I was in a similar situation last year - got terminated from a warehouse job for not meeting picking rates after about 6 months. Like you, I had verbal warnings but no formal write-ups or improvement plans. I filed for unemployment immediately and was approved within about 10 days. The key thing is that NYS Department of Labor looks at whether you were willfully not performing versus just struggling to meet expectations. Since you were trying but couldn't hit the quotas, that's not misconduct. My advice is to file ASAP and be completely honest about the reason for termination. Don't try to sugar-coat it - just explain that you were terminated for not meeting production standards despite your efforts. The waiting can be stressful but most performance-related terminations get approved. Good luck!

I work as a benefits counselor and deal with NYS Department of Labor cases regularly. Performance-related terminations have a very high approval rate for unemployment benefits. The fact that you only received verbal warnings and weren't put on a formal improvement plan actually works in your favor - it shows the employer didn't follow progressive discipline. When you file, be straightforward: "terminated for not consistently meeting production quotas." Don't overthink the wording. The department will focus on whether you were making a good faith effort to do your job, which it sounds like you were. File immediately since benefits are backdated to your filing date, not your termination date. Most performance cases I see get approved within 1-2 weeks unless there are complicating factors.

ugh the whole at-will thing is so confusing! like they can fire you for literally anything but then sometimes you can still get unemployment?? makes no sense to me but glad it worked out for you OP

Just wanted to add that when you file your claim, make sure to emphasize that your termination was due to "lack of work" or "position elimination" rather than performance issues. NYS Department of Labor has specific categories for separation reasons, and choosing the right one can help streamline your approval process. Also, don't forget that you'll need to certify for benefits every week once your claim is processed - you can do this online or by phone. Good luck with your claim!

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to reach NY unemployment for over 2 weeks about my pending claim and that 888-209-8124 number is absolutely useless. I've probably called 300+ times and either get immediate busy signals, sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected, or hear that dreaded "call volume too high" message. This thread is incredible though - so much more helpful than anything on the official DOL site! I'm definitely going to try the Spanish line transfer trick tomorrow morning at exactly 8:00 AM based on all the success stories here. The strategy of calling at 7:59:50 to hit the system right when it opens is genius. I'm also considering that Claimyr service since multiple people have had success with it. At this point the constant failed calling attempts are seriously affecting my mental health and job search efforts, so paying for something that actually works might be worth it. One question for those who've gotten through - did you notice any difference in success rates between different days of the week? I've been trying mostly Mondays and Tuesdays but maybe mid-week would be better based on what some people mentioned about avoiding the Monday rush. It's absolutely insane that we need a whole community strategy guide just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful everyone is sharing what actually works instead of the useless official advice. The fact that most of these turn out to be simple 5-minute fixes once you reach an agent makes this broken system even more infuriating!

I've been following this thread while dealing with my own NY unemployment nightmare and wanted to share what finally worked for me yesterday! Like everyone here, I was stuck calling that useless 888-209-8124 number for over 3 weeks with zero success. What got me through was combining several strategies from this thread: 1. Called at exactly 7:59:45 AM to hit the system right at 8:00 2. Used the Spanish line trick (press 2, then ask for English transfer) - this was the game changer! 3. When I got busy signals, I hung up immediately and rapid-fire called back 23 times until I got hold music 4. Waited 1 hour 45 minutes on hold but finally reached Agent Michelle The ridiculous part? My claim was pending because of an "employer response delay" that was actually resolved weeks ago but never updated in their system. Agent Michelle fixed it in literally 2 minutes and my benefits were released today. For anyone still struggling - the Spanish line transfer is REAL. The queue is noticeably shorter. Also Wednesday morning seemed to work better than Monday/Tuesday for me. Don't give up! This thread saved my sanity and hopefully my experience helps someone else get through this broken system.

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly validating! Applied February 14th, completed ID.me verification 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've made probably 50+ phone calls with zero success getting through to anyone who can actually help. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's crystal clear this is a systematic issue affecting February 2025 applicants rather than individual account problems. The consistency is remarkable - we all have nearly identical timelines with ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but universally stuck in pending status. The formal complaint process that Anastasia outlined is exactly what I needed to learn about. I had no idea there was an internal review system that could escalate cases to someone with actual authority to resolve these holds. After nearly 2 months of feeling like I was shouting into the void, having a structured path to get real attention on my claim gives me hope for the first time. My plan based on all the excellent strategies shared here: 1. File the formal complaint tomorrow with detailed documentation and account screenshots 2. Try the 8am calling strategy using the specific 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during my base period) 4. Reach out through their official social media channels I also worked for a small startup that closed during the pandemic, so the employer verification issues mentioned here really resonate. Thank you everyone for sharing actual actionable solutions and success stories. After weeks of financial stress and uncertainty, this thread has given me the first concrete steps I can take. I'll definitely report back with results - we need to support each other through this broken system!

I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare and this thread has been a godsend! Applied February 13th, completed ID.me verification 7 weeks ago, received my monetary determination letter but still stuck on pending. I've called over 60 times in the past month and haven't spoken to a single human being. The pattern everyone is describing here is undeniable - February 2025 applications, ID.me completed weeks ago, monetary letters received, but universally stuck in pending limbo. This is clearly a systematic processing failure affecting our specific batch, not individual account issues. I'm incredibly grateful for the actionable strategies shared here, especially Anastasia's detailed breakdown of the formal complaint process. I had absolutely no idea there was an internal escalation system that could assign someone with actual authority to review these cases. After nearly 2 months of feeling completely helpless, having a structured path forward gives me real hope. My action plan based on everyone's advice: 1. File the formal complaint today with comprehensive timeline and screenshots 2. Try the 8am sharp calling strategy with the 888-209-8124 number 3. Upload all my W-2s proactively (I also had multiple employers during base period) 4. Reach out via NYSDOL official social media channels I also worked for a startup that shut down suddenly, so the employer verification complications mentioned here really hit home. Thank you all for sharing real solutions instead of just venting - this is the first thread I've found where people actually got resolution. Will definitely update with results. We need to stick together and help each other navigate this broken system!

I was in a similar situation last year! I'm also on SSDI and was able to get unemployment benefits while looking for part-time work that accommodated my limitations. The key thing is being completely transparent with both agencies. When I applied for unemployment, I had to provide detailed medical documentation about what types of work I could do despite my disability. NYS DOL was actually pretty reasonable once I explained my situation properly. Yes, there's always a risk of triggering a disability review, but as long as you're honest about your capabilities and limitations, you should be okay. The Ticket to Work program that someone mentioned is definitely worth looking into too - it provides some protection while you transition back to work. Don't let fear stop you from trying to improve your situation!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my perspective as someone who works with disability advocacy. The confusion about unemployment and disability eligibility is really common, and it stems from the fact that these programs use different definitions of "disability" and "ability to work." For SSDI, you're considered disabled if you can't perform substantial gainful activity at the level you did before. But for unemployment, you just need to be able and available for some type of work, even if it's different from your previous job or has accommodations. The key is having clear medical documentation that outlines exactly what you CAN do, not just what you can't do. I'd recommend getting a functional capacity evaluation from your doctor that specifies things like "can sit for 4 hours with breaks" or "can lift up to 10 pounds" rather than just "has back problems." This gives both agencies concrete information to work with and helps avoid the appearance of contradiction between being "disabled" and "able to work.