NY unemployment stuck in pending status for 2 months despite ID verification

Unfortunately there's no direct email for claim issues, which is frustrating. Your situation sounds like you might be caught in an identity verification review. Even after completing ID.me, NYSDOL sometimes does additional verification that can take 6-8 weeks. Try these three things: 1. Check your online message inbox on the NYSDOL portal daily - sometimes they send requests that don't generate email notifications 2. Contact your state assembly person's office - they often have direct lines to NYSDOL representatives 3. Call the main number at exactly 8:00am when they open - this increases your chance of getting through

same thing happened to meee!! 10 weeks stuck on pending then suddenly got all the money at once. no explanation. just randomly fixed itself. the system is so broken

I was stuck in pending for 7 weeks last month until I finally got through to an actual claims specialist. Regular customer service reps can't help with pending claims - you need a Tier 2 specialist who can see what's causing the hold. After wasting HOURS on hold and getting disconnected repeatedly, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. It basically waits on hold for you then calls you when an agent is available. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Turns out my claim was flagged for a simple employment history discrepancy that the agent fixed in 5 minutes. My payments started processing the next day. Worth considering if you're desperate.

Claims specialist here. The "pending" status with no communication after ID.me verification usually indicates one of several issues: 1. Employer response discrepancy - If your former employer provided information that differs from your application 2. Wage verification hold - Sometimes the system flags claims where reported wages don't match DOL records 3. Multi-state wage investigation - If you worked in multiple states in your base period 4. Secondary identity verification - Additional verification beyond ID.me The current backlog for resolution is 6-8 weeks. Continue certifying weekly. I recommend calling 888-209-8124 between 7:55-8:05am when queue volumes are lowest. If asked for documentation, upload it immediately through your online account under "Documents." Persistence is key. If you've already waited 8 weeks, your claim is likely nearing review.

My brother had this exact same issue!!! Pending for like 2 months after the monetary determination letter. He finally got thru to someone on the phone who told him there was a HOLD on his account because his last employer contested the claim!!! But nobody bothered to tell him that!! Once he knew what was going on he was able to provide proof he was laid off and everything was resolved in like a week. The stupid thing is SOMEONE KNEW why his claim was held up but there's no system to tell you!! You HAVE to talk to a human!!!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but "pending" for 8 weeks often means there's a specific issue with your claim that requires manual review. The current NYSDOL backlog for manual reviews is significant, and many claims are taking 10-12 weeks to resolve. In my experience working with clients in similar situations, these are the most likely causes: 1. You reported wages or worked part-time during certification weeks 2. Your employment separation reason requires adjudication (not a clear layoff) 3. Your identity verification flagged additional verification needs 4. Your claim involves multiple employers or complicated wage calculations Do any of these apply to your situation?

did u check ur spam folder? sometimes those nysdol emails go straight to junk mail lol

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE US GIVE UP!!! They WANT US to get frustrated and stop trying so they dont have to pay!!!!! I had to call 97 TIMES before I got someone and then they said "oh we just needed to verify one thing" which took 30 SECONDS to fix!!!!! 8 WEEKS OF NO MONEY because they couldnt send a letter or email???? THIS IS BY DESIGN PEOPLE!!!

NYSDOL has a social media team that sometimes responds to issues. Try sending a direct message to their official Twitter or Facebook accounts with your name and the last 4 digits of your SSN (never the full number). Be professional and concise. Some people have reported success getting attention this way when traditional channels fail.

