Waiting a full year for NY unemployment back pay - is this normal?

I waited about 8 months for mine, but a year is excessive even by NYSDOL standards. You need to do more than just leave voicemails. Try these steps: 1. File a formal complaint through your NY.gov account under the 'Message' section 2. Contact your state representative/assemblyperson (they can sometimes expedite claims) 3. Request a formal determination letter if you haven't received one 4. Make sure your claim hasn't been flagged for identity verification issues When you call, specifically ask about the status code on your back pay. There are different codes that indicate different issues, and knowing the code can help you address the specific problem.

a year??? thats crazy even for ny unemployment!!! i was waiting for like 4 months and thought THAT was bad lol. did u try checking your account online? sometimes theres notices there they never tell u about

I had a similar issue last year with 9 months of unpaid back benefits. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to a senior agent who had the authority to actually review my case. Regular agents couldn't help because backpay claims get locked in the system after a certain time. I tried for weeks on my own but kept getting disconnected or reaching junior agents. The Claimyr service (claimyr.com) connected me within about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The senior agent I finally spoke with was able to see that my case had been flagged incorrectly as potentially fraudulent due to an employer response issue. Once they removed that flag, I got my backpay in about 2 weeks.

@OP They just help you get through to an actual NYSDOL agent - you don't share any claim details with them. They basically navigate the phone system and get you in line, then call you when they're about to connect you to an agent. All your personal info is only shared directly with the unemployment agent, not with their service.

DOL is the WORST!!! I waited 11 months for mine and only got it after threatening legal action. The system is BROKEN! They hope you'll just give up and go away. DON'T!!! That's YOUR money they're holding!!!

I didn't actually get a lawyer (couldn't afford one lol) but I sent a formal letter saying I would pursue legal options and also file complaints with the state attorney general. Probably just got lucky that someone took me seriously.

I work for a nonprofit that helps people with unemployment issues. For backpay older than 6 months, you need to request a "Retroactive Payment Review" specifically. Many agents don't even know this process exists because it's handled by a specialized department. When you call, use these exact words: "I need to request a Retroactive Payment Review for benefits dating back to [month/year]." Also, have you verified that your payment method is still correct in the system? Sometimes direct deposit information expires after a year and payments get held because of that. Make sure your current banking information is updated, even if you haven't changed banks.

This happened to me back in 2023. I call and call for months and nothing. My cousin works at the bank and told me theres always issues with direct deposit for back pay. Check if ur bank account info is right. Also, did you move during this time? My check got sent to my old address and that's why it never came!

I haven't moved, and my bank details are definitely correct. I've checked that multiple times. I'm going to try using Claimyr to get through to a senior agent tomorrow, and I'll specifically ask for a Retroactive Payment Review as suggested here. Will update if I get anywhere!

This might sound like a silly question, but have you checked if your back pay was already issued? I wait a whole year only to discover they had sent me the money six months earlier! The problem was they processed it as a separate claim, so it didn't show up in my regular payment history. I had to specifically ask about "auxiliary payments" to find it. Just a thought...

Just one more thing to be aware of - NY unemployment has a statute of limitations on back pay claims. You need to actively pursue this now, as claims older than 18 months become much harder to recover. Document every contact attempt you make (dates, reference numbers, agent names if possible).

Update for everyone: Since this seems to be a common issue, I wanted to mention that the NY unemployment system is currently undergoing another system update in February 2025 that's supposed to improve backpay processing. If you're having issues, now is actually a good time to get your case reviewed before the transition. Cases still pending during the system migration might experience additional delays.

I FINALLY GOT THROUGH TO SOMEONE! Used Claimyr this morning and spoke to an actual helpful agent. Turns out my backpay got stuck in review because of an employer dispute that was resolved months ago but never properly updated in the system. They've escalated it to the special payments unit and said I should see movement within 2-3 weeks. Finally some progress! Thank you all for your help and suggestions!