The whole system is so slow honestly. Even when employers respond on time it feels like everything takes forever. I've been dealing with unemployment claims for years and it never gets faster just more frustrating.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. The 10-day rule is definitely real, but here's what I learned - the clock starts ticking from when NYS DOL actually sends the notice to your employer, not from when you filed. Sometimes there's a delay of a few days between filing and when they send the employer notice. You can actually call the Tele-Center at 1-888-209-8124 to ask when the notice was sent out if you want to know exactly where you stand in that 10-day window. Hope your benefits get approved soon!

After dealing with this exact situation for WEEKS, I finally gave up on calling and used claimyr.com - got connected with an agent in about 30 minutes. They fixed my PIN issue, updated my address, and coordinated with Key Bank for a new card. Best decision I made after banging my head against the wall trying to get through the regular phone line. Highly recommend if you're desperate.

I feel your pain! I went through something similar last year - expired card, wrong address, the whole mess. Here's what worked for me: First, call Key Bank at 866-295-2955 ASAP to report the card as potentially delivered to wrong address and request a new one to your current address. They can expedite it. For the PIN reset, I know everyone's mentioning Claimyr and honestly after reading all these comments I wish I had known about it back then. I spent literally 3 weeks calling at 8am sharp every day before I finally got through. One thing that helped me was calling the TTY line at 888-783-1370 - sometimes it's less busy than the main number. You don't need to be hearing impaired to use it, just explain your situation. Also, while you're waiting to get through, gather ALL your documents - SS card, ID, proof of address, employment history, etc. When you do get someone on the phone, have them fix EVERYTHING at once so you don't have to go through this nightmare again. Your benefits are still there, just temporarily stuck. I know it's frustrating when bills are piling up but you'll get through this! 💪

Anyone know if theres a time limit on how far back they'll go? I probably should have filed months ago but didnt realize I was eligible

Just went through this process last month! A few things that helped me: 1. Call early in the morning (like 8 AM sharp) - better chance of getting through 2. Have ALL your documentation ready before you call - dates of layoff, last day worked, any severance info 3. Be prepared to explain WHY you couldn't file earlier (was hospitalized, didn't know you were eligible, etc.) 4. Write down the agent's name and case number if they give you one The whole thing took about 2 hours on the phone but they approved my backdate request. Don't give up! The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these folks.

The whole system is set up to confuse people I swear. They use all these outdated program names that don't even exist anymore just to make us think we're missing out on benefits. Meanwhile they're probably saving money every time someone gives up trying to figure out what they're actually entitled to.

@Malik Jackson, definitely check if you can file a new benefit year like StarSurfer mentioned. When I was in a similar situation, I found out that even part-time work from the past 18 months could qualify me for a fresh claim. The key is whether you earned enough wages since your original benefit year started. You can check this in your online account under "Monetary Determination" or call the Tele-Center (though good luck getting through). If you don't qualify for a new claim, you might also want to look into job training programs through WIOA - they sometimes provide income support while you're in approved training.

FYI if this is a regular thing (like if ur hours get cut regularly) you might qualify for something called Shared Work where both you and your employer apply for partial unemployment. Way more stable than regular partial UI but ur employer has to be on board.

Hey Omar! I've been through this exact situation before. You can definitely file for partial unemployment for reduced hours - I did it when my restaurant cut my shifts from 5 days to 2 during a slow period. The key things to remember: NY counts ANY work on a day as a full day worked (so your 2 days = 50% of your weekly benefit), and you need to earn less than $504 that week to qualify. When you certify, just report exactly what you worked and earned - don't try to fudge the numbers because they'll catch it later. The process is pretty straightforward through labor.ny.gov, just make sure you have your exact earnings from those 2 days when you file. Good luck!