I went through this exact same process a few months ago - had my phone interview on a Thursday and got my approval notice the following Tuesday. The interviewer told me the same thing about everything looking good, and fortunately it was! One thing that helped my anxiety during the wait was checking my online account every couple days rather than obsessively refreshing it daily. The status will change from "adjudication in progress" to either "approved" or they'll request more information. Since your interviewer seemed satisfied, I'd say you're in good shape. Hang in there - 5 weeks is definitely on the longer side but not unheard of, especially if they're backed up.

I'm in a similar boat - had my phone interview two weeks ago and still waiting for a decision. The interviewer seemed positive about my case too, but the uncertainty is killing me. One thing I learned from calling the DOL directly is that they're currently processing interviews in about 2-3 weeks due to higher than normal volume. The rep told me that "adjudication in progress" means they're still reviewing the interview notes and cross-referencing with employer information. Since you're at 5 weeks total and the interview was recent, I'd expect to hear something within the next week or two. Keep filing those weekly certifications - that's crucial for getting your backpay when it's approved!

honestly the whole phone interview thing is just them going through the motions most of the time... they probably already decided before they even called you based on what your employer said. just my experience but dont get your hopes up too much

I just went through this exact same process last month! After my phone interview, it took about 12 days to get the determination letter. The key thing is to keep checking your online account - mine updated to show "determination issued" about 2 days before I actually received the letter in the mail. Also, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims like others mentioned. The waiting is brutal but try to stay patient. In my case, they did approve me and I got all my back pay within 3 business days of the approval. The adjudicator told me they really just want to make sure your story matches what your employer reported, so as long as you were honest about your situation, you should be okay.

I'm in a very similar boat - 55 years old, laid off after 18 years, and getting a pension of about $1,400/month. What I learned from my experience is that you definitely need to report the pension upfront when filing your claim, but there are some nuances that might help your situation. First, make sure to clarify with NYS DOL whether your pension is considered "employer-contributory" - if you contributed your own money to it through payroll deductions, that portion might not count against your benefits. Second, if you're actively looking for work (which it sounds like you are), emphasize that you're available and able to work - this isn't a retirement situation. I'd also recommend documenting everything about your layoff and pension details before calling them, because you'll likely need to provide specific information about how the pension is funded and calculated. The system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up - there might be more options than the initial determination suggests.

I'm going through something very similar right now - 62 years old, laid off from a tech company after 15 years, and receiving a pension of $2,200/month. What I've discovered is that NYS DOL has a specific worksheet they use to calculate the pension offset, and it's not always a straight dollar-for-dollar reduction like some people think. The key things that helped me were: 1) Getting the exact pension calculation breakdown from my former employer's HR department, 2) Making sure they understood this was an involuntary layoff, not voluntary retirement, and 3) Being very clear about my work search activities. I ended up with a reduced but not zero benefit amount. The process took about 6 weeks to get sorted out properly, but it was worth pushing through all the bureaucracy. Don't give up - there are more nuances to these rules than what you see on the surface!

UPDATE: The payment history is back up this morning! Everything looks normal now and I can see all my past payments. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great to hear it's back up! I was having the same issue yesterday and was starting to worry. For future reference, does anyone know if NYSDOL has an official notification system or mailing list where they announce these maintenance windows in advance? It would save everyone a lot of stress if we knew about these things ahead of time instead of discovering them when we need to access our accounts.

I'm going through this exact same thing right now and this entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I got my quarterly review notice three days ago and have been a complete wreck ever since. I've been on unemployment for about 12 weeks and when I saw that official-looking notice, I immediately thought I must have screwed something up with my weekly certifications. I've been googling "quarterly review unemployment" non-stop and getting myself more worked up reading all these horror stories online. But seeing so many people here share almost identical experiences - getting the basic notice, panicking, then having absolutely nothing happen - has finally helped me calm down. It's honestly crazy how poorly written that notice is! They could have just said "routine quarterly review - no action required unless you receive additional forms" and saved thousands of people from unnecessary stress. I've been honest about my job search activities and availability every single week, so I'm going to follow everyone's advice and just continue my normal weekly certifications. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories - you've probably saved me from having a complete breakdown over what sounds like routine paperwork! This community is amazing for supporting each other through these confusing processes.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I just received my quarterly review notice yesterday and immediately went into panic mode thinking I had done something wrong with my weekly certifications. I've been on unemployment for about 7 weeks now and have been extremely careful to answer all questions honestly, but that official-looking notice still made me question everything. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like this is just standard procedure that happens automatically on NYSDOL's end. The fact that so many people got the same basic notice, panicked just like I did, and then had absolutely nothing else happen is really comforting. It's pretty frustrating that they word the notice in such a scary way when it's apparently just routine background checking for most people. I was already planning to spend my entire weekend trying to get through on the phone lines, but now I think I'll just continue with my normal weekly certifications and try not to stress about it. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - this community has been a huge help in calming my nerves!