I went through something very similar last year - 9 weeks stuck in pending status after completing ID.me verification. What finally worked for me was documenting everything and filing a complaint with the NY State Department of Labor's internal review process. Here's what I did: 1. Created a timeline of all my actions (application date, certifications, ID.me completion, etc.) 2. Screenshots of my account showing "pending" status 3. Log of all my phone call attempts with dates and times 4. Filed a formal complaint through their website under "File a Complaint About UI Services" Within 2 weeks of filing the complaint, someone from their escalation team called me directly and resolved the issue. Turns out there was a system glitch that flagged my account incorrectly. The complaint process forces them to assign a case worker who has to respond within a certain timeframe. It's not widely advertised but it exists specifically for situations like yours where normal channels aren't working. Keep certifying every week while you pursue this - you'll get backpay for all those weeks once it's resolved. Don't give up!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in early February, completed ID.me weeks ago, got my monetary determination letter, but still stuck on pending for 8 weeks now. It's so frustrating to see that we're all going through this same nightmare. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the complaint process that Anastasia mentioned might be our best bet. I'm definitely going to try that approach along with the early morning calling strategy. Has anyone else here tried filing the formal complaint through their website? I'm curious if that's actually more effective than just continuing to call. At this point I'm willing to try anything - my savings are completely drained and I'm behind on rent. The stress of not knowing what's causing the delay is almost worse than the financial strain. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. It helps to know we're not alone in this mess, even though it's terrible that so many people are dealing with the same broken system.

I'm going through the EXACT same thing and this thread is giving me so much hope! Applied February 15th, completed ID.me verification 6 weeks ago, got my monetary determination letter, but still stuck on pending. I've been calling every day for 3 weeks with zero luck getting through. After reading all these responses, I'm creating my action plan for this week: 1. Filing that formal complaint tomorrow morning - Anastasia's detailed steps are a godsend 2. Calling at exactly 8am using the number Zoe provided 3. Reaching out to NYSDOL on Twitter/Facebook like DeShawn suggested 4. Uploading my W-2s proactively since I also worked multiple jobs during base period The part about employer disputes really hit home - my last job was also a small company that had layoffs, so maybe there's an issue with their response too. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and actual actionable advice. This is the first time in weeks I feel like there might be light at the end of this tunnel. Will definitely update with results!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline and it's both frustrating and oddly comforting to see so many others in the same boat. Applied February 18th, completed ID.me verification 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending status. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially the formal complaint process that Anastasia outlined and the specific phone strategies from Zoe. I had no idea there was an internal review process for UI services or that there were better times to call. My situation might be similar to yours since I was also laid off from a small company (a tech startup that downsized suddenly) and worked for 3 different employers during my base period. Based on what Fatima mentioned about complicated wage calculations, that could definitely be what's causing my delay. I'm going to try the multi-pronged approach that several people suggested: - Filing the formal complaint with detailed documentation - Calling at 8am sharp using the 888-209-8124 number - Proactively uploading all my W-2s and separation documentation - Reaching out via NYSDOL social media Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and actually actionable advice instead of just venting (though the venting is totally valid too!). This is the first thread I've found with people who actually got resolution. Will definitely update with results - hopefully we can help the next person stuck in pending limbo.

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! Applied February 10th, completed ID.me 7 weeks ago, got my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. Like many others here, I worked for multiple employers during my base period (including a startup that closed) so that's probably complicating things. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm convinced the formal complaint process Anastasia described is the way to go. The fact that so many of us have identical timelines (February apps, ID.me done weeks ago, monetary letters received but still pending) suggests there's definitely a systematic backlog issue. I'm planning to combine several strategies from this thread: 1. File the formal complaint with detailed timeline and screenshots 2. Try calling at exactly 8am with the 888-209-8124 number 3. Proactively upload all my W-2s and separation docs 4. Reach out via NYSDOL social media Thank you everyone for sharing actual actionable solutions instead of just "keep waiting." This is the first time in weeks I feel like there's a real path forward. Will definitely update with results - hopefully we can help break this cycle for others stuck in the same pending nightmare!

I'm going through the EXACT same situation and this thread is giving me so much hope! Applied February 8th, completed ID.me verification 8 weeks ago, got my monetary determination letter, but still stuck on pending. I've been calling daily for almost a month with zero success getting through to an actual person. After reading all these responses, I'm blown away by how many of us have identical timelines - February applications, ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received but still pending. This is clearly a systematic issue, not individual account problems. The formal complaint process that Anastasia outlined is exactly what I needed to hear about. I had no idea there was an internal review system that could assign a dedicated case worker. That seems like our best shot at getting someone who can actually see what's causing these holds. My action plan based on everyone's advice: 1. File that formal complaint tomorrow with detailed timeline and screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling strategy with the 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload all my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during base period) 4. Reach out via NYSDOL social media channels Thank you everyone for sharing actual solutions and success stories. This is the first thread I've found where people actually got resolution instead of just venting. Will definitely update with results - we need to help each other navigate this broken system!

