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I'm going through this exact situation right now and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I was laid off from my HR position three weeks ago and have a rental property that generates $1,700/month. I was so paralyzed by fear that the rental income would somehow disqualify me from benefits that I hadn't even started the application process yet. Reading all these real experiences from people who've successfully collected unemployment while having rental income has completely transformed my understanding. The passive vs earned income concept makes perfect sense - I'm not employed by anyone to manage this property, it's just an investment. I'm finally going to stop overthinking this and file my claim tomorrow. Plan to be completely upfront about the rental income from day one and report it accurately on all weekly certifications. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - this community support has been a game changer for navigating the NYS Department of Labor system!
@Lucas Bey I completely understand that paralyzed feeling! I was in almost the exact same situation a few weeks ago - laid off from my job with about $1,500/month rental income and totally frozen by uncertainty. This thread really is a goldmine of real experiences that cut through all the confusing official language. Your plan to be upfront from day one is exactly right - transparency seems to be the key theme from everyone who s'navigated this successfully. Three weeks is already a lot of time to have lost, so definitely don t'wait any longer! The process is so much more straightforward than our anxious brains make it seem. Once you get that first weekly certification done and see how simple the rental income reporting actually is, you ll'wonder why you were so worried. Good luck with your application tomorrow - you ve'got this!
I'm currently dealing with this exact same situation! Got laid off from my tech job last month and have been stressed about how my rental income would impact my unemployment benefits. I have a duplex where I rent out the other unit for $1,500/month. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - especially hearing from people like Jake who've been successfully collecting benefits for months while reporting rental income. The distinction between passive rental income and earned wages makes perfect sense when explained this way. I was definitely overthinking this whole situation! Planning to file my claim this week and will make sure to be completely transparent about the rental income from the start. This community has been so helpful for cutting through all the confusing official language on the NYS Department of Labor website. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences!
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This is such a relief to see that you got it resolved! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - missed certifying two weeks ago because I was in the hospital and just realized my claim shows "break in claim" status. Your experience gives me hope that I can get this fixed quickly too. Did the agent ask for any specific documentation about your illness, or was mentioning the doctor's visit enough? I have my hospital discharge papers if that would help my case.
@Jacob Smithson I m'really glad you found this thread! I went through something very similar when my dad was in the ICU for emergency surgery and I completely spaced on certifying - I was basically living at the hospital for a week. Your discharge papers are going to be perfect documentation. When I finally got through to an agent, she told me that hospitalization is actually one of the easiest cases for them to approve because it s'such clear, legitimate documentation of why someone couldn t'certify. The agent was really compassionate about it too. Just have those discharge papers ready with the exact dates, and maybe be prepared to briefly explain that you were physically unable to access the online system while hospitalized. I really hope you re'feeling better, and I m'confident you ll'be able to get those missed weeks backdated without too much trouble!
@Jacob Smithson I m'so sorry to hear about your hospitalization! I hope you re'recovering well. Hospital discharge papers are definitely excellent documentation for your situation. I actually went through a break in claim issue myself recently though (not due to hospitalization and) the process was much smoother once I had proper documentation. Being hospitalized is probably one of the most legitimate reasons for missing certification that agents see. When you call, I d'suggest leading with I "was hospitalized and have discharge documentation -" this immediately lets them know you have a valid medical reason. The agents are generally very understanding about genuine medical emergencies. If you re'still having trouble getting through on the phone, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier in this thread really does seem to help people connect faster. Best wishes for your recovery and getting this resolved quickly!
I'm dealing with a break in claim situation too and this whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I missed certifying two weeks ago because I was caring for my sick elderly mother and completely forgot. Reading about everyone's experiences gives me hope that I can get this resolved. Does anyone know if caring for a family member during a medical emergency would qualify for backdating, or is it mainly just for your own medical issues? I have some documentation from her doctor visits if that would help. Planning to try calling tomorrow but wanted to see if anyone has been in a similar caregiving situation.
@Emily Thompson I m'really sorry to hear about your mom s'health issues - that must be so stressful to juggle caregiving and unemployment concerns! I actually went through something very similar when my grandmother had a medical crisis and I became her primary caregiver for several weeks. The good news is that family caregiving during medical emergencies is absolutely considered a valid reason for missing certification. When I finally got through to an agent, she told me that NY unemployment recognizes that family medical crises often require you to drop everything and focus on caregiving. Your mom s'doctor visit records should work perfectly as documentation - I used my grandmother s'medical appointment records and the agent accepted them without question. The key is explaining that you were providing essential care during an unexpected medical emergency and couldn t'access the certification system. Since you have documentation from her doctor visits, you should have a strong case for getting those weeks backdated. Hope your mom is feeling better and you can get this resolved soon!
@Emily Thompson I m'so sorry to hear about your mom s'situation! I hope she s'doing better now. Family caregiving emergencies absolutely qualify for backdating - I went through this exact scenario when my dad had a stroke and I had to coordinate all his medical care. The agent I spoke with was really understanding and told me that NY recognizes family medical emergencies as legitimate good "cause for" missing certification, especially when you re'the primary caregiver during a crisis. Your documentation from her doctor visits should be perfect - that s'exactly the kind of proof they look for to show it was a genuine medical emergency requiring your immediate attention. When you call, lead with I "missed certification due to a family medical emergency while serving as primary caregiver and" have those doctor visit records ready with dates. The agents deal with caregiving situations like this regularly and are generally very accommodating. Definitely try that Claimyr service if you re'having trouble getting through - it seems to really work based on everyone s'experiences here. Hope you can get those weeks backdated and that your mom continues to recover!
