I just went through this process a few months ago and wanted to add that you should also check your mail regularly - NYS Department of Labor sends important documents by regular mail even though you filed online. I almost missed my monetary determination letter because it got mixed in with other mail. Also, if you have direct deposit set up it can take an extra few days for the first payment to hit your account even after you start getting approved weekly claims. The whole timeline from filing to first payment was about 3 weeks for me, but that weekly certification step is absolutely crucial - don't skip any weeks!

One thing I wish someone had told me when I first filed - keep detailed records of everything! Save screenshots of your weekly certifications, write down confirmation numbers, and keep copies of any correspondence from NYS Department of Labor. I learned this the hard way when there was a discrepancy with one of my weekly claims and I had to prove I had submitted it correctly. Also, if you're using their mobile app, it can be glitchy sometimes, so I'd recommend filing your weekly claims on a computer when possible. The desktop version of the website seems more reliable in my experience.

omg this is exactly what happened to my sister except she didnt report it at first because she thought it was just a one time thing and then they found out somehow and she had to pay back like $1200 😭

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Been on unemployment for about 3 months and just started getting some freelance web development gigs. What I learned is that you need to report the income in the week you actually receive the payment, not when you do the work. So if you complete that $800 project over 2 weeks but get paid all at once in week 3, you report the full $800 in week 3. Also keep detailed records of everything - dates, amounts, what the work was for. The NYS system will calculate your benefit reduction automatically once you enter the earnings. And don't worry about the 1099 aspect affecting your claim status - lots of people do contract work while collecting. Just be honest and report everything!

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm dealing with the exact same thing - payments randomly stopped 10 days ago with just "pending" status and ZERO communication from them. I've literally called 87 times (yes, I'm keeping count because I'm going insane) and can't get through to a single human being. It's like they want us to just give up and disappear. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to tons of people and it's probably those random "verification" flags they're throwing around because of fraud concerns. The fact that they can just freeze our lifeline without even sending an email is absolutely criminal. I'm definitely going to try the assembly member route first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work fast enough I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service everyone's mentioning. Has anyone had luck with the Twitter approach @NYSLabor? At this point I'm willing to try literally anything. We shouldn't have to jump through these insane hoops just to find out why our own benefits got cut off!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the system is absolutely broken! I'm in a similar boat where my payments just vanished with no explanation about 2 weeks ago. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to SO many people because of these random verification flags they're throwing around. Here's what I've learned from this thread that seems most promising: 1. Contact your assembly member's office ASAP - multiple people say they have direct lines to DOL and can get faster responses 2. Try the Twitter approach @NYSLabor - seems hit or miss but worth a shot 3. If you're desperate and can afford it, several people have had success with Claimyr.com for actually getting through to a human The fact that we're all dealing with identical situations (payments stopped, "pending" status, zero communication) makes it obvious this is systematic rather than individual account issues. Don't give up - you have every right to those benefits and answers about what happened! Keep us posted on what works for you because we're all fighting the same battle here.

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their help! I finally found what I needed. For anyone else looking for their award letter/benefit statement, check the payment history section. There's a small link called "View Benefit Details" that's easy to miss. From there you can download a PDF showing your weekly benefit amount. My landlord accepted this as proof of income!

This thread is so helpful! I'm bookmarking it for future reference. The NY unemployment system really needs to make these documents easier to find - it shouldn't take a whole community discussion just to locate a basic award letter. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

Update: I finally got through!!! Used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above and spoke with a representative. Turns out there was a glitch in their system that applied my tax withholding AND student loan garnishment retroactively, so they took out 8 weeks worth of deductions all at once! The rep submitted a correction request and said my next payment should be back to normal, and they'll refund the extra amount they took out within 2-3 weeks. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

So glad you got through and figured it out! That system glitch sounds like a nightmare - taking 8 weeks of deductions all at once is brutal. I've been dealing with similar issues trying to reach DOL for my own claim problems. Quick question - about how long did the Claimyr service take to get you connected? And did they charge upfront or after they got you through? Trying to decide if it's worth it for my situation too.