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Applied February 20th, completed ID.me 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. Like many others here, I also worked for multiple employers during my base period including a small company that went out of business. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm convinced this is a systematic issue affecting February applicants rather than individual account problems. The formal complaint process that Anastasia shared sounds like our best shot at getting actual resolution - having someone from an escalation team who can see what's really causing these holds. My plan based on all the great advice in this thread: 1. File the formal complaint today with detailed documentation 2. Try calling at exactly 8am using the 888-209-8124 number 3. Proactively upload all my W-2s and separation documents 4. Reach out to NYSDOL via social media Thank you everyone for sharing real actionable solutions instead of just "keep waiting." After 7 weeks of feeling completely helpless, this is the first time I have concrete steps to try. Will definitely update with results - hopefully we can all help each other finally break through this broken system!

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread has been a lifeline! Applied February 22nd, completed ID.me verification 6 weeks ago, got my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've called probably 40+ times over the past month and haven't gotten through to a single human being. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is affecting a huge number of February applicants. The pattern is too consistent to be coincidence - we all have nearly identical timelines with ID.me completed weeks ago and monetary letters received but still pending. The formal complaint process that Anastasia detailed sounds like exactly what I needed to know about. I had no idea there was an internal escalation system that could assign someone to actually look at individual cases. After weeks of feeling like I was screaming into the void, having a structured way to get attention on my claim gives me real hope. My action plan based on all the excellent advice here: 1. File the formal complaint tomorrow with detailed timeline and account screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling strategy with the specific number Zoe provided 3. Upload my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during base period) 4. Reach out via their social media channels Thank you everyone for sharing real solutions and success stories instead of just venting frustrations. This is the first thread I've found where people actually got their issues resolved. I'll definitely report back with results - we need to help each other navigate this broken system!

I'm dealing with the EXACT same situation and finding this thread feels like finding an oasis in the desert! Applied February 19th, completed ID.me verification 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending status. I've been calling daily for weeks with zero success getting through to anyone. The pattern here is undeniable - so many of us with February application dates, ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but all stuck in pending limbo. This is clearly a systematic processing issue affecting that specific timeframe, not individual account problems. After reading through all these responses, I'm incredibly grateful for the actionable advice, especially Anastasia's detailed breakdown of the formal complaint process. I had no idea there was an internal escalation system that could assign a dedicated case worker to actually review individual cases. My action plan based on everyone's strategies: 1. File the formal complaint today with comprehensive timeline and screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling approach using the 888-209-8124 number Zoe provided 3. Proactively upload all my W-2s (I also worked multiple jobs during base period) 4. Reach out via NYSDOL social media channels Thank you everyone for sharing real solutions and success stories instead of just commiserating. After 7 weeks of financial stress and feeling completely powerless, having concrete steps to try gives me genuine hope. I'll definitely update with results - we all need to help each other break through this broken system!

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly validating! Applied February 14th, completed ID.me verification 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've made probably 50+ phone calls with zero success getting through to anyone who can actually help. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's crystal clear this is a systematic issue affecting February 2025 applicants rather than individual account problems. The consistency is remarkable - we all have nearly identical timelines with ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but universally stuck in pending status. The formal complaint process that Anastasia outlined is exactly what I needed to learn about. I had no idea there was an internal review system that could escalate cases to someone with actual authority to resolve these holds. After nearly 2 months of feeling like I was shouting into the void, having a structured path to get real attention on my claim gives me hope for the first time. My plan based on all the excellent strategies shared here: 1. File the formal complaint tomorrow with detailed documentation and account screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling strategy using the specific 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during my base period) 4. Reach out through their official social media channels I also worked for a small startup that closed during the pandemic, so the employer verification issues mentioned here really resonate. Thank you everyone for sharing actual actionable solutions and success stories. After weeks of financial stress and uncertainty, this thread has given me the first concrete steps I can take. I'll definitely report back with results - we need to support each other through this broken system!