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The system is definitely broken. I've been dealing with an overpayment notice for benefits I received LAST YEAR that they're now saying I wasn't entitled to. How can they approve payments and then take them back months later? It feels like they approve people just to create debt later. The whole NYS Department of Labor operation needs to be rebuilt from scratch.
If you're having trouble getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to verify your benefit amounts or get documentation, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I needed to talk to an agent about my 1099-G form. They help you actually reach a human at the unemployment office instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
Just to add - make sure you're looking at the right tax year when reporting. If you received unemployment in 2024, that goes on your 2025-2026 FAFSA. If it was 2023 benefits, it should have been on your current FAFSA. The timing can get confusing especially if you were collecting UI across multiple calendar years.
The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me! They expect us to remember every little detail but their own records are months behind. I got an overpayment notice for wages from a job I reported correctly, took forever to sort out.
One thing to know is that if you have trouble getting through on the phone to NYS Department of Labor, there's a service called Claimyr that can help you get connected to an agent faster. I found out about it when I was stuck in adjudication and couldn't reach anyone for weeks. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me a lot of frustration when I needed to speak to someone about my claim status.
Nina Fitzgerald
The whole system is a nightmare honestly. I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim being stuck in adjudication and their phone lines are always busy. You call and get disconnected constantly. It's like they don't want to help people.
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Nina Fitzgerald
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to reach our own government agency.
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Jason Brewer
•I know it feels wrong to need help just to make a phone call, but honestly it saved me so much stress and time. The alternative was potentially losing weeks of benefits while waiting.
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Kiara Fisherman
Just make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still processing. Missing a week can cause delays in your payments later. And NEVER lie about working or earning money - they cross-reference with employment records and you'll get hit with an overpayment demand.
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Lauren Wood
•What happens if I work a few hours one week but still need unemployment? Do I report that?
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Kiara Fisherman
•Yes absolutely report any work and earnings. They'll reduce your benefit amount for that week based on what you earned, but you won't lose eligibility completely as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount plus $50.
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