NY unemployment stopped answering phones - owed 7 weeks of benefits with no help

Yeah, I noticed the message changed too. They're clearly overwhelmed with calls and are trying to push everyone to use their online messaging system instead. Problem is, nobody ever responds there either! I've been waiting on 4 weeks of backpay. Have you tried sending a secure message through your NY.gov account? Sometimes that works better than calling.

This happened to me last year. The key is to call right when they open at 8:00 AM, but use the option for "filing a new claim" even if you're not. Those agents can still help with payment issues and that queue has fewer people waiting. Also, make sure you've uploaded any documents they might be waiting for - sometimes they put claims on hold without telling you why.

NYSDOL is the WORST!!! They owed me 11 weeks last year and I couldn't get ANYONE on the phone. Then they suddenly just denied all those weeks with ZERO explanation. These people don't care at all about us. They're probably all working from home half the time anyway.

have u tried calling ur state assembly person? my cousin got help that way when his benifits were stuck for like 2 months

After dealing with constant busy signals for weeks trying to reach NYSDOL about my missing payments, I finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 40 minutes. It basically calls for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me days of frustration. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it was honestly the only way I could get through after trying everything else.

FYI - there's actually a technical issue affecting payments for claims filed in February 2025. The system update they did in January messed up a bunch of accounts. My friend works at NYSDOL (not in claims processing but she hears things) and said they're aware of it and working on fixing it, but there's no ETA. Might explain why so many people can't get through right now.

I see a lot of confusion in this thread, so let me try to clarify some things. First, if your benefits show as 'pending' for more than 3 weeks, there's typically an identity verification or eligibility issue that needs to be resolved. Second, the phone system message changes frequently based on call volume - it's not that they've stopped answering, but they're prioritizing certain types of issues. Here's what you should do: 1. Continue certifying weekly (as you've been doing) 2. Check your NY.gov account Message Center for any requests for documents 3. Try calling the special Technical Support line at 888-209-8124, press 1 for English, then 6 for claim issues 4. If all else fails, contact your state representative as someone suggested The system is frustrating, but there are established processes to resolve these issues.

@OP - any luck getting through? I tried the trick of calling right at 8am today and still couldn't get a human. Starting to feel desperate here.

So glad it worked out for you! It's crazy how something as simple as getting through on the phone can be the difference between getting paid or not. Btw did they explain why the message changed on the phone line?

Thanks for sharing your experience, CyberNinja! This gives me hope that there's actually a way to get through this mess. I've been stuck in limbo for 5 weeks now with no payments and zero communication from NYSDOL. My account just shows "under review" with no explanation. I'm definitely going to try both the technical support line that Yuki mentioned and look into that Claimyr service if the phone trick doesn't work. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get benefits we're entitled to, but at least now I have some actual strategies to try instead of just calling the main number over and over again. Really appreciate everyone sharing their tips here - this community is more helpful than the actual unemployment office!

Wow, reading through all these responses has been both frustrating and reassuring at the same time. I'm dealing with the exact same issue - been waiting 6 weeks for benefits with my account stuck on "pending" and absolutely no way to get through to anyone. The fact that so many people are experiencing this tells me it's definitely a systemic problem, not just individual cases. I'm going to try the technical support line trick (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) that Yuki mentioned, and if that doesn't work, I'll look into Claimyr. It's absolutely infuriating that we have to use workarounds and third-party services just to access benefits we've paid into, but I'm at the point where I'll try anything. The rent doesn't care that NYSDOL's system is broken! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread has given me more actionable advice than months of trying to navigate this on my own.

This thread is exactly what I needed to see right now! I've been dealing with the same nightmare for 8 weeks - my benefits stopped coming in January and my account just says "eligibility review in progress" with absolutely no other information. I've tried calling probably 200+ times and either get a busy signal or that new automated message that basically tells you to go away. It's beyond frustrating when you're trying to pay rent and buy groceries! I'm definitely going to try that technical support line (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) first thing Monday morning. And honestly, at this point I'm willing to pay for Claimyr if it actually gets me through to a human being. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops, but reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that there might actually be a way out of this mess. Thanks for sharing all these tips - you guys are lifesavers!

