NYS Department of Labor claim showing 'under review' - what does this mean exactly?

When your NYS Department of Labor claim shows 'under review' it typically means they're conducting what's called adjudication. This is a normal process where they verify your employment history, the reason you became unemployed, and whether you meet all eligibility requirements. They might be contacting your former employer to confirm details about your separation. The review process usually takes 1-3 weeks, though it can be longer during busy periods. Don't panic - most claims that go into review are eventually approved.

mine said under review for almost 3 weeks last year. turned out they were just backed up and everything was fine. keep filing your weekly claims even while its under review or you could lose benefits for those weeks

If you're getting frustrated waiting for NYS Department of Labor to process your review, I had luck using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to a real person who could check my claim status. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they help you get connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent instead of getting stuck in the endless phone menu loop. Was way easier than trying to call myself and getting hung up on constantly.

UGH the whole system is so frustrating!! Why can't they just tell you what specifically they're reviewing instead of leaving you in the dark? I've been under review for 2 weeks now and it's making me SO anxious about paying my bills. This is supposed to be a safety net but it feels more like torture waiting for them to decide if I deserve help or not.

Just to add to what others said - 'under review' basically means adjudication is happening. They're probably verifying your work history and making sure your job separation qualifies for benefits. Keep doing your weekly certifications during this time. Most people get approved eventually, it's just the verification process taking time. The NYS Department of Labor has to follow federal guidelines for reviewing all new claims.

I went through the exact same thing a few months ago - that "under review" status is nerve-wracking when you don't know what it means! In my case, it turned out they were just verifying my employment dates with my previous employer. The whole process took about 2.5 weeks, but I did get approved in the end. One thing that helped my anxiety was calling the general info line (not to speak to someone, just to listen to the automated updates) - they sometimes have recorded messages about current processing times. Also definitely keep filing those weekly claims like others mentioned, even if it feels pointless while you're waiting. Hang in there!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "under review" status with zero explanation. It's so stressful not knowing if there's an issue or if it's just normal processing. Reading everyone's responses here is actually making me feel a lot better - sounds like this is pretty common and most people do get approved eventually. I've been doing my weekly certifications like some of you suggested, even though it feels weird certifying when I don't even know if my claim is valid yet. Hopefully we both hear something soon!

I'm dealing with the same "under review" status right now and it's been really anxiety-inducing! Filed my claim 12 days ago after being laid off from my job at a local restaurant. Like you, all my information was accurate when I submitted it, but seeing that vague status with no timeline or explanation has been driving me crazy. Reading through these comments is honestly the most helpful information I've gotten about what this actually means - wish the NYS DOL website was this clear about their process! It's reassuring to hear that most people eventually get approved and that this adjudication thing is normal. Definitely going to keep filing my weekly claims while I wait. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm currently going through this same situation - filed my claim 8 days ago and it's been showing "under review" for the past 5 days. As someone who's never filed for unemployment before, I had no clue what this meant and was honestly pretty worried I'd made some mistake on my application. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding that the adjudication process is totally normal! It's frustrating that the NY DOL website doesn't explain this better - a simple note saying "under review means we're verifying your information, typical processing time is 1-3 weeks" would save so many people from unnecessary stress. I've been keeping up with my weekly certifications based on the advice here, even though it feels strange certifying when you don't know if you're approved yet. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - it really helps to know this is standard procedure and not a sign that something's wrong!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim 6 days ago and it switched to "under review" status 3 days ago. Like everyone else here, I was starting to panic thinking I'd done something wrong on my application. This thread is honestly a lifesaver - I had no idea that adjudication was a standard part of the process for all new claims. The NY DOL really needs to do a better job explaining what "under review" actually means on their website. It's such a relief to hear that most people get approved eventually and that 1-3 weeks is normal processing time. I've been doing my weekly certifications since reading the advice here, even though it feels weird certifying when you don't even know if your claim is valid yet. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps knowing I'm not alone in this waiting game!

I'm currently in week 2 of the "under review" status and this thread has been so reassuring! Filed my claim after getting let go from my office job and was completely freaking out when that vague message appeared with zero explanation. It's honestly ridiculous that NYS DOL doesn't provide clearer information about what this status means - would save so many people from unnecessary panic. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like this adjudication process is completely normal and most people do get approved eventually. I've been keeping up with my weekly certifications since reading the advice in this thread, even though it feels strange doing them when you're not even sure if your claim is valid. Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines and outcomes - it helps so much to know this is just standard procedure and not a sign that something went wrong with my application!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just hit day 7 of "under review" status after filing my unemployment claim following a layoff from my tech job. Like so many others here, I was starting to think I had made some error on my application - the lack of explanation from NYS DOL is really anxiety-inducing when you're already dealing with job loss stress. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding that adjudication is just their standard verification process for new claims. It's such a relief to see that most people eventually get approved and that 1-3 weeks is typical. I've started doing my weekly certifications based on everyone's advice here, even though it feels odd certifying when you don't know if you're even approved yet. Really wish the NY DOL website would just add a simple explanation of what "under review" actually means - would save so many people from unnecessary panic! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - it really helps to know this waiting period is normal and I'm not alone in this process.

I'm currently on day 11 of "under review" status and finding this thread has been such a relief! Filed my claim after being laid off from my warehouse job and had absolutely no idea what "under review" meant - was convinced I'd screwed something up on the application. The NY DOL website is basically useless for explaining their own processes, which is incredibly frustrating when you're already stressed about losing your income. Reading everyone's experiences here has really helped me understand that this adjudication process is completely standard and not something to panic about. I've been doing my weekly certifications since finding this thread - definitely feels weird doing them when you don't even know if you're approved, but sounds like that's crucial for not losing potential benefit weeks. It's crazy how much anxiety could be avoided if they just put a simple explanation on their website about what this status actually means and typical timeframes. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and timelines - really helps to know this waiting period is normal and most people do get approved eventually!

I'm currently on day 4 of "under review" status and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just filed my claim last week after getting laid off from my hospitality job and seeing that vague message pop up with zero context had me convinced I'd somehow messed up my application. It's honestly shocking how NYS DOL provides no explanation of what "under review" actually means - would it kill them to add a simple note saying "we're verifying your information, typical processing time 1-3 weeks"? Reading everyone's experiences here has been way more helpful than anything on their official website. I had no clue that adjudication was a standard part of the process for all new unemployment claims. Already started doing my weekly certifications based on all the advice in this thread - feels weird certifying when you don't even know if you're approved yet, but definitely don't want to risk losing benefit weeks once this review is complete. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and outcomes - it really helps to know this waiting period is totally normal and I'm not the only one going through this stressful process!