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

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.

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

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

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!

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

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

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.

Just went through this exact same situation! Mine was stuck at $0 for 4 months and I was getting so frustrated. What finally worked was uploading every single piece of paperwork I could find - termination letter, final pay stub, even emails between me and my manager about my last day. The key thing they told me when I finally got through on the phone is that they need to verify you didn't quit voluntarily or get fired for misconduct. If you were laid off or terminated through no fault of your own, make sure that's crystal clear in whatever documentation you submit. Also pro tip - check your online account for any "determination" letters or questionnaires you might have missed. I found out I had missed responding to something that was buried in my messages and that's what was holding everything up. Once they finally processed mine, I got all the back pay dating to my original claim date. Hang in there, it's frustrating but you'll get through it! 💪

ugh this is literally my nightmare rn 😭 been at $0 since july and they keep asking for more paperwork. first it was separation docs, then they wanted pay stubs, now they're asking for some form i've never heard of. feels like they're just stalling at this point. did anyone else have to deal with multiple rounds of document requests? like every time i submit what they ask for, they come back with something new a month later. starting to wonder if i should just give up but i really need this money 💸 also @Collins Angel that telecert tip is gold! gonna try calling tomorrow morning early. fingers crossed 🤞

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! 🙏

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! 💪

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! 🙏

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! 💪

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! 💪

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! 🙏

Just wanted to add my experience since I'm seeing so many people going through the same thing! I was stuck at $0 for about 5 months after filing in March 2024. What finally got mine moving was calling the regular unemployment line (not telecert) and asking to speak with a "claims specialist" specifically - not just any rep. The specialist was able to see exactly what documents were missing from my file and told me they never received half the stuff I thought I had uploaded successfully. Turns out their system has been having issues with file uploads and a lot of documents just disappear into the void. She had me re-upload everything during our call and also added notes to my file explaining the situation. Got approved within 2 weeks after that call and received about $7k in back pay. My advice: Don't just keep uploading the same docs over and over. Get someone on the phone who can actually see your file in real-time and confirm what they have vs what's missing. The regular reps can't always access the detailed file info but specialists can. Also - if you were laid off, make sure you have something in writing from your employer that specifically uses the words "laid off" or "reduction in workforce." Generic termination letters sometimes aren't enough. Hope this helps someone! The system is absolutely brutal but you will eventually get through it! 💪

Holy crap, reading through all these responses is both terrifying and reassuring at the same time! 😅 I thought I was losing my mind being stuck at $0 since September 2024. Same exact situation - "application being determined" message for months, they tested my account, now asking for discharge forms. The advice about asking specifically for a "claims specialist" is genius @Amina Sy - never would have thought to do that! And all the tips about uploading during off-peak hours, file naming, keeping logs... this thread is like a masterclass in surviving NY unemployment hell. Definitely gonna try the early morning calling strategy tomorrow (7:30am sharp) and re-upload everything with crystal clear file names. Also going to ask them to confirm receipt while I'm on the phone so I know the docs actually made it through their broken system. It's crazy that we all have to become experts in navigating this bureaucratic nightmare just to get benefits we're entitled to, but at least we're not suffering alone! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - gives me hope that my back pay is coming eventually! 🙏💪