Six months waiting for NY unemployment backpay of $31K - agent calls going nowhere

I had the exact same problem and wasted 2 months with regular calls that went nowhere. Each agent told me something different - so frustrating! What finally worked was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to a tier 2 specialist who could actually see what was holding up my backpay. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - Basically they got me through to someone who could see my backpay was stuck in a manual review queue and needed supervisor approval. The regular agents don't have access to move things along but the specialists do. Had my money 9 days after that call.

hav you talked to ur local assembly person? thats wat i did after 4 months of waitin. took 3 more weeks but they got it fixed for me

This is unfortunately common with large backpay amounts in the NY system. Anything over $20,000 triggers additional verification processes that can take months. Here's what you need to do: 1. Request specifically to speak with a Backpay Specialist (not just any agent) 2. Ask them to check if your claim is stuck in the "Large Payment Review Queue" 3. Request the ID number of your backpay case (should start with BP-) 4. Get the agent's ID number and the date/time of your call 5. Follow up weekly and reference your previous calls The system is designed to delay large payments as a fraud prevention measure. You need to be extremely persistent. Document everything.

DONT BOTHER WITH THE PHONE CALLS!!!! The regular agents CANNOT help you with backpay issues!!! I went through this exact hell last year and wasted like 20+ hours on the phone with people who kept promising action. Nothing happened until I filed a formal complaint through the NY Department of Labor website (under "File a Complaint") AND emailed my state senator. Magically got paid 3 weeks later.

Is there anyone that actually got their large backpay amount without having to practically move mountains?? This is really discouraging me from even trying. I'm in a similar situation with about $18k in backpay they owe me from January-April. Been waiting since April and getting nowhere. The system is DESIGNED to make us give up.

I work as an employment attorney in NY and handle cases like this regularly. Here's what's happening: Claims with backpay exceeding $25,000 trigger an automatic fraud prevention review that requires supervisor approval. This is separate from the regular claims processing system. Your backpay is likely sitting in what's called the "High-Value Backpay Resolution Queue." Regular agents cannot access this system directly. You need to: 1. Specifically request to be transferred to the Backpay Resolution Unit 2. Have documentation ready showing why you're entitled to this specific amount 3. Be prepared to verify identity through the ID.me system again The current processing time for high-value backpay is approximately 4-6 months from approval date. Your case is now reaching the outer limits of that timeframe, which means escalation options become available.

@original poster - to answer your question about Claimyr, you don't give them any of your unemployment info. They just connect your call and then you deal directly with NYSDOL. It's basically a way to skip the phone queue. I was suspicious at first too but it was the only thing that worked after months of frustration.

anybody else notice they always have excuses for not paying the big amounts but when u owe THEM money they come after u with no delay lol

Update on the backpay situation: As of March 2025, the NYSDOL has implemented new procedures for backpay claims over $20,000. These now require a secondary review by the Backpay Verification Team. The current processing times are: - $5,000-$19,999: Approximately 4-6 weeks - $20,000-$49,999: Approximately 12-16 weeks - $50,000+: Approximately 16-24 weeks These timeframes are from the date of backpay approval, not from the date of initial claim filing. Since you're at 6 months, you should request to speak with a supervisor specifically about the Backpay Verification status. There's a specific status code they can check that regular agents don't typically access.

I finally got my backpay after 7 months of waiting! What worked for me was documenting EVERY single call (date, time, agent ID, what they promised) and then sending that documentation to both my state senator AND assemblyperson offices. Include all the details about your hardship situation too. The legislative offices have special contacts at NYSDOL that can actually get things moving.