took 3.5 weeks!

I think everyone's missing the real problem here - the entire NY unemployment system is DELIBERATELY DESIGNED to be impossible to navigate. They WANT people to give up so they don't have to pay benefits. It's been this way for years, and they have no incentive to fix it because frustrated people eventually stop trying. It's not a broken system - it's working exactly as intended.

Thanks everyone for your responses and suggestions! After all this hassle, my card finally arrived today - almost 3 weeks after I was approved. For anyone else dealing with KeyBank card issues, I'm going to try their direct line next time like @profile1 suggested. And I've set up direct deposit as a backup like @profile4 recommended. This whole system is so frustrating, but at least we can help each other navigate it!