I'm about 3 weeks into waiting for my NYS DOL claim approval and wanted to share what finally helped me get some clarity. After reading @CosmicCadet's suggestion about Claimyr, I decided to try it since the regular phone lines were impossible. It actually worked - got connected to an agent within an hour instead of the usual endless busy signals. Found out my claim was held up because they needed to verify my work history with a previous employer from 2 years ago (apparently they randomly audit employment history sometimes). The agent was able to expedite the verification request and said I should hear back within a week. Just wanted to let everyone know that if you're past the 3-week mark and getting nowhere with regular channels, it might be worth trying alternative methods to actually speak with someone. The waiting is brutal but there's usually a specific reason for delays that can be resolved once you find the right person to talk to. Hang in there everyone!

I'm currently at 18 days waiting for my NYS DOL claim approval and this thread has been incredibly helpful! It's reassuring to see I'm not alone in this stressful waiting period. I filed after being laid off from my restaurant job and have been diligently doing my weekly certifications while watching my bank account dwindle. Reading everyone's experiences - from @Jamal Thompson's 2-3 week timeline to @Amara Adeyemi's 5-week wait - gives me a better sense of what to expect, even though the uncertainty is still nerve-wracking. The practical tips about emergency assistance programs, SNAP benefits, and alternative ways to contact NYS DOL are gold. Special thanks to @Oliver Becker for the professional insight and @Javier Gomez for sharing the Claimyr success story. It's amazing how much better this feels when you have a community going through the same thing. Fingers crossed we all get our approvals soon and can look back on this as just a temporary rough patch!

@Dylan Cooper - Just wanted to add that in New York, the unemployment insurance system is specifically designed to be a safety net that doesn't burden individual employers unfairly. The state uses an "experience rating" system where employers with stable workforces pay lower rates, while those with frequent layoffs pay more over time. This means your single claim won't dramatically impact your former employer's costs. The Rochester manufacturing sector has seen some challenges lately, so legitimate layoffs are unfortunately common and expected. File your claim with confidence - you've earned these benefits through your work, and the system exists precisely for situations like yours.

I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from a warehouse job in Buffalo last year. The whole employer-pays thing confused me too at first, but here's what I learned: New York employers pay quarterly unemployment insurance taxes based on their payroll and claim history. The money goes into a state trust fund, and that's where your benefits come from - not directly from your employer's bank account. Your former employer might get a notice about your claim, but if it was a legitimate layoff due to business reasons, they usually won't contest it. The key is to file as soon as possible since there's a waiting period, and you can't get benefits for weeks you don't claim. Good luck with your application!

The unemployment system is so frustrating when you're dealing with health issues on top of everything else. They make it seem like you have to be 100% healthy to qualify for anything. Hope you figure out a solution that works for your situation.

I'm going through something similar right now. From what I've learned, you might want to look into Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) first if your employer offers it - that could protect your job while you're dealing with your health issues. For unemployment, the "able and available" requirement is really strict, but there are some exceptions. If you can do certain types of work with accommodations, document that with your doctor. Also, New York has Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) through the state that might be more appropriate than unemployment if you're unable to work due to illness. You can apply for TDI through the Workers' Compensation Board, not the Department of Labor. It's worth exploring all your options before deciding which route to take.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a local One-Stop Career Center - we see this confusion A LOT! The NY DOL portal has gone through so many updates that even we sometimes have to hunt around to find where things moved. @Riya Sharma thanks for sharing that updated path - I'm going to pass that along to my colleagues so we can help folks more efficiently. One thing I always tell people is to take screenshots of each step when you successfully upload documents, just in case there are any technical glitches later. The system will usually give you a confirmation number too - definitely save that! And for anyone still having trouble, don't hesitate to visit your local career center. We're here to help and it's literally part of our job to navigate these systems with you.

This whole thread is exactly what I needed! I'm in almost the same boat - helping my grandfather with his NY unemployment appeal and have been pulling my hair out trying to figure out where to upload documents. I kept clicking around the old sections that everyone mentioned but couldn't find anything that worked. Just tried the new "More Online Services" > "Upload Documents" > "Appeal Documents" path that @Riya Sharma described and it worked perfectly! Got all 4 documents uploaded without any issues. For what it's worth, the file size limit seems generous now - I was able to upload a 3MB scanned PDF without any problems. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences, this was way more helpful than the official DOL website instructions!

Just wanted to add that unemployment benefits ARE taxable income, so make sure you report the full amount from your 1099-G on your tax return. A lot of people don't realize this and get surprised later.

For anyone still waiting on their 1099-G, I just wanted to mention that you can actually file your taxes without it if you keep good records. The IRS says you should report all unemployment income even if you don't receive the form. Just make sure to include the total amount you received - you can calculate this from your payment history in your unemployment account. But definitely still try to get the 1099-G since it will also show any federal taxes that were withheld, which you'll need for your tax return.