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Heather Tyson

NY Unemployment claim stuck at $0.00 for 3 months - they want discharge form after account testing, but application still "being determined" since May 2024

My unemployment claim started on 05/20/2024 and I'm still seeing $0.00 weekly benefit amount. They tested my account last month and now they want some discharge form. Has anyone dealt with this? My benefit year ends 05/25/2025 but nothing is moving forward. I just checked my "Official Record of Benefit Payment History" on the NY.gov website and it shows: Start/Effective Date: 05/20/2024 Benefit Year Ending Date: 05/25/2025 Weekly Benefit Amount: $0.00 Maximum Amount Payable: $0.00 Effective Days Remaining: 104 When I look at the latest transactions as of 08/16/2024, I'm getting this message: "We are continuing to work on your application and are determining the amount of benefits you will receive. You may get a call from us if we require further information. You will receive a status update as your application progresses through the system." There's also this note about FPUC payments: "Weekly payments for $600 showing "0" under the "Effective Days" column, and Debit Card or Direct Deposit under the "Type" column, are the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments." I understand the whole "Effective Days" thing where each day in a week I qualify is called an effective day, with a maximum of 4 per week, and I need all 4 to get my total weekly benefit rate. I'm just frustrated because it's been almost 3 months since my claim started and I still have $0 showing. They did some kind of test on my account in July and now they're asking for a discharge form. Has anyone gone through this process with NY unemployment where they keep you at $0 for months while they "determine" your benefits?

Same thing happened to me. They need your separation paperwork from your last employer. If you were fired or quit, they need documentation showing why. Without it, they'll keep your claim at $0.

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did you ever get this resolved? how long did it take after you sent the form?

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took about 3 weeks after i sent everything in. make sure you upload it to your dashboard dont mail it

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I found a way to actually get someone on the phone about this! Used this site called claimyr.com that calls and waits on hold, then connects you when someone picks up. Costs $20 but totally worth it cause I got my issue fixed in one call. Here's a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

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sounds sketchy af... they actually helped you get through? 🤔

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fr fr it works! saved me like 6 hours of calling and hanging up. got my paperwork sorted in 15 mins

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$20 to get through? ny unemployment system is such a joke fr 🤡

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omg dealing with the EXACT same thing rn 😤 been trying to get this sorted for weeks. unemployment system is broken af

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Here's what you need to know about discharge forms and $0 claims (I used to work in HR): First, check your dashboard for any pending questionnaires. They usually want: - Letter of termination - Final pay stub - Any warning letters if you were terminated - Written explanation of separation Upload everything to your dashboard. Don't wait for them to contact you. If you can't get through on phones, try claimyr.com - they'll connect you to an agent. The $0 amount is normal until they verify your employment and reason for separation. Once approved, they'll backdate payments to your initial claim date. DM me if you need more specific help!

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tysm for this detailed info! 🙏 gonna check my dashboard rn

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this should be pinned fr fr 💯

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u should try calling right when they open at 8am. sometimes u can get lucky

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lmaooo been there done that. called 47 times yesterday morning no luck

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dont worry about the $0 test deposit thats normal. but def get that discharge form in asap or theyll deny u

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Been dealing with NY unemployment for 8 months now and finally got mine resolved last week! Here's what worked for me: 1. Upload ALL separation docs to your dashboard - don't wait for them to ask 2. If you were laid off, get a letter from HR on company letterhead stating "laid off due to lack of work" or whatever the reason was 3. Call the Telecert line (888-581-5812) early morning around 7:45am before they officially open - sometimes you get through faster 4. Document EVERYTHING - screenshot your dashboard, save confirmation numbers The $0 amount is frustrating but once they process your separation paperwork, all your back payments will hit at once. Mine took 6 weeks after uploading docs but I got like $4k in back pay. Don't give up! The system is slow but it does work eventually. Keep certifying every week even with $0 showing.

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I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed in June 2024 and still showing $0.00 weekly benefit. They did some kind of account review last month and now want discharge paperwork too. It's so frustrating seeing "application being determined" for months while bills keep piling up. I've been reading through everyone's advice here and it's actually really helpful to know I'm not alone in this. Going to try that early morning calling trick and make sure I upload every single piece of separation documentation I have to my dashboard. Has anyone had success getting through using that claimyr service mentioned earlier? $20 seems worth it if it actually works to skip the endless busy signals. Thanks for posting this - sometimes you feel like you're going crazy dealing with this system alone! 🙏

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@Ella Cofer you re'definitely not alone in this! i m'literally going through the exact same thing and it s'so frustrating. seeing all these responses gives me some hope though. i tried the claimyr thing that @Jenna Sloan mentioned and honestly it worked for me too - got connected in like 20 mins instead of calling 50+ times. worth the $20 just for the peace of mind. also gonna try uploading every document i can find tonight. we got this! 💪

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Just wanted to add that I went through this exact same thing last year and it took forever but eventually got resolved! One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every call, document upload, and interaction with the system. Screenshot everything with timestamps. Also, when you upload your discharge/separation docs, make sure the file names are clear like "termination_letter_final.pdf" or "layoff_notice_company_letterhead.pdf" - sometimes they can't process files with weird names or if they're too large. The waiting is absolutely brutal but don't stop certifying weekly even with $0 showing. I made that mistake for a few weeks and it caused additional delays. Once they approve you, all those back payments will come through. Mine took about 7 weeks after uploading everything but I got almost $6k in back pay. Hang in there - the system is slow but it does eventually work! 💪

