What does eligibility determination mean for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor claim status confusion
My claim has been showing 'eligibility determination in progress' for over a week now and I have no idea what this actually means. I filed my initial claim two weeks ago after being laid off from my warehouse job. All my employer information went through fine and I've been filing my weekly claims, but this status isn't changing. Is this the same thing as adjudication? Should I be worried that something's wrong with my claim? I really need these benefits to start coming through soon.
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Noland Curtis
Eligibility determination is basically when NYS Department of Labor reviews your claim to make sure you meet all the requirements for unemployment benefits. They're checking things like whether you worked enough hours, if you were separated from work through no fault of your own, and that you're able and available for work. It's different from adjudication - that happens when there's a specific issue that needs investigation.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Thanks for explaining! So this is normal then? How long does it usually take for them to finish the determination?
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Diez Ellis
mine took like 3 weeks last year, they're super slow with everything
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Vanessa Figueroa
The eligibility determination process typically takes 1-3 weeks depending on your specific situation. NYS Department of Labor is verifying your work history, wages, and reason for separation. If you were laid off like you mentioned, that should be straightforward. Keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - you'll get backpay if approved. You can check your determination letter in your my.ny.gov account once it's complete.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•I've been checking my account daily but haven't seen any letters yet. Should I call them or just keep waiting?
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Abby Marshall
•Good luck getting through on the phone! I've been trying for days and either get busy signals or get hung up on after waiting forever. The call volume is insane right now. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a NYS Department of Labor agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your determination status.
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Sadie Benitez
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed 10 days ago and still showing eligibility determination. It's so stressful not knowing what's happening. Did you have any issues with your employer information when you filed?
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Muhammad Hobbs
•No issues that I know of - everything seemed to go through smoothly when I filed. Hopefully we both hear something soon!
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Drew Hathaway
just wait it out, they'll get to it eventually. the system is backed up from all the people filing claims
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