NY unemployment waiting week stuck for 5 weeks - approved but not paid

That waiting week issue is actually a common glitch in the system right now. Your claim is stuck in processing limbo. Since you've been approved, those payments should be released retroactively. You need to speak with a claims specialist directly - they're the only ones who can push it through the system. Have you tried calling the NYSDOL hotline?

same thing happened 2 me last month!!! took 7 weeks to get my money. had to call like 50 times before i got thru to somone. they said it was a "technical issue" whatever that means lol

This is EXACTLY what happened to me!! The system is totally BROKEN. I was stuck in "waiting week" for almost 2 months even though I was approved. My theory is they purposely create these delays to avoid paying people. They hope you'll give up and go away. DON'T GIVE UP! Keep calling and document EVERYTHING. Ask for a supervisor if the first person doesn't help. They owe you that money!!!

I had this exact problem in January. After weeks of trying to call with no luck, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent. It basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Took about 45 minutes instead of days of redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE When I finally spoke to an agent, they explained my claim had a "processing flag" that needed manual removal. They fixed it while I was on the phone and I got all my backpay two days later. Since you're dealing with retroactive payments for weeks you already certified, it's definitely worth getting through to a live person.

my brother had this happen too but he just kept certifying and eventually the money showed up all at once lol maybe just wait another week?

DOL Claims Specialist here. What you're experiencing is called a "waiting week suspension flag" - it's when the system marks your initial week as unpaid (normal) but then fails to move your claim to active payment status for subsequent weeks (not normal). Since you've gone back to work, you'll need to specifically request retroactive payment processing. Here's what to do: 1. Call the claims center and specifically ask for a "retroactive payment review for waiting week bypass error" 2. Make sure you have documentation of all your weekly certifications from that period 3. The agent can manually override the waiting week flag and release all eligible payments 4. Request an email confirmation once it's processed This requires talking to a tier 2 agent or higher, so if the first person can't help, specifically ask to be transferred to a claims specialist. These retroactive payments typically process within 3-5 business days once the flag is removed.

Not sure if this helps but I had something similar happen and it was because my employer was slow responding to the DOL about my separation reason. Even though I was approved, the payments were held until that was resolved. Have you checked if there's a message about your employer in your account?

did u fill out the new MWC form?? I forgot to do the monthly work certification form and that caused my payments to stop. They added that requirement in january

After you get this resolved (which will happen!), make sure to request interest on your delayed payments. Under NY Labor Law Section 598.4, they're required to pay interest on benefits delayed more than 30 days due to administrative error. Most people don't know to ask for this, but you're entitled to it!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at NYSDOL this morning! Used the Claimyr service that was recommended and got a callback in about an hour. The agent confirmed it was exactly that "waiting week suspension flag" that was mentioned. She said my account got stuck in some kind of review loop. She processed a manual override while I was on the phone, and said I should see all my back payments within 2-3 business days! She also said they'd include interest since it was their error. Thank you all for the help and advice!!