NY unemployment stuck in 'pending' for 3 weeks - can't reach anyone by phone

its been crazy since they rolled out that new system in january. took me 4 weeks to get mine approved and i had to call like 50 times. just keep trying

Three weeks is unfortunately not unusual with the current backlog. The system is overwhelmed with the seasonal employment shifts. A few recommendations: 1. Call exactly at 8:00 AM when they open - that's your best chance 2. Make sure your claim doesn't have any missing documentation (check your messages folder) 3. Try using the message center in your account instead of calling 4. Double-check that you've completed your weekly certifications correctly If you absolutely need to speak with someone, document each call attempt (date, time) in case you need to file a complaint later.

I went through the EXACT same nightmare back in January. Pending for almost a month with no communication. The whole system is deliberately broken to discourage people from collecting. The state doesn't WANT to pay you. The only way I finally got it resolved was by contacting my state assembly person's office. They have special contacts at NYSDOL.

After trying for two weeks straight and getting nowhere with the regular number, I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a NYSDOL agent in about 20 minutes. They have this service that gets you past the phone tree and holds your place in line. Totally worth checking out their video demo at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE to see how it works. The agent was able to see that my claim had a verification flag that needed to be cleared, and they fixed it on the spot. My payment was in my account 48 hours later.

have you tried the online chat? i couldnt get thru on phone either but the chat thing worked for me after like a 40 min wait. go to the contact page and look for the blue chat icon in bottom right

I work with a nonprofit that assists people with unemployment issues, and unfortunately the 3-week wait is becoming standard due to the high volume of claims following the January system update and recent manufacturing layoffs. Here's what typically works best: 1. Be extremely precise with your weekly certifications - any discrepancies will flag your account for manual review 2. Check your spam/junk folder for emails from NYSDOL - they often get filtered 3. If your claim shows 'pending' for more than 21 calendar days, you qualify for an expedited review For expedited review, specifically request to speak with a Tier 2 specialist when you call. They have more authority to resolve pending claims. Call the alternate number: 888-209-8124 and use option sequence 1, 3, 2 when prompted.

I was stuck in pending for almost 5 weeks and was going CRAZY trying to reach someone!!! What worked for me was calling at exactly 4:55pm right before they close. I think everyone assumes they're closed already so the lines were clearer. Got through to someone who fixed my claim in 10 minutes - turns out my former employer had submitted incorrect information about my last day. Worth a try!

did u try the automated status line? sometimes works better than main number. 888-581-5812

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through with any of these methods? The situation with the phone lines has been particularly challenging this quarter due to the system migration.