NY unemployment tourism relief check still not received - is anyone else waiting?

You're definitely not the only one. The Tourism Recovery Program has had serious delays this year. I spoke with a rep last week who said they're still processing applications from December/January due to the record number of applicants. Check that your application status is actually 'pending review' and not 'additional information required' - that status can be easy to miss on the dashboard.

Thanks for letting me know! Just double-checked and it definitely says 'pending review'. How did you even get through to a rep? I've called like 20 times and always get the 'high call volume' message.

got mine 2 weeks ago but my brother hasnt gotten his yet either. they seem to be going out in batches by industry maybe? we both worked in hotels but different chains

Interesting - I worked at a smaller local tour company. Maybe they're prioritizing larger businesses first? So frustrating.

The Tourism Recovery Program has been plagued with issues since the rollout. I've worked with several clients who were in the same situation. There are a few things you should check:\n\n1. Verify your address is correct in the system\n2. Make sure your eligibility documentation was properly uploaded\n3. Check if you received any emails requesting additional information (check spam folder too)\n4. Confirm your employer filed the proper certification form F-82T\n\nIf all these are in order, you need to speak with someone directly at NYSDOL. The regular unemployment helpline usually can't help with Tourism Relief checks.

Thank you for this detailed info! I've checked 1-3 and everything seems correct. Not sure about the F-82T form though - is there a way to check if my employer filed it properly?

Same boat here - 14 weeks and counting. I finally got through to someone yesterday after trying for WEEKS. They told me there was a 'processing error' on my account that they fixed, and my check should arrive in 7-10 business days. Apparently there's a whole batch of applications that got stuck in some technical limbo.\n\nI used Claimyr to get through to an agent after wasting so much time on hold. You just go to claimyr.com, they call NYSDOL for you and when they reach an agent, they call your phone and connect you. Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE\n\nDefinitely worth it to actually speak to someone who can check your specific application status.

is this service legit? seems weird to pay someone else to call for you

Yeah it's legit. I was skeptical too but my cousin used it for regular unemployment issues last month and recommended it. They just do the waiting on hold part for you, which was taking me 2-3 hours every time I tried (and usually getting disconnected).

YES!!! im still waiting too!!!! been almost 15 weeks for me!!! this is RIDICULOUS!!!! we deserve interest for how long there making us wait!!! i bet if we owed THEM money they'd be all over us with penalties but when THEY owe US suddenly theres \

While the frustration is understandable, the Tourism Recovery Program is actually a separate benefit from regular unemployment, and they don't typically pay interest on delayed payments. However, if your application has been pending for over 12 weeks, you should definitely contact them directly as that's well beyond their stated processing timeframe.

I received mine last week after waiting about 13 weeks. When I finally got through to someone, they said my application was flagged for a secondary review because I had worked for multiple tourism employers in the base period. Once they cleared that up, the payment was issued within 3 days. Might be worth checking if something similar happened to your application.

That could be it! I did work for two different tour companies last year. How did you finally get through to someone?

@OP - To answer your question about checking the F-82T form - you can't directly verify if your employer submitted it, but you can call and ask NYSDOL if they received employer certification for your application. That's often the holdup with these tourism relief checks.

Thank you - that's helpful! I'll try to get through to someone to check this.

my friend got hers last month but she applied in november so timeline seems about right for you maybe? system is just slow

Update: I tried using Claimyr today and actually got through to a real person at NYSDOL! They found my application and said it was flagged for review because I had worked for multiple employers in the tourism sector (just like someone mentioned above). They cleared the flag and said my check should be processed within 5-7 business days. Such a relief to finally know what's happening! Thanks everyone for your help.

Great news! Glad you got it sorted out. Make sure to check your mail carefully when it arrives - the checks sometimes come in very plain envelopes that can look like junk mail.

Awesome! The same thing happened to me. Multiple employers in the same industry seems to trigger their fraud detection system or something.

just checked with my brother and he called yesterday and they told him same thing about multiple employers. must be a common issue

still waiting for mine.... going on 16 weeks now.... this is UNACCEPTABLE!!!!! >:

Definitely try to get through to someone directly - sounds like your application might be stuck in the same review process.