What debit card does NYS Department of Labor unemployment use for payments?
Hey everyone, I just got approved for unemployment benefits and I'm wondering what debit card does unemployment use to send payments? I heard they don't do direct deposit anymore and use some kind of prepaid card instead. Does anyone know which card company they use and how long it takes to get it? I need to make sure I can access my money when the payments start coming.
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Ana Erdoğan
NYS Department of Labor uses the KeyBank Prepaid Debit Card for unemployment payments. It's issued by KeyBank and has the NYS logo on it. You should receive it within 7-10 business days after your first payment is issued. Make sure your address is correct in your my.ny.gov account because that's where they'll mail it.
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Ezra Bates
•Thanks! Do I need to activate it or anything special when I get it?
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Sophia Carson
Yes it's the KeyBank card. You'll need to activate it by calling the number on the sticker when you receive it. Don't throw away any of the paperwork that comes with it - it has important info about fees and ATM locations. You can also set up online access at www.goprogram.com to check your balance and transaction history.
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Elijah Knight
•Are there fees for using this card? I don't want to lose money just accessing my benefits.
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Sophia Carson
•There are some fees but you get one free ATM withdrawal per payment period at KeyBank ATMs. Check the fee schedule that comes with the card for full details.
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Brooklyn Foley
I've been waiting 2 weeks for my card and still nothing! My payments are showing as issued but I can't access them. Anyone else have delays with getting their KeyBank unemployment card?
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Jay Lincoln
•If it's been more than 10 business days you should call KeyBank customer service. Sometimes cards get lost in the mail and they can expedite a replacement. I had to do this last year and it only took 3 days for the new one.
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Brooklyn Foley
•I tried calling KeyBank but kept getting transferred around. Is there a better way to reach someone about unemployment debit cards?
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Jay Lincoln
•You could try using claimyr.com - they help people get through to NYS Department of Labor agents who can check on your card status or contact KeyBank directly for you. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be easier than dealing with KeyBank's phone system.
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Jessica Suarez
just got mine yesterday, the keybank one. took exactly 8 days from when my first payment posted. make sure to read all the paperwork!!
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CosmicCommander
•That's good to know! Did you have any issues activating it? I'm still waiting for mine and want to make sure I know what to expect when it arrives.
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Connor O'Brien
•Activation was super easy! Just called the number on the sticker and followed the prompts. Took maybe 5 minutes total. The card was ready to use immediately after that. One tip - they ask for your SSN and some info from the card during activation, so have everything ready when you call.
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Butch Sledgehammer
I can confirm it's definitely the KeyBank card with the NYS logo. Got mine about 3 weeks ago and it's been working fine. One thing to note - if you need cash, try to use KeyBank ATMs when possible since you get one free withdrawal per payment cycle. Other ATMs will charge fees on top of the card's fees. Also, you can transfer money from the card to your regular bank account through the GoProgram website, though there might be a small fee for that too. Just wanted to add that info since fees seem to be a concern for folks here!
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