Tips to actually get through to NY unemployment phone line after trying all morning?

call right when they open at 8am, thats what worked for me

The NY unemployment phone system is DESIGNED to frustrate you and make you give up!!! They don't want to talk to us because then they'd have to actually PAY benefits. I spent TWO WEEKS trying to get through before I finally reached someone. Try calling at 8:30, then 10:15, and again at 2:45pm - sometimes they clear the queue at those odd times.

I was in your exact situation last month and almost lost my mind trying to get through. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this system that basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when they get a representative on the line. Saved me HOURS of frustration. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it's seriously worth checking out when you're desperate to talk to someone about your claim.

i always press 3 1 2 4 at the menu instead of what they tell u to press... sometimes gets me thru faster

Same thing happened to me too!! So frustrating! I wanted to throw my phone against the wall lol. Hope you get through soon!

As a former NYSDOL employee, I can offer some guidance. The best time to call is actually between 1:30-2:30pm. Many people try early morning, but the afternoon can have slightly lower call volume. Also, Thursdays tend to be less busy than Mondays or Fridays. Make sure you have your NY.gov ID, PIN, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number ready. Also have your claim information, any correspondence reference numbers, and dates of employment issues prepared before calling. Alternatively, have you tried using the secure message function in your online account? For many issues, this can be faster than calling, though it might take 5-7 business days for a response.

my cousin said u can try calling the unemployment office in a different part of NY state, sometimes those lines arent as busy and they can still help you

Did you ever manage to get through? I remembered another thing that helped me - make sure your phone number isn't blocked or set to private when calling. Their system sometimes rejects calls with blocked numbers.

I've been dealing with NY unemployment for months and one thing that helped me was calling exactly at 8:00 AM on the dot - not 8:01 or 8:02, but literally right when they open. I set multiple alarms and had my phone ready to dial. Also, if you get disconnected, don't wait - call back immediately. Sometimes there's a brief window where the system hasn't fully switched back to "high volume" mode. Another tip: try calling on Wednesday mornings - seems to be less busy than other days of the week. Good luck and don't give up!

I went through the exact same nightmare last year! After weeks of trying, I discovered that calling during their lunch break (around 12:30-1:00 PM) sometimes works better because they have skeleton staff but fewer people calling at that time. Also, if you have a smartphone, try using a different phone or landline - I noticed my calls connected more often from my work phone than my cell. One more thing: when you do get through, ask the agent to add notes to your file about your issue so if you get disconnected, the next person can see what you were calling about. Don't give up - persistence really does pay off with their system!

I feel your pain! I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago. What finally worked for me was a combination of timing and persistence. I found that calling at 8:30 AM (not right at 8:00 when everyone calls) and then again at 2:15 PM gave me the best luck. Also, make sure you're calling from a phone that shows your caller ID - I noticed blocked numbers seem to get disconnected faster. One trick that helped me was to have multiple phones ready and call from different numbers if one keeps getting the busy signal. I also recommend having all your documents ready before calling: claim number, PIN, employment dates, and any reference numbers from previous correspondence. The wait times are brutal but once you get through, the agents are usually pretty helpful. Don't give up - I know it's incredibly frustrating but you'll eventually get through!

I had this same issue earlier this year and it was absolutely maddening! After reading through all these responses, I want to add that keeping a call log really helped me track what times and approaches worked better. I noticed patterns - like Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 1:45-2:30 PM seemed to have slightly better connection rates for me. Also, when you do get the "high call volume" message, try calling back within 60 seconds - sometimes there's a brief window where the system updates and you might slip through. One thing that saved my sanity was setting up a dedicated "calling session" where I'd block out 2-3 hours, put on headphones, and just redial while doing other tasks. It's tedious but eventually you'll break through. The key is not taking it personally - the system is just overwhelmed, not targeting you specifically!

I've been following this thread and wow, so many great strategies here! I just wanted to add my experience from last month. After trying everything mentioned here, what finally worked was calling on a Thursday at 3:45 PM - apparently right after their afternoon break ends. I also discovered that if you're using an iPhone, turning off WiFi calling seemed to help (not sure why, but I read somewhere that VOIP calls might get deprioritized). One more tip: download a call recorder app (where legal) or at least take detailed notes during your call. When they finally fixed my issue, they gave me a confirmation number and reference details that became crucial later when I had to follow up. The whole process is definitely broken and needs reform, but persistence really does pay off. Hang in there everyone - you will eventually get through!

