Why is unemployment taking so long - NYS Department of Labor delays getting worse?
I filed my initial claim back in early December and it's been almost 6 weeks now with no payments. My claim status just says 'pending' and when I call the NYS Department of Labor I either get disconnected or told there's a high volume of calls. I've been filing my weekly claims religiously but nothing is moving. This is my first time on unemployment and I'm starting to panic about my rent. Is this normal? Are other people experiencing these crazy delays with NYS Department of Labor right now?
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Zainab Ahmed
Unfortunately yes, NYS Department of Labor is experiencing significant processing delays right now. The 'pending' status usually means your claim is in adjudication, which can take 4-8 weeks depending on the complexity. Keep filing your weekly claims even though you're not getting paid yet - when it's approved you'll receive all back payments. Make sure you haven't missed any requests for documentation in your online account.
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Miguel Diaz
•I check my account daily and there's nothing showing that I need to submit. It's just stuck in limbo with no explanation whatsoever.
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Connor Byrne
same thing happened to me, took 7 weeks before I saw a penny. the system is completely broken right now
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Yara Abboud
I had success using Claimyr to actually get through to a NYS Department of Labor agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they call for you and connect you when an agent picks up. I was able to find out my claim was waiting for wage verification from my previous employer.
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PixelPioneer
•How much does that cost though? I'm already broke waiting for unemployment.
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Yara Abboud
•It's worth checking out their site for pricing, but honestly getting through to find out what's holding up your claim can save weeks of waiting in the dark.
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Keisha Williams
THE NYS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS A COMPLETE JOKE! I've been waiting 9 WEEKS for my claim to be processed. They have ONE job and they can't even do that right. Meanwhile bills keep coming and they act like we don't exist.
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Paolo Rizzo
•I feel your frustration but getting angry won't speed up the process unfortunately
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H. Chappelle
•More technology, less services? It used to take less than two weeks to receive unemployment in NYC decades ago. I was just on it once many years ago. I am a p/t and need it now, and they probably program their phones not to answer people that file a claim. I live in Upstate, NY--that can be rudimentary in civic duties and just would like some government accountability for their lack of services.
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Amina Sy
Just want to say you're not alone in this. So many of us are dealing with these insane delays. Stay strong!
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Isabella Santos
I'm going through the exact same thing - filed in mid-December and still stuck on pending. What's really frustrating is there's no transparency about what's actually causing the delay or any realistic timeline. I've tried calling dozens of times but like you said, either disconnected or told about high call volume. The stress of not knowing when (or if) this will get resolved while bills pile up is overwhelming. Have you tried reaching out to your local assembly member's office? I've heard some people have had luck getting help that way.
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H. Chappelle
•@Isabella Santos The NYS DOL probably programs the phones to not answer the people who apply. They probably have one hand in front and one behind the back. No accountability.
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