Struggling to get ny unemployment backpay for 14 months - need advice

The only way I managed to get through was using claimyr.com - I was in the exact same boat (waiting 8 months for backpay) and was ready to give up. The service calls for you and connects you with a live agent. Best money I spent all year considering I got over $6k in backpay afterwards. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I was in a similar situation last year. Try calling exactly at 7:58am - that's when the lines open and you might get lucky. Also, try the 'file a new claim' option even if you don't need to - sometimes it routes you to a different department that can actually help with backpay.

Honestly the ny unemployment system is completely broken. I went through this exact nightmare for 10 MONTHS. What finally worked for me was contacting my state assembly person. They have direct lines to DOL and can escalate your claim. Google your district rep and email them with all your info.

Listen, the backpay system is a MESS right now. Here's what you need to know to actually get your money: First off, document EVERYTHING. Screenshots of your payment history, approval dates, everything. When you do finally reach someone, you need this evidence ready. The regular phone lines are basically useless at this point. You have several options that might actually work: 1. Contact your state representative or senator. They have direct channels to DOL and can often resolve backpay issues faster. 2. Try using claimyr.com - it's a service that will call for you and connect when a human answers. This saved me weeks of frustration. 3. File a formal complaint through the DOL website. It creates a paper trail they can't ignore. 4. If you're really desperate, some people have had success with the social media approach - tweet at NYSDOL and your story might get picked up. The key is PERSISTENCE. The system is designed to make you give up. Don't. Your money is sitting there waiting for you. And remember - backpay is different from regular benefits. Make sure whoever you speak with understands you're specifically asking about BACKDATED payments from your approval date, not just regular weekly benefits.

Just a heads up - if you were approved in May 2021 but didn't get paid till July, you are DEFINITELY owed those back weeks. Don't let them tell you otherwise. I've seen so many people just give up on their backpay.

bruh i swear the unemployment office secretly hired people to make their phone system as frustrating as possible 😤 they WANT you to give up on your money

For anyone dealing with backpay issues - you NEED to specifically request a "backdate review" when you get someone on the phone. Don't just ask about missing payments. The regular agents often don't know how to handle backdating and will just tell you to keep certifying.

The whole NY unemployment system is designed to frustrate you into giving up. I'm not saying it's a conspiracy BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A CONSPIRACY 👀

After waiting 6 months for backpay I found out that in my case they were holding it because one of my weekly certifications had a question marked wrong. Check all your certifications for errors.

Have you tried the unemployment office trick where you select the option for "filing a new claim" even though you don't need to? Sometimes those agents can help with backpay issues and that queue is shorter.

dude i feel ur pain. spent months trying to get my backpay from march-june. finally reached someone who said there was a "hold" on my account that no one bothered to tell me about. the system is BROKEN

Have you tried the DIRECT NUMBER? The regular customer service line is useless. Try 1-888-209-8124 but use the Spanish option then press 9 for English. Sometimes this bypasses the worst of the queues.

my brother was in THE EXACT same situation. he contacted our state senator's office and they fixed it in 2 weeks. don't waste time with the regular phone lines - they're designed to make you give up.

you're probably dealing with the infamous "backpay glitch" - happened to thousands of ppl including me. they approve you but the system doesn't auto-generate the backpay. you need a specialized agent to manually release those funds.

Welcome to the backpay support group 😂 we're all suffering together. I waited 11 months to get mine. What eventually worked was calling at EXACTLY 7:59am and 57 seconds... literally timed it to hit the lines the moment they opened.

so I see we're all living the same nightmare... the backpay system is criminal. took me 7 call attempts using claimyr.com before I got someone who actually knew what they were talking about. the first 6 agents had no idea how to handle backdating.

i work in a related field (not unemployment but similar govt agency) and I'll tell you a secret - the agents CAN see your backpay status but many don't know how to access that screen in the system. Ask specifically for someone who can check the "payment history backend" not just the regular payment screen.