New York State Department of Labor
Reviews and Complaints

In August, I spoke with a supervisor there at NYS UNEMPLOYMENT TCC, a Mr. John Newman, who told me my claim was put in the system "in a mess".

I claimed PUA benefits from about March 16th, and he said my claim was in 2 parts: March 16th till the end of May; then since I worked for the months of June and July and was not eligible while working and since I was let go due to alleged "insubordination",

I was probably not getting approved for benefits from the start of August till now, since it was being contested. Mr. Newman told me he was approving my benefits from mid March to the end of May, which he said included an additional $600 per week benefit, and that I was due those benefits.

He said a passport, I sent in, was not acceptable Identity document, since it was very old. I had sent it since I'm not able to obtain a birth certificate, since the City Clerk is closed in NYC due to the pandemic. He told me to send in any financial documents I could send in to prove my ID in lieu of the birth certificate, and I sent them per his instruction to backcert@labor.ny.gov, which I did. Those documents I'm again attaching and submitting to you here.

I called the TCC on Sept 17th and was told my claim was still in a mess, and the latest letter of determination which says I'm eligible for benefits effective Sept 1, is also not correct. Nothing addresses my benefits for March thru May.

Mr. Newman claimed he was cleaning up my case, but today I was told as of Sept 17th, nothing had been done, but to further issue the incorrect letter of determination. I have been on the phone to the TCC for hours, on different days, trying to speak to another supervisor, but never get through.

Now when I come to certify my claim for this week and the past week, I am contested about my work status. 2 weeks ago out of habit, I mistakenly certified my claim in error for the week of 10/5 thru 10/11, since I did start work again as of 10/5. It was an honest mistake, and I plan to certify my claim for the last 2 weeks accurately, since I worked 4 days a week for the past 2 weeks. I also plan to provide the additional job info you now require, when I certify my claim this time.
I also have since submitted my birth certificate you requested weeks ago, which I went to great lengths to get, They now have all the documents required to process my PUA benefits.

I am an honest man. I made an honest mistake for the 1 week of 10/5 thru 10/11. But I am still due the benefits I was fully eligible for, for the period between March 16th and June 2nd. As of today, 10/26, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE DIME OF BENEFITS!

PLEASE CORRECT MY CASE. Thank you very much.

Robert Spear

[protected] cell phone

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I was suspended from my benefits on May 16 2020 for using a VPN on my iPad when certifying that week. The NYS site said I was in Romania when I wasn't. This is a lie, I logged off, turned of the VPN and logged back on. It should show I was at home in Schenectady. I sent in pictures of my passport, which is does not have 1 stamp in it from another country. It is 100% blank. I am owed 10 weeks of benefits and when I call they say there is nothing they can do. I just have to wait. Any help would be appreciated.

Contact info
Matthew Consler
[protected]@yahoo.com
[protected]

I am a bus operator for the city school district In Rochester New York and also I work for Rochester Transit but currently out due to medical complications. I filed a claim about a month ago and haven't heard a thing. I'm in great need of financial help to support my family. I would greatly appreciate it if a representative can call me back at [protected] or please at least respond to the messages I've sent out. Again since I've filed no one had contacted me back and I've been very patient and also I've been calling everyday at least 7/8 times a day and only get the automated system which is no help. I would at least like to speak with a actual human to see what's taking my claim process so long. Thank you.

Began calling Weds, April 8. Gave up after 120 attempts to get through.
Resumed calling Thursday April 9 at 8:20AM. After 3 attempts, I was place in a "silent queue" and was informed it would be a 37 minute wait. After 2 hours and 9 minutes on hold, the system dropped my call.
This call is supposed to happen the same week I file; Please fix this.

If you ever have to make a claim with New York State Department of Labor, for Unemployment Insurance, BEWARE. DO NOT take any part time job, or temporary job while claiming your benefits, even though you notify them you have worked. Besides taking a good part of the day to speak to a real person, paperwork you file, gets lost, phone conversations with representatives are forgotten as soon as they hang-up the phone, and there is no inter-office communication to support the claimant. You are better off receiving your full claim, and then looking for work. The Department of Labor only cares about how much they can screw you out of your claim. It doesn't matter how hard you have worked for a previous employer, or the reason you were terminated. The arrogant and nasty, employees at the Department of Labor, DO NOT CARE about you, or your claim. Remember... your unemployment insurance was paid by you. The funds are taken out of every pay check. The employer pays very little. Good luck.