Why hasn't my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim been approved yet - going on 2 months
Filed my unemployment claim back in early November and it's now January and still nothing. The online portal just says 'claim under review' but doesn't give any specifics about what they're reviewing or how much longer this will take. I've been certifying my weekly claims like I'm supposed to but obviously not getting any payments. Called the NYS Department of Labor phone line probably 20 times but either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours before giving up. This is really starting to stress me out financially - my savings are almost gone and I have rent due next week. Has anyone else had their claim take this long to get approved? What could be causing such a long delay?
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Hattie Carson
Two months is definitely longer than normal processing time. Usually NYS Department of Labor claims get approved within 2-3 weeks unless there's an adjudication issue. Check your online account for any messages or documents they might be requesting. Sometimes they need additional verification of your work history or the reason you separated from your last job.
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Kendrick Webb
AuthorI've checked my account every single day and there are no pending issues or document requests showing. That's what's so frustrating about this whole thing.
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Destiny Bryant
same boat here, filed in October and still waiting... the whole system is just broken at this point
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Dyllan Nantx
If there are no pending issues in your account, the delay is likely due to adjudication on your separation reason. This happens when NYS Department of Labor needs to verify information with your former employer. The process can take 6-8 weeks unfortunately. Keep certifying your weekly claims because you'll get back pay once it's resolved. You can also try reaching out to your local career center for assistance.
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TillyCombatwarrior
6-8 weeks?? That's insane, how are people supposed to survive that long without any income coming in
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Anna Xian
I had a similar issue last year where my claim was stuck for weeks. Ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real NYS Department of Labor agent who could check my claim status. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Within a day of talking to the agent, my claim was approved. Might be worth trying since the regular phone lines are basically useless.
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Kendrick Webb
AuthorNever heard of that service before but at this point I'm willing to try anything. Did they charge you a lot for it?
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Anna Xian
It was worth it for me given how much time I was wasting trying to get through on my own. Much easier than spending hours on hold every day.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
The NYS Department of Labor is just completely overwhelmed right now. My cousin's been waiting 3 months for his appeal to be processed. They're probably understaffed and dealing with a backlog from all the layoffs happening in different industries.
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Reginald Blackwell
I'm in a similar situation - filed in late October and still waiting. What helped me was contacting my state assembly member's office. They have staff that can actually reach someone at the Department of Labor on your behalf. I called my assemblyperson's district office, explained the situation, and they said they'd make an inquiry. Within a week I got a call back saying there was an issue with my employer's response that was holding things up. Still waiting for resolution but at least now I know what the problem is. Try looking up who represents your district and give their office a call - it's a free service they provide to constituents.
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GalaxyGazer
That's really helpful advice about contacting your assembly member! I never thought of that as an option. How do you find out who represents your district? Is there a website or do you just call the general state office?
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Edison Estevez
You can find your assembly member by going to nyassembly.gov and using their "Find My Member" tool - just enter your address and it'll show you who represents your district. You can also call the main Assembly switchboard at (518) 455-4100 and they'll transfer you to the right office. Most assembly members have both Albany and local district offices, and the district offices are usually better for constituent services like this.
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Kaitlyn Otto
You can find your assembly member by going to the New York State Assembly website (nyassembly.gov) and using their "Find Your Member" tool - just enter your zip code or address. They also have a phone directory where you can call the main number and they'll transfer you to the right district office. Most assembly members have local offices in their districts specifically to help constituents with issues like this. Definitely worth trying since the regular DOL phone lines are basically impossible to get through on.
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