I'm so sorry you're all going through this! I just joined this community because I'm facing the exact same situation - my benefits stopped in mid-February and I've been getting nowhere with the regular phone lines. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both validating and helpful. It's clear this is a widespread systemic issue, not just individual problems. I'm going to try that technical support line trick (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) that Yuki shared, and if that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into Claimyr. It's absolutely maddening that we have to use workarounds and third-party services just to get benefits we've paid into our entire working lives. The stress of not knowing when (or if) you'll get paid while bills pile up is crushing. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and experiences - this community has given me more actionable advice in one thread than I've gotten from NYSDOL in weeks of trying. I'll update if I have any luck with these methods!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been battling NYSDOL for months. I see a lot of people mentioning that technical support line (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) - I actually had success with that number about 3 weeks ago, but here's the key: you have to call right at 8:00 AM sharp and keep trying for the first 30 minutes. After 8:30 AM it becomes almost impossible to get through. Also, when you do get connected, don't hang up if they put you on hold for a long time - I waited 2 hours on hold but finally got someone who could actually see my account details and fix my issue. The regular customer service line is basically useless at this point, but that technical support option still seems to work if you're persistent with the timing. Hope this helps someone avoid some of the frustration I went through!

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread - I've been stuck for 5 weeks with benefits showing "under review" and absolutely zero communication from NYSDOL. After reading through everyone's suggestions, I tried the technical support line (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) this morning at exactly 8:00 AM like Amelia suggested. It took about 45 minutes on hold, but I actually got through to someone! Turns out my account was flagged because I had a brief period of part-time work while collecting benefits last year, even though I reported it properly at the time. The agent was able to clear the flag and said I should see my backpay within a week. The key really is calling right at 8 AM - I tried later in the day yesterday and couldn't get through at all. Thank you to everyone who shared their tips and experiences here, especially Yuki for that phone number and Amelia for the timing advice. This community has been more helpful than the actual unemployment office!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! I'm new to this community and dealing with my own NYSDOL nightmare - been waiting 4 weeks with my account stuck on "pending review" and getting absolutely nowhere with the regular phone lines. Reading everyone's experiences here has made me realize this is clearly a massive systemic problem affecting tons of people, especially those with claims from February 2025. The timing tips for that technical support line (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) are gold - calling at exactly 8:00 AM seems to be the key based on what Amelia and Lucas shared. I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow morning. It's both reassuring and infuriating to see that there ARE actual solutions (like Claimyr, the assembly rep contact, and that technical line), but we have to discover them through community forums instead of being told by NYSDOL directly. Thank you to everyone who's shared their strategies and success stories - this gives me actual hope that I can get through this mess. I'll update if I have any luck with these methods!

This thread has been a lifesaver! I've been dealing with the exact same issue - my NY unemployment benefits stopped coming in February and I've been stuck with a "pending review" status for over 6 weeks now. Like so many others here, I've tried calling the main line dozens of times with no luck. After reading through all these experiences, I'm amazed at how widespread this problem is, especially for February 2025 claims. It's both validating and infuriating to know I'm not alone in this mess. The technical support line tip (888-209-8124, press 1 then 6) that Yuki shared and the 8:00 AM sharp timing strategy from Amelia are exactly what I needed. Lucas's success story gives me real hope that this might actually work. I'm going to set multiple alarms tomorrow morning and try that technical support line right at 8 AM. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into Claimyr and contacting my assembly rep like others suggested. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become detective investigators just to get benefits we've paid into, but this community has provided more useful information than weeks of trying to navigate NYSDOL on my own. Thank you everyone for sharing your strategies and experiences - I'll report back with any updates!