just wanted to say I hope your husband heals up quickly. construction injuries can be really serious and it sounds like you're dealing with a lot of stress right now.

I work in benefits administration and want to clarify a few things that might help. While it's generally true you can't collect both simultaneously, there are some nuances worth understanding. First, if your husband's workers comp case gets settled or closed, he could potentially become eligible for unemployment if he's then able and available for work. Second, some people don't realize that workers comp settlements can sometimes be structured to allow for a return to the workforce sooner. I'd strongly recommend contacting both his workers comp carrier and NYS Department of Labor directly to discuss his specific medical restrictions and work capacity. Document everything - dates, who you spoke with, what they said. This will be important if there are any disputes later. Also consider reaching out to a workers comp attorney for a consultation, as many offer free initial consultations and can help navigate the system more effectively than trying to figure it out alone.

I work as a teacher's aide and went through this process last summer. One thing I learned that might help other school employees is to check if your district offers any summer programs or extended year services - even if you don't typically work those, having the option available can sometimes affect your unemployment eligibility determination. Also, when you're filling out your weekly certifications, be prepared to explain that you're actively seeking work but that substitute and aide positions simply don't exist during summer months when schools are closed. The NYS Department of Labor understands this reality, but you need to be clear about it in your applications. Don't get discouraged if the process takes time - school employee cases often require more review than typical unemployment claims.

I've been dealing with this exact issue for the past two summers as a substitute teacher. What really helped me was understanding that the NYS Department of Labor looks at each case individually, even though the initial automated review might deny you. The "reasonable assurance" rule is definitely the biggest hurdle, but as substitutes we're in a unique position because our work is truly unpredictable. When I applied, I made sure to emphasize that while my district might call me back in September, there's absolutely no guarantee of how many days I'll actually work - substitute work depends entirely on teacher absences which can't be predicted months in advance. I also kept detailed records of my work patterns from previous years to show the irregular nature of substitute income. It took about 6 weeks for my claim to be approved, but it was worth the wait. My advice is to apply right when school ends, be very specific about your per-diem status, and don't get discouraged if you get an initial denial - many substitute teachers succeed on appeal.

Just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who shared actual working solutions in this thread! 🙏 I was about to give up completely after 2 weeks of phone hell, but thanks to all your tips I finally got through! Used the secure messaging feature in the app that @Connor Richards mentioned - got a response in 6 hours and they resolved my card issue without any phone calls. Also tried the lunch hour + press 0 combo from @Aisha Abdullah and @Chloe Martin as backup and that worked too when I needed to follow up. It's honestly ridiculous that we had to crowdsource these solutions ourselves, but this community is incredible for having each other's backs. Bookmarking this thread forever - it's basically the Way2Go customer service bible now 😂💯

This thread is absolutely incredible! I've been struggling with the exact same issue for over a week and was starting to think I'd never reach a real person. Reading through all these solutions has given me so much hope - the secure messaging through the app, the lunch hour timing, pressing 0 immediately, and even the callback feature I had no idea existed! It's honestly mind-blowing that we've had to reverse engineer their customer service system ourselves, but this community is pure gold for sharing what actually works. Already downloaded the app and found that buried secure message feature. Planning to try the lunch hour + press 0 combo tomorrow as backup. Thank you all for turning this nightmare into something manageable! 🙏✨

I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely right to apply now even though it's been a couple months. NYS Department of Labor is pretty forgiving with late applications - the one year filing window gives people flexibility for situations exactly like yours. Since you were fired rather than laid off, make sure you have any documentation about the circumstances ready in case they request it during the adjudication process. The fact that you didn't think you qualified initially is actually a common reason people cite for delayed filing, and the department understands that the eligibility rules aren't always clear to applicants. Good luck with your application!

I was in a very similar situation - got fired in September but didn't apply until December because I thought being terminated disqualified me automatically. Turns out that's a huge misconception! The NYS Department of Labor actually approved my claim after adjudication because my firing was due to a restructuring situation, not misconduct. The hardest part was just getting started with the application on ny.gov, but once I did it was pretty straightforward. You definitely won't get those October-December weeks back, but don't let that stop you from filing now. Every week you delay is another week of potential benefits lost going forward. I'd also recommend keeping detailed notes about your termination circumstances since they'll likely ask follow-up questions during the review process.

I just went through this process myself a few weeks ago and wanted to share what finally worked for me. After trying all the suggestions here, I found my 2023 records by going to my.ny.gov, then Unemployment Services, and clicking on "Claimant Services" rather than the main payment history section. From there, I selected "View/Print Payment History" and there was a dropdown to select the tax year - make sure you select "2023 Tax Year" not just "2023" as they're listed differently. The report it generates includes everything broken down by week with gross amounts, deductions, and net payments, plus a summary page at the end that totals everything up perfectly for tax purposes. If you're still having issues, try using Internet Explorer or Edge - I know it sounds old-school but the NYS system seems to work more reliably with Microsoft browsers for some reason. The whole process took about 10 minutes once I found the right section, and the PDF downloaded cleanly with all the formatting intact.

I went through this same process recently and wanted to add one more tip that helped me. If you're still having trouble finding your 2023 records after trying all these great suggestions, check if you need to update your browser or disable pop-up blockers. The NYS system sometimes blocks the PDF downloads if your browser settings are too restrictive. Also, I noticed that the system occasionally shows different menu options depending on whether you access it through my.ny.gov directly or through the Department of Labor website first - try both entry points if one isn't working. Once I got to the right section, I was able to download a complete year-end summary that had everything my tax preparer needed, including weekly breakdowns and total withholdings. The key is being patient with the system and trying different browsers/times of day if you run into issues.