NY unemployment took money for forfeit days from last year - can I get back pay?

This sounds like a system error or old debt being applied incorrectly. Forfeit days are penalties for prior overpayments or misrepresentations, but they shouldn't reapply them if you've already paid. You need to call NYSDOL immediately to get this corrected - this is actually a common issue in the NY system where old penalties sometimes get reactivated after system updates.

had this happen 2 me once. its probly a glitch in there system. gotta call them

After trying for DAYS to get through to NYSDOL about a similar issue (they applied an old penalty twice), I finally used Claimyr to connect with an agent. It got me through in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for literally a week on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE and their website is claimyr.com. The agent was able to see that my forfeit days had been applied twice by mistake and fixed it immediately - I got my back pay on the next payment cycle.

This is a clear case of what's called "double-dipping" penalties. The NY system sometimes has glitches after updates where previously resolved issues get reactivated. Here's what you need to know: 1. Yes, you ARE entitled to backpay for incorrectly applied forfeit days 2. You'll need to speak with a claims specialist (not just a general rep) 3. Request they check the "penalty resolution history" on your account 4. Get a confirmation number for the call 5. If they fix it, you should see the money within 3-5 business days Documentation is key here - have your previous payment records ready showing you already satisfied this penalty.

I had something similar happen in January. They applied forfeit days from 2023 that I had already served. It took THREE WEEKS to get it fixed because the regular reps couldn't help and had to escalate to a supervisor. Eventually got back pay but it was extremely stressful waiting.

The NYSDOL system is BROKEN by design!!! They do this ON PURPOSE to discourage people from collecting benefits we're ENTITLED to!!! I had the EXACT same thing happen and they made me jump through ENDLESS HOOPS to get MY MONEY back! They count on people giving up! DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!

have u tried checking ur online account? sometimes theres a message there explaining why

Quick update on this issue - I've been handling NY unemployment claims for years, and there's actually been a rise in these "phantom forfeit days" since the system upgrade in February 2025. If you're experiencing this, specifically request that the agent check the "Penalty Enforcement and Resolution System" (PERS) database, not just the regular claims system. They need to do a cross-reference to identify duplicate penalty applications. The backpay is automatically processed once the duplicate is confirmed and removed.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to them? If you're still having trouble reaching someone, that Claimyr service I mentioned really did save me days of frustration. The agent I spoke with said they're seeing this forfeit day issue a lot lately and have a specific protocol for fixing it now.