Why does my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim say pending - been waiting 2 weeks
Filed my unemployment claim two weeks ago and it's still showing 'pending' status when I log into my NY.gov account. I submitted all the required documents and answered all the questions during the application. My previous job ended due to layoffs so there shouldn't be any issues with eligibility. I've been filing my weekly claims but those are pending too. Is this normal or should I be worried? How long does NYS Department of Labor usually take to process new claims?
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Sienna Gomez
Pending status usually means your claim is in adjudication. NYS Department of Labor needs to verify your employment history and earnings with your former employer. This process typically takes 2-4 weeks, sometimes longer if they need additional documentation. Keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - you'll get back pay if approved.
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Daryl Bright
•Thanks for explaining! Should I expect any communication from them during this process or do I just wait?
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
same thing happened to me last month!! took almost 3 weeks before mine changed from pending to approved. the waiting is the worst part honestly
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Abigail bergen
There are several reasons why claims stay pending longer than usual. NYS Department of Labor might be verifying your separation reason with your employer, checking if you're eligible for benefits, or reviewing your work history. If you worked for multiple employers in the past 18 months, that can also extend the review time. You can check if there are any pending issues in your account that need attention.
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Ahooker-Equator
•How do you check for pending issues? I've been looking through my account but can't find anything specific that needs my attention.
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Anderson Prospero
I had the SAME problem and couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks. The phone lines are always busy and the callback system never worked for me. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent who explained exactly what was holding up my claim. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Turned out my employer hadn't responded to their verification request.
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Daryl Bright
•Did they charge you for that service? I'm getting desperate to talk to someone but don't want to get scammed.
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Anderson Prospero
•Yeah there's a fee but honestly it was worth it to finally get answers instead of sitting in limbo. Way better than spending hours trying to call every day.
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Tyrone Hill
The NYS Department of Labor system is so frustrating! Mine was pending for 5 weeks and then randomly got approved without any explanation. Never got a clear answer about what took so long.
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Toot-n-Mighty
Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what! Even if everything shows pending, you need to maintain your claim or you could lose benefits. I learned that the hard way when I stopped filing thinking it didn't matter.
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Daryl Bright
•Good to know - I'll definitely keep filing them. Do you know if there's a limit to how long they can keep it pending?
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Zara Shah
Two weeks is pretty typical for the initial review process. NYS Department of Labor has been dealing with high volumes lately which can slow things down. The system should show you if there are any specific issues or additional documents needed - look for any alerts or messages in your account dashboard. If everything looks clear on your end and you've submitted all required docs, it's likely just working through their normal verification process. Keep doing those weekly certifications as others mentioned - that's crucial even while pending!
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Noland Curtis
•Thanks for the reassurance! I've been checking my dashboard daily but haven't seen any alerts or requests for additional documents. It's good to know that two weeks is still within the normal range. The uncertainty is just nerve-wracking when you're counting on those benefits. I'll keep filing weekly and try to be patient with the process.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed 3 weeks ago and still pending. What's really frustrating is that I can see my former employer hasn't responded to their request yet when I check the "employer contacts" section of my account. NYS Department of Labor told me (when I finally got through on the phone after 2+ hours of calling) that they send employers 10 business days to respond, and if they don't hear back they make a decision based on the info they have. Hang in there - from what I've read here it sounds like most people eventually get approved even with these delays!
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Ravi Kapoor
•That's really helpful to know about the employer response timeline! I didn't realize you could check if your employer had responded in the "employer contacts" section - I'll look for that in my account. It makes me feel a bit better knowing that they'll still make a decision even if the employer doesn't respond within 10 business days. The waiting game is definitely stressful but it sounds like most people here eventually got their claims approved. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Mateo Warren
I'm in a similar situation - filed 10 days ago and still showing pending. This thread is really helpful to read through all your experiences! It's reassuring to know that 2-4 weeks seems to be the normal timeframe and that most people eventually get approved. I've been panicking thinking something was wrong with my application. Going to keep filing my weekly claims and try to be more patient with the process. Has anyone had luck calling early in the morning to get through to an agent, or is it pretty much always busy regardless of when you call?
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