Need Governor's phone number for NY unemployment issues - getting desperate
Does anyone have the direct phone number to reach the NY Governor's office about unemployment problems? I've been stuck in pending for 5 weeks now with zero income coming in. Called the regular unemployment line 37 times this week but keep getting disconnected or put on endless hold. I'm about to lose my apartment if I don't get these benefits soon. Starting to feel like going straight to the top is my only option at this point. Thanks in advance for any help.
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Ryan Kim
The governor's office probably wont help directly with individual claims. Have you tried your local state assembly person or senator? They usually have staff who can help cut through red tape on unemployment issues. That's what worked for me when I was stuck for 3 weeks.
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Daniela Rossi
•I didn't think about contacting my local rep! Do you have the contact information or how did you find yours? Did they resolve your issue quickly after you reached out?
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Zoe Walker
Hi there, I work at a community assistance organization. While contacting the Governor's office is understandable when you're frustrated, they typically redirect individual cases back to NYSDOL. Your best options are: 1. Contact your State Assembly member or Senator (find them at nysenate.gov or nyassembly.gov by entering your address) 2. Submit a message through the NYSDOL secure message center in your account 3. Request a callback through the system instead of waiting on hold If your claim shows as pending for 5+ weeks, there's likely an identity verification or eligibility issue that needs to be resolved by speaking directly with a claims specialist.
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Daniela Rossi
•Thanks for the detailed info. I've tried the message center twice with no response, and the callback feature never seems to work - I've been waiting 3 days for a callback that never came. I'll try my state rep right now. Really appreciate it.
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Elijah Brown
I was in the same boat last month!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!! The regular phone lines are USELESS. I finally got through after using Claimyr.com - paid like $20 but they got me connected to an actual agent in about 20 minutes instead of days of trying. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE showing how it works. The agent fixed my pending issue in one call - turned out there was a flag on my account that no one told me about. Worth every penny since I was about to miss my car payment.
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Maria Gonzalez
•is that even legal? sounds like paying to cut in line. shouldnt these services be free to everyone??
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Elijah Brown
•It's completely legal - they're not cutting any lines. They just use technology to navigate the phone system and wait on hold for you. Then they call you when they have an agent on the line. The NYSDOL service itself is still free, you're just paying someone to handle the phone nightmare part.
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Natalie Chen
I had a similar issue in January. What worked for me was calling exactly at 8:00:00 AM when they open - like literally dialing at 7:59:55 so I'd connect right as they open. Got through on my second attempt. Also, Mondays and Tuesdays are busiest, try Wednesday afternoon if possible. Regarding the Governor's office - they have a public contact line at (518) 474-8390, but as others mentioned, they'll likely just refer you back to DOL. Your state assemblyperson will be much more helpful for this kind of issue.
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Daniela Rossi
•Thank you for the Governor's number anyway. I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. I'll try your early morning call trick tomorrow - haven't thought of that yet.
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Santiago Martinez
The system is DESIGNED to be impossible to navigate!!! They make it hard on purpose so people give up. I spent 9 WEEKS trying to get my claim fixed last year. Governor's office just sends a form letter. State rep was useless too. The only thing that worked was threatening to contact the media - suddenly my claim was fixed in 48 hours! Try calling your local news station's consumer help line if nothing else works.
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Samantha Johnson
•That's not entirely accurate. The system is overwhelmed, not deliberately obstructive. I've worked adjacent to government services, and while bureaucracy is frustrating, the delays are usually due to verification requirements, staffing limitations, and outdated systems rather than intentional barriers. That said, the media angle can sometimes work because it may flag your case for priority review.
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Maria Gonzalez
wht about twitter? i tweeted at the nysdol account with my issue (didnt include personal info) and got a DM asking for my info within a day. worth trying maybe?
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Daniela Rossi
UPDATE: I took several of your suggestions! I contacted my state assembly person this morning (thanks for that tip), and also used Claimyr to get through to an agent. The agent told me my claim had an "identity verification pending" flag that I was never notified about! Apparently I needed to upload additional documents but the notification email went to spam. The agent helped me submit everything right over the phone. Assembly person's office also said they'd follow up to make sure it gets processed quickly. Thank you all for the help - feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks.
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Zoe Walker
•That's excellent news! The identity verification issue is one of the most common reasons for extended pending status. Make sure to check your spam folder regularly and log into your account at least 2-3 times per week to check for new messages or required actions. Glad you're on the path to resolution!
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Elijah Brown
•So glad it worked out for you! That's exactly what happened to me - there was a flag on my account I knew nothing about. The system really should text people about these important notifications instead of just sending emails that go to spam.
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