This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! I'm new to this community and currently dealing with my first unemployment claim, so seeing everyone's shared experiences with forfeit penalties has been both educational and reassuring. It's honestly mind-blowing that something as basic as checking your account balance requires this level of detective work and community collaboration. What really impresses me is how Anderson's initial frustration has evolved into this comprehensive resource that will help so many people. The variety of solutions shared here - from secure messaging and Claimyr to manual calculations and strategic calling times - creates such a robust toolkit for anyone facing similar issues. Ana Rusula's warning about potential interest charges was particularly eye-opening! I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference. Even though I'm not currently dealing with forfeit penalties, the problem-solving approaches and community support demonstrated here seem invaluable for navigating any NYSDOL challenges. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your real-world experiences and turning individual struggles into collective solutions. This is exactly what community support should look like!

This thread is absolutely amazing! As someone who's completely new to dealing with unemployment issues, I'm honestly shocked by how many hoops people have to jump through just to find out basic account information. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how the NY unemployment system seems almost deliberately confusing. What really stands out to me is how this community has essentially created the comprehensive guide that NYSDOL should have provided from the start. Between the secure messaging approach, Claimyr service, manual calculation methods, strategic calling times, and warnings about hidden fees - you've all basically reverse-engineered the entire system through shared experience! Anderson, congratulations on finally getting your balance sorted out - your persistence really paid off and helped create this incredible resource for everyone else. And to everyone who shared their struggles and solutions, thank you for being so generous with your knowledge. This is exactly what community support should look like! I'm definitely bookmarking this thread as my unemployment survival guide. Even though I'm not currently dealing with forfeit penalties, having all these real-world strategies documented in one place feels invaluable for navigating whatever bureaucratic challenges might come up in the future.

I went through this same anxiety a few months ago! One thing that really helped me understand what was happening was looking at the "Issue Summary" section in the portal - it shows if there are any specific flags on your claim that are causing delays. Common ones are "Able and Available" or "Separation Issues" which basically mean they're verifying you're eligible to work and checking the circumstances of how you left your job. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, that's usually processed faster than paper checks once your claim does get approved. The whole process felt like forever but looking back, 2 weeks is still pretty normal timing for the initial review.

One more thing to check - if you're still anxious about the status, you can also call the automated phone system at 1-888-209-8124. It's not as detailed as the online portal but it can give you a quick status update without having to wait on hold for a human agent. Just have your SSN and PIN ready. The automated system will tell you if there are any issues flagged on your claim or if payments have been released. I found it helpful during my waiting period just to get that extra confirmation that things were moving along normally.

Congrats Logan! 🎉 That message is definitely your official approval - you're in! I got the exact same notification about 3 weeks ago and my direct deposit hit in exactly 2 business days. Since you already have DD set up, you should see it way faster than the KeyBank card route. Mine came through around 6:30 AM on the second day, so definitely check early morning! Make sure you keep that message screenshotted for your records and don't forget to set up your weekly certification reminder - I do mine every Sunday at 9 AM sharp. The approval process was the hardest part by far, now it's just staying consistent with the weekly routine. You've officially made it through the worst of it! 💪

Congratulations Logan! 🎉 That message is absolutely your official approval notification - you've made it through the hardest part! I received the exact same message from NY DOL about 4 months ago and my direct deposit came through in exactly 2 business days, just like everyone else here is saying. Since you already have direct deposit set up, you'll definitely get your payment much faster than the 3-week KeyBank card timeline they mention. Mine actually hit my account around 5:15 AM on the second business day, so I'd recommend checking your account early in the morning! Make sure to screenshot that approval message for your records and set up a weekly certification reminder ASAP - I do mine every Sunday at 8 AM and haven't missed one yet. The approval process was definitely the most stressful part, but now it's just about maintaining that weekly certification routine. You're basically at the finish line now - congrats on pushing through all the uncertainty! 💪

I'm experiencing this exact same frustrating issue! Just tried to certify this morning and wasted 45 minutes looking for that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button mentioned in the email - it's completely non-existent on the actual website. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I finally figured out the real process: 1. Click "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" from the main dashboard (ignore the other options) 2. Scroll down and look for "Claim Weekly Benefits" - it's just a plain text link buried in the list, NOT the big prominent button described in the emails 3. Use Chrome or Firefox for best compatibility Just tried this approach and it worked perfectly! The disconnect between the email instructions and the actual website is absolutely ridiculous. It's mind-blowing that NY DOL can completely redesign their website but can't be bothered to update simple email templates that thousands of unemployed New Yorkers depend on every week. This community thread has been infinitely more helpful than any official documentation. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share the actual working steps - you're saving fellow New Yorkers hours of unnecessary stress and confusion during an already difficult time! 🙏

I just went through this exact same frustrating experience yesterday! The email instructions are completely useless now - that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button they keep mentioning literally doesn't exist anymore on the redesigned site. Here's what actually works (confirmed working as of today): 1. Log into labor.ny.gov normally 2. Click "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" from the main dashboard menu 3. Scroll down and look for "Claim Weekly Benefits" - it's just a regular text link in the services list, NOT the big prominent button the email describes 4. Make sure you're using Chrome or Firefox (had issues with Edge) The key thing is completely ignoring those outdated email instructions. They're describing a website interface that hasn't existed for months! I wasted almost an hour clicking around looking for that mythical button before finding this buried text link. It's honestly ridiculous that NY DOL can redesign their entire website but can't be bothered to update the email templates that hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers depend on every single week. This is causing so much unnecessary stress for people already dealing with unemployment challenges. Hope this saves you the frustration I went through! Once you know where to actually look, the certification process works fine - it's just finding the right entry point that's the problem thanks to their misleading instructions.

My brother did this and got his benefits no problem. The voluntary part doesn't matter - what matters is WHY the layoff happened. If it's because the company needs to reduce headcount, you're good. Just document everything!

I actually just went through the NYS Department of Labor website and their handbook specifically mentions that voluntary layoffs are eligible for benefits as long as the separation is due to "lack of work" on the employer's part. The key is that you're not quitting your job - you're accepting an offer to be laid off because the company needs to reduce staff. I'd recommend calling the Department of Labor directly at 1-888-209-8124 to confirm your specific situation, especially if your severance package has any unusual terms. Also make sure to file your claim as soon as your last day of work, don't wait!