I've been dealing with a stuck unemployment claim for 6 weeks now and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I tried the technical support line at 833-910-0004 that Fidel mentioned and actually got through on my third try. The rep was able to see that my claim had a "pending verification" flag that wasn't showing up anywhere in my online account. She couldn't resolve it directly but escalated it to the adjudication unit and gave me a case reference number. I also want to add another resource I discovered - if you're a veteran, the American Legion and VFW posts often have service officers who are experienced with navigating state benefit systems and can advocate on your behalf. My local post helped me prepare all my documentation before I called my assembly member's office. The key thing I learned is that you really do need to try multiple approaches simultaneously rather than waiting for each one to fail before moving to the next. Document everything and don't give up - the system is broken but there are ways through it if you're persistent!

I've been struggling with the same issue for over a month now and this thread has been a goldmine of practical solutions! After reading everyone's experiences, I tried a combination approach: called the technical support line at 833-910-0004 first thing Monday morning at 8:01 AM (took 4 tries but finally got through), and simultaneously reached out to my assembly member's office with all my documentation ready. The technical support rep found that my account had some kind of data validation error that wasn't visible anywhere in the online portal - similar to what others have described. They gave me a ticket number and escalated to adjudication, but warned it could take 2-3 weeks. My assembly member's constituent services office followed up within 24 hours and said they'd contact their DOL liaison directly. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to become expert navigators of a broken bureaucracy just to access benefits we're entitled to, but this community has made it possible. For anyone just starting this process: start with the technical support line and your elected officials simultaneously, document everything with dates and reference numbers, and don't give up. The system may be broken, but there are definitely paths through it if you're persistent and strategic!

I'd definitely recommend applying right away like others have said. In my experience with NYS Department of Labor, they're actually pretty reasonable about medical-related attendance issues as long as you can show it wasn't just voluntary absences. Make sure to gather any documentation you have - doctor's notes, appointment confirmations, even text messages to your supervisor about needing time off for health reasons. The fact that you worked there for 2 years and never had formal warnings actually works in your favor. When they do the fact-finding interview (which they probably will), just be straightforward about your health situation and how it affected your attendance. They understand that sometimes people get sick and need medical care. Good luck with your claim!

I was in almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago. Got fired from a retail job for attendance issues that were mostly due to anxiety and depression affecting my ability to get to work consistently. I was terrified to apply thinking they'd automatically deny me, but I ended up getting approved after about 3 weeks. The NYS Department of Labor adjudicator who interviewed me was actually very understanding when I explained my situation. My advice: apply immediately, be completely honest about your health issues and how they affected your attendance, and don't let your former employer intimidate you during the process. You've earned these benefits by working and paying into the system. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised - they're more reasonable about legitimate health-related issues than you might think.

has anyone tried the callback feature? i heard they were testing it in some areas

Just checking back - did you manage to get through? I'm curious if any of these suggestions worked for you.

I've been stuck in this same nightmare since early September! 😤 Reading through all these strategies is giving me so much hope though. I'm definitely going to try the Tuesday 8:02 AM approach with two phones that @Norah Quay shared, and I'm super curious about the callback feature @Sofia Ramirez mentioned - I had no idea that existed! Also want to try @Lucas Turner's Spanish line trick since that sounds like a brilliant workaround. It's absolutely insane that we have to become strategic masterminds just to access basic government services, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share what actually works. The fact that multiple people have said once you get through they're actually helpful gives me hope that this will all be worth it! Going to gear up with multiple phones and try every strategy mentioned here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and not giving up - we shouldn't have to deal with this broken system but at least we're figuring it out together! 🙏

I've been dealing with this exact same issue since July and it's been driving me absolutely crazy! 😡 This thread is honestly a godsend - I had no idea there were so many workarounds to this broken system. The callback feature that @Sofia Ramirez mentioned sounds amazing, I'm definitely going to hunt for that on the website tomorrow. Also really intrigued by @Lucas Turner's Spanish line strategy - that's such creative thinking! And the Tuesday 8:02 AM timing that @Norah Quay shared seems to be the magic formula based on everyone's success stories. It's completely ridiculous that we have to become phone system hackers just to get our own unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share what actually works. I'm going to arm myself with two phones, set multiple alarms, and try every single strategy mentioned here. The fact that once people get through they say the agents are actually helpful gives me hope that all this effort will be worth it! Thanks everyone for not giving up and sharing your hard-fought knowledge - we're all in this together! 💪

my brother said something about unemployment being taxed different in NY state vs federal? anyone know if thats true??

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble accessing your NY.gov account or forgot your login info, you can also request a duplicate 1099-G by calling NYSDOL at 888-581-5812. I had to do this last year when I couldn't remember my password and the reset wasn't working. They mailed me a paper copy within about a week. Also, keep in mind that if you received benefits from multiple states, you'll need a 1099-G from each state - they don't combine them into one form.