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I was in a similar situation when I got stuck in Canada for 2 months due to visa issues. Here's what finally worked for me: 1) Contact your local NY state senator or assembly member - they have direct lines to NYSDOL that bypass the regular system 2) If you need immediate help, try claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold and connect you to an actual agent (worked for me when nothing else did) 3) For the login issue, sometimes clearing all cookies/cache and trying incognito mode helps with the location blocking 4) Keep trying that fax number but ALSO send everything certified mail to: NYS Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Division, PO Box 15131, Albany NY 12212-5131. The physical mail sometimes gets processed faster than fax. Don't give up - I know how stressful this is when you're overseas and bills are piling up! 🙏
This is super helpful! I'm going to try the certified mail option since I haven't done that yet. Question - when you sent the certified mail, did you include a cover letter explaining you're overseas and can't access your account? Also wondering if I should send copies of my passport showing I'm abroad as proof of why I can't log in online?
I was stuck overseas for 3 months and went through this exact nightmare! Here's what actually worked: First, don't waste more money on international calls - the regular lines are impossible even from the US. I tried everything until someone mentioned claimyr.com and honestly it was a lifesaver. They handle all the calling/waiting and connect you directly to a real NY unemployment agent. Cost way less than my failed international call attempts and actually got results. Also, while you're waiting, send everything by certified mail to their Albany office (someone posted the address above) AND email your assembly person's office - they have special contacts at NYSDOL. The key is getting an actual human who can put notes on your account about being overseas. Once I talked to an agent through claimyr, they gave me a special email address just for international claimants and my whole situation got resolved in days instead of months. Don't let them penalize you for their broken system!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. Quick question - when you used claimyr, were you able to use your international phone number or did you need a US number for them to call you back? I'm worried about the connection quality from where I am. Also, do you remember roughly how much it cost compared to what you were spending on international calls? At this point I'm willing to pay anything that actually works!
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The whole system is broken anyway. They make it so complicated on purpose to discourage people from applying. I worked seasonal landscaping and it took them 6 weeks to process my claim even though everything was straightforward.
Six weeks does seem long for a standard seasonal claim. Did you have any issues that required adjudication? Sometimes if there are questions about your separation or eligibility it can delay processing significantly.
Just wanted to add that timing matters when you file. I worked at a summer camp and made the mistake of waiting until my savings ran out before applying. You should file as soon as you're laid off because benefits can be backdated but there are limits. Also, keep all your paperwork from your employer about the layoff - sometimes they'll ask for documentation about whether it was truly a seasonal layoff or if there were performance issues. The process isn't as scary as it seems, just make sure you're honest about your job search efforts when you file your weekly claims.
This is really helpful advice about timing! I wish I had known about the backdating limits before. How far back can they typically go with backdating benefits? I filed about 2 weeks after my layoff but I'm worried that might have cost me some payments.
Sophia Nguyen
I had this exact same experience about 2 months ago! Got a missed call from 888-581-5812 and was super paranoid about scams too, especially since they didn't leave a voicemail. But everyone here is right - it's definitely a legitimate NYSDOL number. In my case, they were calling because they needed to verify my reason for leaving my last job. Apparently something in my initial application didn't match what my employer reported to them. I was so nervous about missing their call, but when I called the main number the next day and explained the situation, they were able to connect me directly to the verification team. The whole thing took about 20 minutes to sort out over the phone - they just needed me to clarify a few dates and explain the circumstances around my job separation. My claim was approved within 48 hours after that call. Since you've been pending for 3 weeks, there's definitely something specific they need to verify with you. I'd recommend calling 888-209-8124 first thing tomorrow morning and telling them you missed a verification call. They can see exactly what's holding up your claim and get you connected to the right person immediately. Don't stress too much about missing one call - they really do understand that people are cautious about phone scams these days!
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Aisha Hussain
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Sophia! This whole thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It's amazing how many people have gone through this exact same situation with the same number. Your story about them needing to verify your reason for leaving your last job actually makes a lot of sense - I did have a somewhat complicated job separation situation that might have raised questions. I'm feeling so much more confident now about calling the main number tomorrow morning. It's such a relief to know that this is a normal part of the process and not something to panic about. I really appreciate everyone in this community taking the time to help each other out - you've all turned what was a really stressful situation into something manageable!
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Miguel Ortiz
I can add my voice to everyone confirming that 888-581-5812 is absolutely legitimate! I got calls from this exact number about 6 weeks ago when my claim had been stuck in pending status for nearly a month. Like you, I was super suspicious at first - especially with no voicemail left. When I finally answered their third call, it turned out they needed to verify my work authorization status because there was some confusion with my documentation. The representative was completely professional and had all my application details readily available, which convinced me it was real. Here's what I learned from the experience: Don't wait for them to keep calling. After our phone conversation, I asked the rep what would have happened if I kept missing their calls, and she told me they would have eventually sent a written request for the information, but that could add 2-3 more weeks to the processing time. Given that you're already at 3 weeks pending, I'd definitely recommend calling the main line (888-209-8124) tomorrow morning and mentioning you missed a verification call. They can usually see right away what they were trying to reach you about and either handle it immediately or schedule a direct callback. The good news is that if they're calling, it means someone is actively working your case! My payment came through just 4 days after I provided the verification they needed.
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