Why is ny unemployment taking forever to tell me if I'm denied?

Same thing happened to me. Applied in October, didn't hear ANYTHING until February. Four months of silence and then got a denial letter out of nowhere. The system is completely broken. They don't care that people need to plan their lives.

I was in your exact situation last year. After waiting 3 months with no answer, I tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a live agent. Talking to someone directly got my claim resolved within a week. Best decision I made after wasting so much time on hold. They have a youtube video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it was the only way I could get my benefits moving.

Im currently on month 5 of waiting. I've fully given up at this point. NY unemployment is a joke. Pretty sure they just put claims in pending status hoping people will give up and go away.

When I was waiting on my claim last year, I found out that contacting your state representative can sometimes help. They have special contacts at NYSDOL that can push claims through faster. Worth a try if you've been waiting this long.

The system is deliberately slow to save them money. Think about it - the longer they delay, the more people give up, the less they have to pay out. It's by design. They hope you'll just find a job and forget about it.

Here's what you need to know about the NY unemployment system based on my experience (I worked through a 7-month claim disaster last year): First, yes - 4 months is ridiculous but unfortunately common. The system is massively backlogged. There are really only three ways to get movement on your claim: 1. Keep calling every single day, multiple times. Use redial and be prepared to spend hours. The earlier in the morning you call (like 7:59am), the better your chances. 2. Contact your state assembly member or state senator. They have special channels to push claims through. This worked for about half the people I know. 3. Use a service that gets you past the hold system. I finally broke down and used claimyr.com after 6 months of trying on my own, and they got me connected to an agent who fixed my claim in 10 minutes. I had my first payment a week later. Also, keep documenting everything. When you called, who you talked to, confirmation numbers, etc. Take screenshots of your claim status regularly. This will help when you finally reach someone. Don't give up! Even if you think you might be denied, you deserve an answer. And if you are eligible, you'll get backpay to when you first applied.

have you tried checking if theres a message in your inbox on the unemployment website? sometimes they send requests for more info there and dont tell you, then deny you for 'not responding'

This is why I always tell people to CERTIFY EVERY WEEK even while pending!! If you're eventually approved, you only get paid for weeks you certified. Don't stop certifying just because you're waiting.

i waited 6 months just to get denied lmaooo 🤡 ny unemployment is the biggest joke

If you need money now, try applying for emergency assistance through HRA. You might qualify while waiting for unemployment to figure their mess out.

Everyone saying 'call your state rep' is giving false hope. I tried THREE different reps and none of them did anything useful. Only thing that worked was getting an actual DOL agent on the phone.

Have you tried calling exactly at 7:59 am? That's when their system resets and you have the best chance of getting through.

Check if your claim says 'pending' or 'in process' - they mean different things. If it says 'in process' it means they're actively reviewing it.

If your employer is contesting your claim, that can make it take forever. Did you leave on good terms?

The longest I've ever waited was 2 months before getting approved. 4 months is insane even for NY standards. Something is definitely wrong with your claim that needs human intervention.

you should be checking your mail carefully too. sometimes they send important stuff that requires a response within 10 days, and if you miss it they can deny you.