I went through this exact situation last year when I was laid off from a $95k job. The $504 max is definitely a shock at first, but here's what helped me: Start applying immediately since there's a waiting week, set up direct deposit to get payments faster, and consider this an opportunity to reassess your expenses. I actually ended up finding a better position within 12 weeks. Also, don't forget you might be eligible for COBRA subsidies or marketplace health insurance to help with medical coverage during the transition.

@Giovanni Greco I feel your pain - I went through the same shock when I got laid off from a $120k job last year. The $504 max is brutal when you're used to higher earnings, but here are some practical tips that helped me survive those 4 months: 1) File your claim TODAY - don't wait, the sooner you start the process the better. 2) Start cutting non-essential expenses immediately (streaming services, dining out, etc). 3) Look into freelance or contract work in your field - you can still collect partial benefits if you earn under a certain threshold. 4) Network aggressively - most good jobs come through connections, not job boards. 5) Consider this time to maybe pivot to an even better role. The financial stress is real, but try to view this as a temporary setback rather than a catastrophe. You've got valuable experience at that salary level, so you're marketable. Hang in there!

This is definitely identity theft - the fact that someone updated your address and SSN info in February without your knowledge is a dead giveaway. I went through something similar last year and here's what worked for me: 1) Report it to NYSDOL's fraud hotline (keep trying different times), 2) File a police report immediately, 3) Contact the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov, 4) Freeze your credit at all three bureaus, and 5) Check if any money was actually loaded onto that KeyBank card. The sooner you act, the easier it'll be to resolve. Don't panic but definitely treat this as urgent - unemployment fraud often leads to other types of identity theft. Document everything and keep detailed records of all your calls and reports.

Wow, this is exactly what happened to me 6 months ago! The KeyBank card showing up out of nowhere was such a shock. I had the same situation - my benefits had ended, I was working again, and suddenly this card arrives. Turns out someone in California had been filing claims using my SSN. The worst part was that they had already collected about $3,000 before I caught it. Here's what I learned: don't just focus on the unemployment office (though definitely keep trying to reach them). Contact KeyBank directly and ask them to send you a transaction history for the card - this will show you if any money has been loaded and spent. In my case, seeing those transactions was crucial evidence for my fraud case. Also, I found that emailing the NYSDOL fraud department got me a faster response than calling. Try [email protected] with "URGENT: Identity Theft - Fraudulent KeyBank Card" in the subject line. Include your SSN, the card details, and explain that someone updated your info without permission. One more tip - set up account monitoring with the Social Security Administration online. Identity thieves often target multiple government benefits, so you want to make sure they're not trying to mess with your Social Security too. You're doing the right things by acting fast. This stuff is unfortunately super common right now but it IS fixable. Just document everything and don't give up on getting through to the right people!

I'm so glad to see people getting their approvals! I submitted my waiver in early June for a $2,100 overpayment from those duplicate payments. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really helpful - it sounds like most people are getting approved after 3-4 months of waiting, which gives me hope. I was starting to panic thinking I'd have to pay it back, especially since it was clearly their system error. Has anyone noticed if they're processing June submissions yet, or should I expect to wait until September/October? The uncertainty is the worst part!

I'm in a very similar situation - submitted my waiver in mid-June for a $1,850 overpayment from those duplicate payments. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring, especially seeing that most people are getting approved after 3-4 months. The waiting game is brutal though! I keep checking my online account and mailbox obsessively. It's encouraging to see that even with the long delays, NYSDOL seems to be recognizing that these were system errors on their end. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and outcomes - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess. Fingers crossed we'll all have good news by fall!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm actually in the exact same boat - payment showing released from 11/14 but KeyBank says no pending deposit. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like there's definitely been system issues with batch releases since their platform update. I'm going to follow the same steps: call KeyBank first to confirm (already did), then use that Claimyr service to reach an actual NYSDOL agent. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and the specific phone numbers/resources. It's so frustrating when the automated system says everything is fine but your money is nowhere to be found!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My payment has been showing "Released" since 11/16 but still nothing on my KeyBank card as of today. After reading through all these comments, it's clear this is a widespread problem with their system updates. I called KeyBank first like everyone suggested (1-866-295-2955) and they confirmed no pending deposits from NYSDOL. Really frustrating when you're counting on that money! Going to try the Claimyr service that several people mentioned since it seems like the only reliable way to actually reach a human at NYSDOL these days. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this thread is a lifesaver for people dealing with these payment glitches!

I'm also new to the NY unemployment system and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just started claiming a few weeks ago and seeing posts like this made me realize these system glitches are more common than I thought. It's reassuring to know there's a community here where people share their experiences and help each other out. The advice about waiting 48 hours before panicking and checking for confirmation emails is really valuable for newcomers like me who don't know what's normal yet. Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge!

As someone who's been dealing with NY unemployment for over a year now, I can confirm that these display glitches happen more often than they should. What I've learned is that the backend system (where your actual claim data lives) is usually fine - it's just the frontend display that gets wonky. A few tips for newcomers: always note down the time you certified and any confirmation numbers, check both the website AND the phone system since they sometimes update at different times, and don't panic if things look weird for 24-48 hours. The NY system is definitely not the most user-friendly, but once you learn its quirks it becomes more manageable. Glad everything worked out for you Emma!