Why is my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim taking so long compared to other states?
I've been waiting 6 weeks for my unemployment claim to get approved and I keep hearing that other states process claims way faster. My friend in another state got approved in 2 weeks while I'm still stuck in adjudication. Is there something wrong with how NYS Department of Labor handles claims? The delay is killing me financially and I don't understand why NY takes so much longer than everywhere else. Has anyone else noticed this pattern?
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Aisha Hussain
NY has always been slower than most states unfortunately. The NYS Department of Labor processes a huge volume of claims and they're really thorough with verification. 6 weeks isn't unusual especially if there's any issue with your work history or separation reason. Have you checked your account for any pending issues that need documentation?
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Mateo Martinez
•I checked my account and there's nothing showing that needs my attention. Just says adjudication in progress. Really frustrating when bills are piling up.
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Ethan Clark
The high volume is definitely part of it but NYS Department of Labor also has stricter verification procedures than some other states. They cross-reference employment records more thoroughly which adds time but reduces fraud. If you haven't heard anything in 6 weeks, you might want to try calling to check if there's a specific issue holding up your claim.
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StarStrider
•Good luck getting through on the phone! I've been trying for weeks and either get disconnected or sit on hold for hours.
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Aisha Hussain
•I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to a NYS Department of Labor agent when I couldn't reach them myself. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me when I was stuck in adjudication limbo.
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Yuki Sato
Same boat here! Been waiting 5 weeks and getting really anxious. What if they deny my claim after all this waiting? Should I be worried that it's taking this long or is this normal for NYS Department of Labor?
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Ethan Clark
•Don't panic - longer processing time doesn't mean denial. They're just being thorough. Keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication so you don't miss any potential payments.
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Carmen Ruiz
The NY system is just BROKEN. I waited 8 weeks last year and when I finally got through they told me I had been approved 3 weeks earlier but nobody bothered to update my account! The whole NYS Department of Labor system needs an overhaul.
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Andre Lefebvre
•Wow that's terrible! At least you eventually got your back pay though right?
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Zoe Alexopoulos
NY does take longer but there are reasons. Higher cost of living means higher benefit amounts so they verify more carefully. Plus the sheer population - NYS Department of Labor handles way more claims than smaller states. It's frustrating but the thoroughness actually protects legitimate claimants from system abuse that could slow things down even more.
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