Need to reach NY unemployment ASAP - tried Twitter but no luck

I had same issue back in October. Try calling right when they open at 8am. I got through after only 45 min on hold that way. Also try the 'press 9 for something else' trick instead of the regular options. Sometimes that gets you to a different queue.

After dealing with the same nightmare for weeks, I finally tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they actually got me through to an agent! It was the only thing that worked after I tried literally everything else. They just called and stayed on hold for me, then connected me when a real person picked up. Talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast - best decision I made after weeks of frustration. Check out this video about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Contact your state assemblyperson or senator. I emailed mine with my claim details and they reached out to a special contact at unemployment who fixed my issue in 5 days. Google your district representative and most have a form on their website for constituent services.

I feel your pain. The ny unemployment system is ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. I spent 2 months trying to reach them. What finally worked was calling exactly at 7:30am and using the Spanish line (then asking for English when someone answered). Not proud of this workaround but I was desperate...

Try calling on Wednesday afternoon around 2:30-3:30pm. For some reason that's been the sweet spot for me and a few others I know. Mondays and Fridays are absolutely the WORST days to try. Also, have all your info ready so when you do get through, you don't waste time fumbling for documents.

I found a solution that actually works for NY unemployment contact issues. Here's what you need to know: The standard lines are completely overwhelmed and the system is clearly not designed to handle the volume they're getting. After dealing with this for weeks, I discovered several effective strategies: 1) Use claimyr.com - this service literally changed everything for me. They call unemployment for you, wait on hold, then connect you once a real person answers. It's basically a virtual assistant that does the painful waiting part. 2) If you're determined to do it yourself, call at non-peak times: Tuesday-Thursday between 2-4pm seems to have slightly better odds. 3) Have your case completely documented - dates, claim numbers, previous contact attempts. When you finally reach someone, being organized helps tremendously. 4) Submit a complaint through the State Attorney General's office website as a backup plan. Sometimes this creates pressure from another direction. The unemployment system is incredibly frustrating, but these approaches actually get results. The claimyr option was absolutely worth it for me after wasting countless hours trying to get through on my own.

Does anyone else think its INSANE that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access benefits we literally paid into? The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch. This isnt just a pandemic issue - its been trash for years.

Not to be that person, but have you tried just physically going to an office? I know with COVID some offices have limited hours but my friend went to the one in Albany and actually got help. Worth a shot if you live near any location.

another day, another company promising to fix the unfixable unemployment system lol

So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when I remembered my cousin said he used something called Claimyr. I tried it the next day and got through in about an hour. It's kinda genius - they just automate the annoying part (waiting forever on hold) then connect you when a human picks up. Game changer for real.