What do I do if I haven't received my unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?

This happens more often than you'd think. First, check your payment method in your my.ny.gov account - make sure your direct deposit info is correct. Also verify that you don't have any outstanding issues that need to be resolved. Sometimes there are identity verification requirements that can hold up payments even after approval.

First thing to check - did you set up direct deposit correctly? Sometimes there's a mismatch between the bank account info you provided and what your bank has on file. Log into your my.ny.gov account and verify your banking details under the payment method section. Also check if there are any 'effective days' remaining on your claim - even approved claims need to complete a waiting period before payments start.

Ugh same thing happened to me back in October! Took forever to get someone on the phone at NYS Department of Labor to explain what was happening. Turns out my claim was flagged for some random verification even though it said approved online.

Look for any messages in your inbox on the NYS Department of Labor website. Also check if your claim is showing 'payment released' or just 'approved' - those are different statuses. If payments were released but you haven't received them, that's usually a bank issue. If they haven't been released, there's probably something NYS Department of Labor needs from you.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! I've been waiting 8 weeks for my first payment and every time I call they give me a different excuse. First it was 'processing delays' then 'additional verification needed' now they're saying there's some issue with my employer verification. Meanwhile my landlord doesn't care about NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy - he wants his rent money!

For what it's worth, here are the most common reasons payments get held up even after approval: 1) Employer hasn't responded to the wage verification request, 2) There's a discrepancy in your work history that needs manual review, 3) Your weekly claims aren't being processed correctly due to a technical glitch, or 4) There's an identity verification flag on your account. You really need to speak with an agent to find out which one applies to your situation.

I had a similar issue last year where I couldn't reach anyone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Basically they handle all the calling and waiting for you. Within a day I was talking to someone who could see exactly why my payments were held up.

maybe try going to a one stop center? i think they can help with unemployment issues too but im not 100% sure

The NYS Department of Labor system is so frustrating!! I've been dealing with payment delays for MONTHS and nobody can give me straight answers. They approve your claim then make you jump through a million hoops before you see a dime. It's like they WANT people to give up.

One more thing to check - make sure you're not in any kind of standby status or work search exemption that might be causing delays. Sometimes those settings can interfere with payment processing even if your weekly claims are going through.

I went through something similar a few months ago. The key thing that helped me was logging into my.ny.gov and checking the "Payment History" section (not just claim status). Even though my claim showed approved, the payment history showed specific hold codes that explained the delay. In my case, it was code "PUA-ID" which meant they needed additional identity verification documents. Once I uploaded my driver's license and Social Security card through the document upload portal, payments started flowing within a week. Also, if you're still stuck, try calling right at 8:00 AM when they open - that's when I finally got through after weeks of trying.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - claim approved but no payments for 4 weeks. After reading through all these responses, I realized I need to dig deeper into my account. Going to check that Payment History section that @Liam O'Donnell mentioned to see if there are any hold codes I missed. It's so frustrating that the system shows "approved" on the main page but doesn't clearly indicate what's actually blocking the payments. Has anyone else found that the Payment History section shows different information than the main claim status? I've been focusing on the wrong part of the portal this whole time apparently.

I had the exact same issue earlier this year! My claim showed "approved" for almost 7 weeks with no payments. What finally resolved it was contacting my former employer directly. Turns out NYS Department of Labor had sent them a verification request that got lost in their HR department, and they never responded. Once I called my old boss and asked them to submit the employer response form, my payments started within 3 days. It's worth reaching out to your previous employer to see if they received any paperwork from NYS Department of Labor that they haven't filled out yet. Sometimes the hold-up isn't on your end at all - it's just waiting for employer verification that's sitting on someone's desk.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - claim approved 5 weeks ago but zero payments! Reading through all these responses is actually super helpful because I had no idea there were so many different things that could be holding up payments even after approval. I'm definitely going to check that Payment History section that several people mentioned, and also reach out to my former employer to see if they got any verification requests. It's crazy that the main claim status can show "approved" while there are actually specific hold codes preventing payment. Has anyone found a good time of day to call besides 8 AM? I work early shifts so that timing is tough for me.

I went through this exact situation last month and it was incredibly stressful! After reading all these helpful responses, I want to add one more thing that might help - check if you have any "effective days" remaining on your claim. Even with an approved claim, there's often a waiting period (usually one week) before payments begin. You can find this info in the "Claim Summary" section of your my.ny.gov account. Also, if you're dealing with employer verification delays like several people mentioned, you might want to contact your state assemblyperson's office - they sometimes have direct contacts at NYS Department of Labor who can expedite these issues. I know it's frustrating when you need the money for rent, but hang in there! Most of these payment delays do get resolved once you identify the specific hold-up.

I just went through this nightmare scenario a couple months ago! Here's what I learned from my experience: First, log into my.ny.gov and go specifically to the "Payment History" section (not just the main claim status). This will show you any hold codes that explain exactly why payments are being delayed - the main dashboard just showing "approved" is misleading. Common hold codes include employer verification issues, identity verification requirements, or wage discrepancies. Second, if you see employer-related hold codes, call your former employer's HR department directly to ask if they received verification paperwork from NYS Department of Labor - sometimes these requests get lost or ignored. Third, if you can't get through on the phone (which is likely), try calling right at 8:00 AM sharp when they open, or consider using a service like Claimyr that several people here have mentioned. Finally, check if you have any "effective days" remaining in your Claim Summary - there might be a waiting period even after approval. I know it's incredibly stressful when rent is due, but once you identify the specific issue, these usually resolve within a week or two. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My claim has been approved for 3 weeks but no payments have come through. After reading all these responses, I realize I've been looking in the wrong places. I had no idea there was a separate "Payment History" section that shows hold codes - I've just been staring at the main dashboard that says "approved" and getting more frustrated each day. I'm going to check for those hold codes first thing tomorrow, and if it's an employer verification issue like so many people have experienced, I'll call my former company's HR department directly. It's ridiculous that we have to become detectives to figure out why approved claims aren't paying, but at least now I have a clear plan of action. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is more helpful than anything I could find on the official NYS Department of Labor website!

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now - approved claim for over a month but still no payments! After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing I've been making the same mistake of just looking at the main claim status instead of digging deeper. The Payment History section that several people mentioned sounds like the key to figuring out what's actually going wrong. It's so maddening that NYS Department of Labor shows "approved" on the main page while there are apparently specific hold codes buried elsewhere that explain the real issue. I'm definitely going to check for those codes first thing tomorrow and see if it's an employer verification problem like so many others have experienced. If that's the case, I'll try calling my former employer directly - never would have thought of that approach on my own. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding that we're not alone in this mess and that there are actual steps we can take beyond just waiting and panicking about bills. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I've been approved for 5 weeks now but haven't seen a penny. Like so many others here, I was just staring at that misleading "approved" status on the main dashboard getting more frustrated every day. I had absolutely no idea about the Payment History section that everyone's mentioning - going to check that first thing in the morning to see what hold codes might be lurking there. The suggestion about contacting your former employer directly is genius too. My last job was at a pretty chaotic startup, so I wouldn't be surprised if they received verification paperwork from NYS Department of Labor and it's just sitting in someone's email. It's infuriating that we have to become investigators to figure out why our approved claims aren't paying out, but at least now I have concrete steps to take instead of just calling that impossible-to-reach phone number over and over. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support is honestly more helpful than anything on the official NYS Department of Labor website!