I've been lurking on this thread for a while and finally got through yesterday using a combination of these tips! What worked for me was calling on Tuesday at exactly 2:20 PM from a landline (borrowed my neighbor's phone). I think the key was persistence - I literally called 47 times over 3 days but tracked each attempt in a spreadsheet with time, day, and result. The pattern I noticed was that Tuesday-Thursday between 2:15-2:45 PM had the highest success rate for me. When I finally got through, the wait time was still 35 minutes, but at least I was in the queue! Make sure to have a phone charger handy and something to do while waiting. The agent was super helpful once connected and resolved my pending payment issue in about 10 minutes. Don't lose hope - this thread has been a lifesaver for strategies that actually work!

This entire thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the same frustrating situation right now - been trying to get through for 2 weeks about a claim that got stuck in "under review" status. Reading everyone's specific timing strategies and success stories gives me so much hope. I'm going to try the Tuesday/Wednesday afternoon windows that multiple people mentioned, and I love the idea of keeping a call log to track patterns. It's amazing how this community is sharing such detailed strategies to work around a broken system. Has anyone had success with the weekend callback services, or do those only work during regular business hours? I'm willing to try anything at this point! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - knowing I'm not alone in this struggle really helps.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share what worked for me just this week! After reading all these amazing strategies, I combined several approaches: called on Wednesday at 2:25 PM from my work landline (not my cell), and kept a simple tally sheet next to me. It took 23 attempts over 2 days, but I finally got through! The key thing I learned is that when you get the "high call volume" message, the exact timing of your callback really matters. I started calling back exactly 45 seconds after each disconnect (not immediately, not after 2 minutes) and that seemed to help. Also, I had my claim documents organized in a folder beforehand which saved so much time once I got connected. The agent was able to resolve my payment delay issue in under 15 minutes once I had everything ready. For anyone still struggling - the Tuesday/Wednesday afternoon window that multiple people mentioned really does work, just be prepared to call dozens of times. Don't give up, this community's advice actually works!

This thread is absolutely incredible - I can't believe how much detailed, actionable advice everyone has shared! I'm in the exact same boat as the original poster, been trying to get through for over a week about a benefits calculation error. Reading through all these success stories and specific timing strategies gives me so much hope. I'm going to start implementing the call tracking system that several people mentioned, and I'm definitely trying those Tuesday/Wednesday 2:15-2:45 PM windows that multiple people have had success with. The 45-second callback timing tip is fascinating - such a specific detail that I never would have thought of! I also appreciate everyone being so honest about how many attempts it actually takes (20+ calls seems to be the norm). It's both frustrating and reassuring to know this is a systemic issue affecting so many people, not just bad luck on my part. Going to borrow my parents' landline this week and give it a shot. Thank you all for turning this nightmare process into something manageable with real strategies that work!

I've been dealing with NY unemployment issues for months and this thread is absolutely gold! Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm struck by how similar our struggles are - it really highlights how broken this system is that we all have to become experts in gaming phone queues just to get basic help. I wanted to add my own recent success story to hopefully help others: I finally got through last Friday using a combination of strategies from this thread. I called on Friday at 1:55 PM from a landline (borrowed from a friend), and it took exactly 31 attempts over 3 days. What seemed to help was the timing - I noticed Friday afternoons might be less busy because people assume government offices wind down for the weekend. I also kept a detailed log like others suggested, noting not just when I called but also how long the "high volume" message played before disconnecting (sometimes it was 5 seconds, sometimes 15 - the shorter ones seemed to mean better chances on the next call). One tip I haven't seen mentioned: bring snacks and water for your calling session! Sounds silly but after 2+ hours of redialing, you need fuel. My issue was resolved in 20 minutes once connected. Don't give up everyone - this community's advice really works!

I've been lurking on this thread for days while dealing with my own NY unemployment nightmare, and I just have to say - you all are lifesavers! I've been trying to reach someone about a missing payment for almost 2 weeks now, getting that same infuriating "high call volume" message every single time. Reading through all these detailed strategies has given me actual hope for the first time in weeks. I'm definitely going to try the Tuesday/Wednesday 2:15-2:45 PM window that multiple people have had success with, and I love the idea of keeping a call log to track patterns. The 45-second callback timing tip is so specific and clever - I never would have thought of that! I'm also going to borrow my mom's landline since several people mentioned better success rates with landlines vs cell phones. It's both frustrating and comforting to know this is such a widespread issue affecting so many people. Thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible situation into something manageable with real, tested strategies. This community support means everything when you're dealing with such a broken system!