What is back pay for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor owes me weeks?
I'm really confused about this whole back pay situation with my unemployment claim. My NYS Department of Labor claim was stuck in adjudication for like 6 weeks and just got approved yesterday. Now I see people talking about 'back pay' but I don't really understand what that means or how it works. Does the state automatically send me money for all those weeks I was waiting? Do I need to file something special? I'm worried I might miss a deadline or mess something up. Has anyone been through this process before?
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Freya Collins
Back pay is essentially the unemployment benefits you're owed for weeks when your claim was pending but you were eligible. Since your claim was approved, NYS Department of Labor should automatically calculate and pay you for those 6 weeks you were waiting during adjudication. You don't need to file anything special - it should show up in your payment history within a few business days. Just make sure you keep certifying your weekly claims as usual.
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Lucas Schmidt
•Thank you! So I don't have to worry about missing any deadlines or forms? That's such a relief.
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LongPeri
yeah same thing happened to me last year, took forever but I got like $2800 in back pay all at once when my claim finally went through
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Lucas Schmidt
•Wow that's a lot! Did it come as one lump sum or spread out over several payments?
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LongPeri
•one big deposit, was nice but also kind of overwhelming lol
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Oscar O'Neil
The back pay calculation includes your weekly benefit amount multiplied by the number of weeks you were eligible but not paid due to the pending adjudication. It also includes any dependent allowances if you have them. Just be aware that taxes will be withheld if you selected that option when you first filed. Check your online account - it should show the breakdown of what weeks are being paid.
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Sara Hellquiem
•I've been having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on my back pay status. The phone lines are always busy and I keep getting disconnected. Has anyone found a reliable way to actually talk to someone there? I tried claimyr.com after seeing their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and it actually got me through to an agent who explained exactly what weeks I'd be getting paid for.
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Charlee Coleman
Ugh the whole back pay thing is such a mess. I waited 8 weeks for my adjudication and when I finally got approved they shorted me 2 weeks! Had to fight tooth and nail to get those extra weeks included. The NYS Department of Labor system is so broken.
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Liv Park
•That's awful! Did you have to file an appeal to get those missing weeks?
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Charlee Coleman
•Yeah I had to request a hearing and everything. Took another month but I eventually got the full amount.
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Leeann Blackstein
just got my back pay too!! 5 weeks worth came through yesterday, definitely helped catch up on bills
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Sophia Clark
Just wanted to add that when you get your back pay, make sure to double check the dates and amounts against your claim history. I got mine last month but there was an error where they counted one week twice and missed another week entirely. Had to call and get it sorted out, but they fixed it pretty quickly once I got through to someone. Also worth noting that if you had any part-time work during those waiting weeks, they'll calculate the back pay with those earnings deducted, so don't be surprised if it's less than your full weekly benefit amount times the number of weeks.
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