Need direct phone number to NY Governor Hochul's office about unemployment issue
Has anyone successfully reached someone in Governor Hochul's office about an unemployment problem? I've been dealing with a pending claim for 7 weeks and regular customer service keeps giving me the runaround. I need to escalate this higher since my rent is coming due and I'm completely out of options. Does anyone have a direct number or contact person who actually helps with unemployment cases in the governor's office? Thanks in advance!
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Sofia Peña
Tried that route last month... good luck. The governor's office just redirects you back to the NYSDOL. The main number is 518-474-8390 but they won't help with individual cases. They just tell you to call the unemployment hotline again or submit another message through your online account.
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Hunter Hampton
•Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. Did you ever get your issue resolved? I've already sent 5 messages through my account with zero response.
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Aaron Boston
You might have better luck contacting your state Assembly member or Senator. They usually have staff dedicated to helping constituents with unemployment issues. Find your rep at nyassembly.gov or nysenate.gov and explain your situation. They can often reach dedicated liaison officers at NYSDOL that regular claimants can't access directly.
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Hunter Hampton
•Thank you! I didn't even think about going through my local rep. I'll look mine up right away.
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Sophia Carter
I had same problem!!! Waited for 9 WEEKS and couldnt get anyone on the phone EVER. Finally got through using this service called Claimyr that connects you to an unemployment agent. It wasnt free but it worked and I got my issue fixed in one call. Check out the video demo here https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE or go to claimyr.com - seriously saved my sanity.
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Chloe Zhang
•Does this actually work? Seems sketchy to pay just to talk to someone at a government office we should be able to reach anyway...
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Sophia Carter
•It worked for me! I was skeptical too but I was desperate after not getting through for weeks. They just connect you directly to an agent - you still talk to the actual unemployment office yourself.
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Brandon Parker
The governor's office won't help directly with unemployment claims. That's not how the system works. They just refer you back to NYSDOL. Your best options are: 1) Keep calling the main unemployment number early in the morning (7:30am), 2) Contact your state representative like someone mentioned, or 3) File a complaint with the NY Department of Labor Advocate's office.
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Adriana Cohn
•Where did u find the Advocate's office contact info? I looked all over the website and couldn't find it anywhere. Is it the same as the ombudsman?
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Jace Caspullo
I work for a non-profit that helps with unemployment issues. Contacting the Governor won't help. Your fastest options are: 1. Call exactly at 7:30am Monday morning (least traffic) 2. Contact your State Assembly member (as mentioned) 3. Submit a complaint through the Attorney General's office labor bureau 4. If your situation is truly dire (eviction, utilities being shut off), some legal aid societies can expedite claims Also, make sure your claim doesn't have any issues that are causing the delay - check for any questionnaires or documents they've requested in your online account.
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Hunter Hampton
•Thank you so much for these suggestions! I checked my account again and found a questionnaire that somehow I missed about my previous employer. Just completed it. I'll try calling early Monday too.
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Chloe Zhang
Anyone elese think its crazy that in 2025 we still cant get through to a gov office by phone?? My taxes pay these people salaries but they cant pick up a dang phone!? The system is designed to make people give up. Try @NYSDOL on social media sometimes they respond there faster than phone.
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Brandon Parker
•Social media sometimes works. I tweeted them and got a DM asking for my info. Still took 2 weeks but at least someone acknowledged my existence, which was more than I got from calling.
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Adriana Cohn
I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned when I was desperate in January. It actually worked - had me talking to a real agent in like 25 minutes after trying for weeks on my own. They fixed my issue on that call. Not saying you should have to pay to reach the government, but if you're desperate like I was, it might be worth it.
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Hunter Hampton
•Thanks for sharing your experience. If I still can't get through after trying the early morning calls next week, I might consider this option. Just frustrating that it's come to this.
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Jace Caspullo
Just wanted to follow up - did you ever get through to someone? Were you able to resolve your pending claim issue?
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Hunter Hampton
•Yes! I actually got through on Monday morning by calling right at 7:30am. Had to wait about 40 minutes but finally spoke to someone who told me my claim was held up because of that questionnaire I mentioned missing. They pushed it through and my payment should be coming this week. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!
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Luca Bianchi
•That's amazing news! So glad the early morning call strategy worked for you. The missing questionnaire issue seems to be really common - I bet a lot of people have pending claims just sitting there because they missed one small notification in their account. Thanks for updating us, gives hope to others dealing with similar issues!
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Misterclamation Skyblue
Just wanted to add another option that worked for me - I reached out to my local unemployment office directly (not the main hotline). Each region has offices with case workers who can sometimes help with pending claims. You can find your local office on the NYSDOL website under "Find a Career Center." I walked in during their office hours and spoke to someone face-to-face who was able to look up my case and identify the issue. Sometimes the in-person approach works better than trying to get through by phone!
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