What is the unemployment number for NYS Department of Labor phone support?
I've been trying to find the right phone number to call NYS Department of Labor about my unemployment claim but there are so many different numbers online and I keep getting transferred around or put on hold for hours. My weekly claim certification has been pending for 2 weeks now and I really need to talk to someone who can actually help me. Does anyone know what is the unemployment number that actually gets you to a real person who can look at your claim status? I've tried the main customer service line but it just keeps saying high call volume and hangs up on me.
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Niko Ramsey
The main NYS Department of Labor unemployment phone number is 1-888-209-8124, but honestly you're going to have the same problem with long wait times and getting disconnected. Best times to call are usually right when they open at 8am or later in the evening around 4-5pm. Make sure you have your Social Security number and claim confirmation number ready before you call.
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Anna Kerber
•Thanks! I'll try calling right at 8am tomorrow. Do you know if there's a specific option I should press to get to someone about pending weekly claims?
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Seraphina Delan
ugh same issue here, been calling for days and either get busy signal or they hang up after 2+ hours on hold. the system is completely broken
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Jabari-Jo
I had the same frustration trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my adjudication issue. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you through to an agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Saved me so much time and stress.
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Kristin Frank
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to unemployment.
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Jabari-Jo
•I hear you on that, but honestly after wasting days trying to get through myself, it was worth it to actually talk to someone who could fix my claim. The alternative was potentially losing weeks of benefits while waiting.
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Micah Trail
You can also try using the NY.gov online portal to check your claim status and send messages, though they don't always respond quickly to the messages either. Sometimes you can resolve simple issues without having to call at all.
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Anna Kerber
•I've been checking the portal daily but it just shows 'pending' with no explanation. Really need to talk to someone to find out what's holding it up.
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Sofia Gutierrez
I feel your pain - I was in the exact same situation last month with my weekly certification stuck in pending status. What finally worked for me was calling the Telecert line at 1-888-581-5812 instead of the main customer service number. This line is specifically for weekly claim certifications and tends to have shorter wait times. When you call, press 1 for English, then 1 again for weekly claim certification, and you'll get connected to someone who can actually see what's causing the delay. I called around 2pm on a Wednesday and only waited about 45 minutes. Make sure you have your PIN and last 4 digits of your SSN ready. Hope this helps!
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Ravi Choudhury
•This is super helpful Sofia! I had no idea there was a separate Telecert line specifically for weekly certifications. I've been calling the main number like everyone else and getting nowhere. Definitely going to try 1-888-581-5812 tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for the detailed instructions on which options to press too - that saves me from having to figure it out while on the call.
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