I just went through this exact situation about 6 weeks ago! When they say "adjudication closed," it basically means they've finished investigating your claim, but the system hasn't updated your payment status yet. It's like they've made the decision but haven't filed the paperwork - super confusing! Here's what finally worked for me: • Call right at 8am when they open (way shorter hold times) • Ask specifically: "What was the adjudication determination - approved or denied?" • Request the "adjudication determination letter" - this forces them to look deeper • Ask when payments will start processing if approved • Keep doing your weekly certifications even though it says pending! My timeline was: filed claim → 2 weeks pending → adjudication closed → 1 more week → first payment hit my account. The waiting is brutal but you're probably much closer than you think! Don't give up - persistence really does pay off with this system. The fact that adjudication is closed is actually a good sign that things are moving forward, even though it doesn't feel like it. Hang in there! 💪

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim about 18 days ago and just got that confusing "adjudication closed" status when I called yesterday. The phone rep basically just repeated the same line about my case being "under review" without explaining what that actually means for my situation. This thread has been incredibly helpful - honestly way more informative than anything I've gotten from the actual unemployment office. The whole "closed doesn't mean processed" explanation finally makes sense of why I'm stuck in this weird limbo. I was starting to worry that my claim got denied or lost in their system somewhere. Definitely planning to call right at 8am tomorrow (thanks for that tip everyone!) and ask specifically about the "adjudication determination letter" instead of just asking for my general status. Also really glad I saw the advice about continuing weekly certifications - I was honestly considering skipping this week's since everything seems frozen, but sounds like that would be a huge mistake! The fact that so many people are dealing with identical situations really shows how broken their communication system is, but at least we're all helping each other figure it out. This community is honestly a lifesaver when navigating this bureaucratic maze. Will definitely update once I get some real answers! 🤞

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - been trying to reach someone for 4 days about a payment that's been stuck on "pending" for almost 3 weeks! Reading through this thread has been so helpful, especially seeing Isaiah's success story. I tried calling Thursday afternoon like Fiona suggested and actually got further than usual - made it to the hold music for 20 minutes before getting disconnected, which is progress compared to the immediate busy signals I was getting earlier in the week. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and try Claimyr tomorrow since so many people here had success with it. It's just ridiculous that we're paying for a third-party service to access our own state benefits, but at this point my sanity is worth more than whatever it costs. Has anyone noticed if certain times of day work better with Claimyr, or is it pretty consistent throughout the day?

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact nightmare about 6 months ago. I was stuck in "pending review" limbo for almost a month and nearly had a mental breakdown from the stress. What finally worked for me was a combination of the strategies mentioned here - I called on Thursday around 3pm AND used the slow SSN entry trick that Fiona mentioned. Got through on my second try that day after weeks of failure. The agent told me my case was flagged because I had filed for unemployment briefly in 2023, and their system flagged it as a potential duplicate claim. Took her literally 3 minutes to clear it once she saw my account. It's absolutely insane that such simple fixes require jumping through so many hoops. For anyone still struggling - don't give up! The system is broken but the agents are actually helpful once you reach them. And definitely have all your info ready because they move fast.

I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to speak with someone about my work authorization documents. If you run into issues reaching them by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was really helpful when I needed to verify my documentation requirements.

Just want to add that you'll need to meet the same job search requirements as everyone else once you start receiving benefits. Keep track of your job search activities and make sure your work authorization doesn't expire during your benefit period, as that could affect your continued eligibility.

Hey Sofia! I went through this exact same panic when I first started filing - you're definitely not alone! Here's the simple breakdown that finally made it click for me: you file EVERY Sunday for the week that just ended on Saturday. So this Sunday you'd file for last week. The deadline is actually the following Saturday, giving you a full week to submit it. If you missed last week, don't freak out! You can still file it late through my.ny.gov - look for "File for Previous Weeks" or similar option when you log in. The payment might be delayed but you won't lose it completely. I learned the hard way to set a phone reminder for every Sunday morning - now it's just part of my routine. Also keep a simple notebook or phone notes about your job search activities each week so you can answer those questions accurately even if you're filing late. The NYS system is definitely not user-friendly about explaining this timing, but once you get into the rhythm it becomes second nature!

Sofia, I totally get the panic! I had the exact same confusion when I started filing and missed my second week because I thought the deadlines were different. Here's what worked for me: if you missed filing for last week, log into my.ny.gov and look for the "File Weekly Certification" section - there should be options to file for previous weeks that you can still submit late. The key thing to remember is you're always filing for the week that ended on Saturday, and you have until the following Saturday to submit it. So plenty of time! I set a recurring alarm on my phone for every Sunday at 9 AM with the note "File unemployment claim for last week" - it's been a lifesaver. Even if your late filing delays the payment by a week or two, you won't lose those benefits permanently. Just make sure to answer all the work search questions based on what you actually did during that specific week you're filing for, not what you're doing now. You've got this - the first few weeks are always the most confusing but it becomes routine really quickly!

I'm going through something very similar right now - my company just announced they're moving from Rochester to Manhattan and I'm terrified about losing my benefits. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! It sounds like the key is documenting everything thoroughly and using the right terminology like "constructive dismissal" when filing. The fact that so many people here have successfully gotten approved for similar relocations gives me hope. Does anyone know if there's a specific time limit for filing after your last day of work? I want to make sure I don't miss any deadlines while I'm gathering all my documentation.

I'm currently dealing with a similar situation where my employer is relocating from Albany to Long Island - about 180 miles away. After reading all these helpful responses, I feel much more confident about filing for unemployment benefits. It's clear that NYS Department of Labor recognizes employer relocation beyond reasonable commuting distance as "good cause" or "constructive dismissal." For anyone else in this situation, the key takeaways seem to be: 1) Document everything about the relocation announcement, 2) Calculate the actual distance and commute time to show undue hardship, 3) Don't let HR discourage you - they're often wrong about unemployment eligibility, 4) File within 30 days of your last work day, and 5) Be very detailed in your application about why the move creates a financial or personal hardship. Syracuse to Buffalo at 150+ miles is definitely well above the threshold based on all these successful cases shared here. Thanks everyone for providing such detailed experiences - it's incredibly helpful for those of us navigating this stressful situation!