NY unemployment won't let me claim after filing - told to claim on Sunday but system blocked me

This is actually pretty common with new claims. The system takes time to process new applications completely. Even though the rep told you to claim on Sunday, sometimes your claim isn't fully processed in their system yet. Give it until next Sunday and try again. Your first payment will include all eligible weeks, so you won't lose any money.

Are you sure? I'm worried about messing something up. The lady on the phone was really specific about claiming this Sunday. Will I get in trouble if I wait until next week?

what error message did it give u? that matters

It said something like \

You need to check if your claim is fully processed first. Log into your NY.gov account and look at your claim status. If it says

Ok I just checked and it says \

Yes, you'll receive backpay for all eligible weeks once your claim is approved. Just make sure to claim for those weeks as soon as you're able to. The system will prompt you to certify for any prior weeks you're eligible for. The rep probably assumed your claim would be processed faster than it has been.

The EXACT same thing happened to me back in January!!! I filed on a Tuesday, they told me to claim that Sunday, but the system wouldn't let me claim until like 2.5 weeks later!!! But don't worry - once my claim was finally processed, they let me certify for ALL the weeks I missed and I got all my money. The system is just slow and BROKEN like everything else with NY unemployment!!! 🤬

Same experience here too. Said pending for almost 3 weeks but got all backpay eventually.

I had this issue in 2025 and here's what I learned: The NYS DOL system has a disconnect between what reps tell people and what the computer system actually allows. Representatives often tell new claimants to certify immediately, but the computer system won't allow certifications until the claim is fully processed.\n\nYou have two options:\n1) Wait until your claim is fully processed, then certify (including backweeks)\n2) Call the DOL again and ask them to manually note your attempt to certify\n\nWhen I kept getting the error message, I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a rep quickly instead of waiting hours. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE\n\nThe rep was able to make a note in my file that I had attempted to certify as instructed. This prevented any issues with my claim later.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I'm definitely going to look into Claimyr because waiting on hold for hours again sounds like torture. I just want to make sure I don't mess up my claim by doing something wrong.

does that service actually work? seems sketchy

This smells like your claim got flagged for ID verification. Happened to my cousin. The rep will tell you to claim but the system won't let you until they verify your identity. Usually takes 2-3 weeks but sometimes longer depending on your documents. Check your message inbox on NY.gov - if they need documents they usually send a message.

Just checked and there's nothing in my inbox... I uploaded my driver's license and SSN when I filed. Is there something else I need to send them?

Sometimes they need more docs but don't tell you. Try calling again. And double check your spam folder for emails from them.

To give you a complete answer: You're experiencing a normal part of the process. Here's what's happening:\n\n1. Your claim shows \

Thank you so much! This really helps me understand what's going on. I'll keep checking my account and hope it changes to approved soon.

After using Claimyr to reach an agent (took about 15 minutes instead of hours), I learned something important to share: If your claim is pending for more than 3 weeks, ask the agent specifically about an \

THIS!!! I had to get an \

Update: For anyone finding this thread in 2025 - the NY DOL has actually addressed this issue in their recent system update. New claims now show a clear message saying \

Thanks for the update! My account must still be on the old system since it just shows the error with no helpful information.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim last Thursday and was told to certify on Sunday, but I keep getting blocked with error messages. It's so relieving to read all these responses and know this is normal - I was starting to panic that I did something wrong during the application process. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like I just need to be patient and wait for the system to fully process my claim. The fact that multiple people got their backpay once everything was sorted out is really reassuring. I might try that Claimyr service if this drags on much longer because I really can't afford to spend another 3+ hours on hold! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with the confusing NY unemployment system!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - filed my claim 10 days ago and keep getting the "unable to process your request" error when trying to certify. The rep told me to claim last Sunday but nothing worked. Reading everyone's experiences here is really reassuring - sounds like this is just how the NY system works unfortunately. I'm going to wait another week before calling again, but that Claimyr service sounds like it could save me hours of being on hold if I do need to call. Quick question for those who've been through this - when your claim finally got approved and you could certify, did you have to certify for each missed week individually or did the system let you do them all at once? Just trying to prepare for when mine hopefully gets processed!