NYS Department of Labor - why does it take so long to get unemployment benefits approved?
I filed my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor three weeks ago and I'm still waiting for any kind of response. My account just shows 'claim under review' but no timeline or explanation. I lost my restaurant job in December and really need these benefits to cover rent. Is this normal? How long should I expect to wait before I actually start receiving payments? I've been doing my weekly claims but still nothing.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
The NYS Department of Labor system is incredibly backed up right now. My claim took about 6 weeks total before I got my first payment. The initial review process usually takes 2-4 weeks, then there's often an adjudication period if they need to verify your employment history or reason for separation. Keep filing your weekly claims even while you're waiting - you'll get back pay for those weeks once approved.
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Edison Estevez
•6 weeks?? I can't wait that long without any income. Did they at least give you updates during the process?
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James Johnson
ugh same thing happening to me its been a month and still nothing from nysdol... starting to think i did something wrong on the application
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Sophia Rodriguez
The delays are usually due to adjudication - they have to verify your work history, wages, and reason for job separation with your former employer. Restaurant workers sometimes face extra scrutiny because of tips and varying hours. Check your my.ny.gov account regularly for any requests for additional documentation. If you haven't heard anything after 4 weeks, that's when you should definitely try calling the NYS Department of Labor directly.
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Mia Green
•Good luck trying to call them! I've been trying for weeks and either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours. The phone system is completely overwhelmed.
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Emma Bianchi
•I had the same phone nightmare until someone told me about claimyr.com - it's a service that calls the NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical but tried it and actually got through to someone who explained my adjudication delay. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.
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Lucas Kowalski
This whole system is broken. Three weeks is nothing - I know people who waited 3+ months last year. NYS Department of Labor is understaffed and overloaded and they don't care about us regular people trying to survive.
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Olivia Martinez
•I feel your frustration but that's not really helpful to someone asking for timeline expectations.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
One thing that might help - make sure you're checking for any correspondence in your online account daily. Sometimes they request additional documents and if you miss the deadline, it can add weeks to your processing time. Also verify that your direct deposit information is correct so there are no delays when your benefits are approved.
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