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@Carmen Diaz this is super helpful advice! 🙏 definitely gonna start keeping a detailed log like you mentioned. quick question - when you say don "t'stop certifying weekly do" you mean keep doing the weekly certification even though it shows $0? i ve'been doing it but wasn t'sure if it was actually doing anything. also that tip about file names is clutch - never would have thought about that! thanks for giving me hope that this will eventually work out 💪

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Currently going through this nightmare too! Been stuck at $0 since August and just got another request for more paperwork yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly keeping me sane - thought I was the only one dealing with this endless loop of "we need more documentation." @Carmen Diaz your advice about keeping detailed logs is spot on. I started doing that after my third round of document requests and it's already helped me track what I've submitted vs what they claim they're missing. For anyone still struggling - I found that uploading documents during off-peak hours (like late at night) seems to work better. Their system gets overloaded during business hours and files sometimes don't go through properly. Also make sure your files are under 5MB and in PDF format. The waiting is absolutely brutal but seeing people here get their back pay after months gives me hope. We just gotta keep pushing through this broken system! 🙏

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@Diego Castillo thanks for sharing that tip about uploading during off-peak hours! never thought about that but it makes total sense. i ve'been trying to upload stuff during lunch breaks and probably hitting their system when everyone else is too. gonna try tonight and see if it goes smoother. also really appreciate you mentioning the file size limit - had no idea about the 5MB thing. feels good knowing we re'all in this together even though the system is trash 😅

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Been lurking here for a while but finally decided to post because I'm going through the EXACT same thing! Filed my claim back in June 2024 and still stuck at $0.00 weekly benefit amount. Just got another request for discharge paperwork last week even though I already submitted my termination letter months ago. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly so reassuring - I was starting to think there was something wrong with my specific case. The advice about calling early morning, uploading docs during off-peak hours, and keeping detailed logs is super helpful! @Carmen Diaz your point about continuing to certify weekly even with $0 showing is clutch - I almost stopped doing that thinking it was pointless. And @Diego Castillo that file size tip might explain why some of my uploads seemed to disappear into the void. Definitely gonna try that claimyr service if I can't get through this week. $20 beats spending entire days on hold just to get disconnected. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - gives me hope that this will eventually get sorted! 💪

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@Isla Fischer girl same!! 😭 been stuck since May and it s'honestly so frustrating but this thread is giving me life rn. definitely gonna try uploading my docs tonight during off-peak hours like @Diego Castillo suggested. also planning to call super early tomorrow morning. we got this! keep me posted on how the claimyr thing works if you try it! 🤞

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OMG thank you for posting this! 🙏 I'm literally in the exact same boat - filed in April 2024 and still showing $0.00 with that same "we are continuing to work on your application" message. It's been 10 months now and I was starting to lose hope. Reading through everyone's advice here is so helpful! Definitely gonna try: - Calling at 7:45am before they officially open - Uploading ALL my separation docs during off-peak hours (under 5MB, PDF format) - Keeping a detailed log of everything like @Carmen Diaz suggested - Maybe trying that claimyr service if I can't get through The most frustrating part is they keep asking for more paperwork even though I've already submitted everything multiple times. But seeing that people are eventually getting their back pay (some $6k+) gives me hope to keep pushing through this broken system. Thanks for creating this thread - honestly thought I was going crazy dealing with this alone! We got this! 💪

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@GamerGirl99 omg 10 months?! that's absolutely insane but honestly makes me feel less alone in this mess 😅 i'm at 8 months now and was starting to think maybe i did something wrong with my application. definitely gonna try that early morning calling trick tomorrow - seen like 3 people mention it works better. also gonna upload everything again tonight during off hours just to be safe. this thread is seriously saving my sanity rn! let's keep each other posted on any progress 🤞

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Just wanted to jump in here because I'm going through literally the same exact situation! Filed my claim back in July 2024 and have been stuck at $0.00 ever since. Got that same "we are continuing to work on your application" message for months now and they just asked for discharge paperwork last week. This thread is honestly a lifesaver - I was starting to think I was the only one dealing with this endless bureaucratic nightmare! 😭 All the advice here is gold, especially: - The early morning calling strategy (gonna try 7:45am tomorrow) - Uploading docs during off-peak hours in PDF under 5MB - Keeping detailed logs of everything - That claimyr service sounds legit based on people's experiences The most frustrating part is I was laid off due to company downsizing so it's not like there should be any question about eligibility. But apparently they need to verify every single detail multiple times before releasing any payments. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and timelines - gives me hope that eventually this will get resolved and I'll see that back pay! The system is absolutely broken but at least we're not suffering through it alone. Thanks for posting this OP! 🙏

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@Zara Rashid ugh yes!! 😤 the company downsizing thing should make this so straightforward but nooo they still gotta put us through months of hell. i m'in a similar boat - got laid off due to restructuring "with" like 20 other people but they re'still acting like i might have done something wrong. gonna try calling at 7:30am tomorrow and see if i can beat the rush. also planning to re-upload everything tonight with super clear file names. this thread is seriously keeping me sane - knowing other people are getting their back pay eventually gives me hope! let s'all keep each other updated on any progress 🤞💪

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