NY unemployment says I need to write a letter for back pay from May-August?

Yeah this is normal unfortunately. I had to write a letter for my backpay from April to July. What they want is for you to explain why you didnt file immediately when you became unemployed. I wrote about how I thought my job was gonna call me back and by the time I realized they weren't going to, several months had past. I sent mine to the appeals department address on the NYSDOL website. Took about 6 weeks to get processed but I did get all my back pay eventually.

After 23 days of trying to reach someone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from an actual agent in under 2 hours! I was in the same situation with backpay issues and the agent was able to help me get it all sorted out on the phone. Talking to an actual person made all the difference - my payments started showing up just 3 days later. Best money I've spent in this whole nightmare process. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I had something similar happen. The letter thing is legit - it's called a "Request for Backdating" and you need to explain why you didn't apply right when you became unemployed. Be super specific about dates and include as much detail as possible. In my case, I explained that I initially thought my layoff was temporary and my employer told me they'd rehire me within a few weeks, but then they permanently closed in July. Make sure to include your full name, last 4 of SSN, phone #, and your claim ID if you have it.

The system is rigged on purpose to make it hard to get what ur owed. They make these stupid rules about letters and backdating to create hurdles so ppl will give up. I wrote the damn letter like they asked 3 MONTHS AGO and havent heard ANYTHING back 😡 The whole "write a letter" thing is just their way of buying time and hoping you'll forget about it.

Pro tip: when you write that letter, send it CERTIFIED MAIL with a return receipt. NY unemployment has a habit of "losing" these backdate request letters. Also make copies of everything before you send it. Include your phone number and email in the letter so they can contact you easily. And keep calling every couple weeks to check on the status - the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these people.

I swear the NY unemployment system is designed to be as confusing as possible. Why can't they just pay people what they're owed without all these extra steps? If they already determined you're eligible, why do you need to write some special letter? Makes zero sense. Classic government inefficiency.

I've been working on unemployment issues for clients for years, and I can tell you specifically what you need in that letter: 1. Your full name, address, phone number, and last 4 of SSN 2. Your claim ID number (very important) 3. The exact dates you're requesting backdating for (May 24-August 15) 4. A clear explanation of why you didn't file immediately - be honest but emphasize any confusion about eligibility or technical issues you experienced 5. Documentation if possible - any emails with your employer about your job status, etc. Mail it to: NYS Department of Labor PO Box 15130 Albany, NY 12212-5130 Also, call to follow up every 2 weeks. The system is overwhelmed and things get lost. If you're still struggling to get through on the phone, I've had clients use claimyr.com to get callbacks from agents instead of waiting on hold for hours. This backpay issue can be resolved in minutes with the right agent. Good luck!

I faxed my letter instead of mailing it and got my backpay within 2 weeks. Sometimes the old school methods work better with these agencies. 📠 The fax number should be on their website.

My cousin works for ny unemployment (not saying which office) and she says they are REQUIRED to pay you your backpay if you were eligible during that period. The letter is just bureaucratic bs but you do need to send it. Make it simple, professional, include all your info, and follow up constantly. Don't let them ghost you.

I had the same exact issue!!! I wrote the letter explaining that I misunderstood the filing process and thought I couldn't apply until my severance pay ended. I included all my details and mailed it in June. By August I still hadn't heard anything so I started calling everyday. Finally got someone who actually helped and they released all my back payments at once. It was over $7500! Be persistent - they count on people giving up.

i had this same issue. wrote the letter. waited 3 months. nothing happened. then i called my state assembly person's office and explained the situation. they have special liaisons who work with unemployment office. got my backpay 2 weeks after that call. try that if the letter doesn't work.

This is what you get with socialist government programs - inefficiency, bureaucracy, and wasted tax dollars. Get a job instead of waiting for handouts. There are help wanted signs everywhere.

I found out the hard way that when you're writing these letters, DON'T admit that you didn't know you had to file right away or that you were confused about the process. They will use that as an excuse to deny you. Instead, say you had technical problems filing or that the website kept crashing when you tried. They can't verify that and they're more likely to approve technical issues than "I didn't understand the rules."

have u tried going to an actual unemployment office in person? sometimes face to face is the only way to get things done with ny unemployment. i went to the office in brooklyn and got my issue fixed same day after months of phone call hell

After trying everything including sending multiple letters, what finally worked for me was using claimyr.com to get an agent on the phone, then having them transfer me to a tier 2 specialist. Regular agents don't have the authority to approve backdated payments, but tier 2 specialists do. Most people don't know to ask for this! The tier 2 guy processed all my back pay while I was on the phone with him. Worth every penny I paid for the callback service.

Literally dealing with the EXACT same issue rn. Been filing since April but they're only paying me from July 12 forward. The whole "write a letter" thing seems like a runaround. Has anyone actually gotten their backpay after doing this??

Make sure the letter is SHORT and to the point. Mine was 3 paragraphs - who I am, when I became unemployed, why I didn't file right away, and request for backdating. Include all your identifying info. I sent it in April and got my backpay in May. The people saying it doesn't work probably wrote novels that no one had time to read or left out important details.

hey quick question - when did you originally file your claim? and did you select the correct start date for your unemployment when you first applied? sometimes this happens when theres a mismatch between when you say you became unemployed vs when you actually filed

This happened to my wife. The letter is legit but here's the thing - they are VERY picky about the content. Her first letter got rejected because she didn't "provide sufficient cause" for backdating. Second letter we were super specific about why she couldn't file (our internet was out for 3 weeks due to a storm, then she was in the hospital, etc). The more barriers you can list that prevented you from filing, the better chance you have. Don't just say you didn't know you should file.