Why haven't I received my NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits after filing claim?
Filed my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor about 10 days ago and still haven't gotten any money. My account shows the claim was accepted but no payments have been released. I've been doing my weekly claims like I'm supposed to but the payment history is completely empty. Is this normal or did something go wrong? I really need this money to cover rent next week.
14 comments


Carmella Popescu
There's usually a waiting period before your first payment gets processed. NYS Department of Labor has to verify your employment history and wages first. Check if your claim status shows 'adjudication in progress' - that means they're still reviewing something. Also make sure you're completing your weekly claims correctly and certifying that you're actively looking for work.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•It just says 'claim established' but doesn't mention adjudication anywhere. Should I be worried if there's no specific status showing?
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Kai Santiago
same thing happened to me took like 3 weeks before i saw anything, the system is just slow
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Lim Wong
If you're not seeing any specific issues flagged in your account, the delay is probably just standard processing time. NYS Department of Labor typically takes 2-3 weeks for first payments, especially if they need to verify wages with your former employer. Keep filing your weekly claims during this time - if you miss any weeks, you could lose those payments permanently. You can also check the 'Payment History' section of your account to see if there are any holds or pending actions.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•Thanks, I'll keep checking the payment history. Do they send any notifications when the first payment gets approved or does it just show up?
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Dananyl Lear
I had issues reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor when my payments were delayed. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person who could check my claim status. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Turned out there was a wage verification issue that wasn't showing up in my online account.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•Interesting, I might try that if I don't hear anything by next week. The phone system is definitely impossible to get through.
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Noah huntAce420
The NYS Department of Labor system is a JOKE. They take forever to process anything and never tell you what's actually happening. I waited over a month for my first payment and when I finally got through to someone they said there was some random flag on my account that wasn't even showing online.
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Ana Rusula
Just keep filing your weekly claims no matter what! That's the most important thing. Even if payments are delayed you can't go back and claim weeks you missed.
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Freya Pedersen
I went through something similar last month. The "claim established" status is actually normal - it just means your initial application was accepted. What helped me was calling the dedicated claims line at 888-209-8124 early in the morning (like 7:45 AM right when they open). The wait times are brutal but at least you can get through. Also double-check that all your employer information was entered correctly, including exact dates and wages - any small discrepancy can cause delays in the wage verification process.
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Anastasia Popov
•Thanks for the phone number and timing tip! I'll definitely try calling at 7:45 AM tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I entered my employer info correctly but I'll double-check everything just to be safe. It's reassuring to know that "claim established" is normal - the waiting is just really stressful when you need the money.
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Olivia Martinez
I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed about 2 weeks ago and still waiting on my first payment. The anxiety is real when you're counting on that money! What I've learned from calling multiple times is that they're dealing with a huge backlog and the wage verification process can take anywhere from 10 days to a month depending on how quickly your former employer responds to their requests. One thing that helped ease my mind was logging into my account and checking the "Claim Summary" section - if there are no specific issues listed there, it's usually just a matter of waiting it out. Hang in there!
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Miguel Diaz
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to know I'm not alone in this situation. I just checked my Claim Summary section like you suggested and don't see any specific issues flagged, so hopefully that's a good sign. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're relying on the money, but knowing others are going through the same thing makes me feel a bit better about it. I'll try to be patient with the wage verification process - fingers crossed it comes through soon for both of us!
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Sophia Long
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim 12 days ago and my status also just shows "claim established" with no payments yet. It's so frustrating not knowing if everything is processing normally or if there's a problem. I've been religiously filing my weekly claims but like you, my payment history is completely empty. The stress of waiting when you need the money for basic expenses like rent is overwhelming. Have you tried checking if there's a specific reason for the delay in your account somewhere, or does it just show the basic status? Really hoping we both hear something soon!
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