NJ Unemployment
Is anyone having issues with there unemployment being paid? I have not been paid in 6 weeks. I keep calling but can not get through. I am starting to get worried..What is going on!!
Staying positive There have been daily local news reports on the problem with unemployment in NJ. The infrastructure wasn’t there to support the massive need.
Listen to 101.5 in the afternoons. They discuss it just about every day.
3wbdwnj Unfortunately, they are controlled on large old mainframes that use the old business language form back in the 70's when I went to college. Us science folk learned FORTRAN and BASIC. The business majors learned COBOL then, which is why the State of NJ has also been trying to find people who can "code" ("program", in oldspeak) in COBOL to try to scale up operations in order to handle the larger amount of people now "in the system".
Phil D. A friend of mine applied in mid March, and he got a letter or email 1-2 weeks ago telling him they would be mailing him out a check in mid-May. so by next Saturday you should get it (hopefully), if you applied for it in mid-March.
Hackresident It took awhile but I check in weekly and get a direct deposit .... so no I am not having issues ...
LibertyThinker 
Bug3i filed on may 1st and was told that only $285 a week would be the amount i would get weekly. I usually bring home $700 a week when working. Where did they get that number from? I filed an appeal and kept on certifyng. Last week i was told that the money was deposited onto a debit card i had years ago from unemployment that I no longer have so now I have to find out how i go about getting a new card because even though its a bank of america card, they dont actually run this program, unemployment does. Its like im running in circles. I still dont know if im getting the extra $600 i keep hearing about. So while im grateful that my claim was processed quickly and approved i cant get access to the money which is even more frusterating. I feel bad for those who have waited for weeks and still dont know anything
sonny I cannot even get to the point where I can certify each week!
Very frustrating and worrisome!
Nallie Thank God I haven't had any issues. FYI every Thursday during Governor Murphy's briefings he has a representative some New Jersey unemployment to answer any questions on what is going on
Di Filed a month ago. Received a blue notification with nothing other than preprinted form on it.
Tried to certify- got a message that said unable to process claim, directing me to call the phone #.
Called the phone #- get a recording that says due to call volume my call can't be taken and hangs up on me.
Next week I received another of the blue cards in the mail. No new info on it.
Tried to certify- same unable to process message. Same recording and hang up when I call.
...tried again last week, tried again this week. No idea what is going on, but can't get anyone on the phone! Ugh.
Josh 
Unemployment After 2 months I was finally able to start claiming benefits. They called this past week and said my back weeks WILL be paid. My claim was from 3/15/20.
It's just a matter of waiting. Which doesnt help when you have bills to pay.
Good luck!
Botheredbyuu2 I started getting the $600 federal this weekend and the NJ unemployment Started about 2 weeks ago and my last day was 3/13 ... so it does take awhile ...
Not that I ever faced this level of busy, but pretty sure that ultimately you will get the money. Not that "ultimately" helps.
However, as a call center marauder, I can say, a phone that allows rapid redial is nice, and then pick what you think might be best times. Opening for example. Start five minute in advance, and just keep banging away. Have email or other multi-tasking task available. If you don't get in, try a few more times during the day.
Hard to say on this one, there's no work day so using that is out. Beginning or end of day probably best, but maybe ------ sunny day at point where everyone is outside? It's a booger for sure.
Many call centers have one or more buffers. First level is too queue, higher level is to tell you to call back, most severe level (as in system breaking down) is disconnect. They may slip others in as well. Sometimes you can bang "0" and opt out, once in a blue moon *T plus some variant of 10, 100, etc. to xfer to important person. Pretty rare nowadays to have this backdoor open. IF you get in queue on this one, probably you can get in, but may take a long, long, time given call time is probably 15 minutes per call or so. Have speakerphone, mute, and power cord if you queue. May take me a day or so, but usually I can get in. However, this has got to be the magilla-gorilla of all bottlenecks.
strangerdanger Not sure if anyone knows the answer for this. I couldn't find a clear answer online. My friend is a teacher that works at a summer camp every year. The summer camp has been canceled this year. Can she collect unemployment for the wages she will not be receiving due to the cancellation during the weeks she would have been working?
Calico696 Calico - I believe losing "prospective employment" doesn't fall under unemployment benefits requirements. If she would be already working at the summer camp and it would be closed while she was employed and she wouldn't be able to continue working - that's when she could open the claim.
Lena After applying months ago, today was the first day I could wait for my magical 30 minute time slot to certify.
So I did, but it never went to any confirmation page or anything. I just hit submit and that was it. No email arrived either.
Also, the page said I was certifying for something like march 16 week although I was out of work before that....and there was no option to certify for any other or more weeks.
What gives?
I really think they are trying to make it pretty much impossible for people to jump the hurdles correctly in order to not have to pay out- which makes their #'s seem better than reality both for funds and people in the system.
JR Yes at a set time and day of the week by the last 4 digits of your ss #
On Saturday if a missed time slots for all those that missed the weekly check in
Iamrite any idea about retro payments? recieved notification pf my first payment but nothing about all the back payments....
If the "Claim Additional Week" button appears in the center-bottom of the confirmation screen, click the button and complete a certification for each week available on your claim. There may be multiple weeks available to you, which would allow you to receive multiple weeks of benefits.
Continue to click on "Claim Additional Week" until that button no longer appears after answering the certifying questions.
Every time I go to claim my benefits. The system clocks out. Then I can't claim. Going into week 2 and still haven't been able to claim?
Make sure you are going at you specific time slot. It tells you at the bottom of the page when you can go.
Hockey mom Now the first response many people are hearing is from New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo during the daily coronavirus briefings. Here's what he has said when asked why people still don't have the benefits they are entitled to.
Is it me or is he blaming us, the unemployed?
For your reading pleasure....
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2020/05/15/nj-unemployment-why-commissioner-says-you-havent-gotten-paid/3094909001/
JiminMF Do you keep continuing to hit the claim benefits button and certifying for all back weeks at one time? We still didn't get the extra 600$ already got first week of unemployment .do you have to do anything else?
Mrs803 Mrs803, I had the same question, but when I went to claim another week. It doesn't let you change the week setting. I'm not sure how we get our retro.
Luckygirl The extra $600 came every time I certified. I didn’t have to do anything different. Actually the $600 gets deposited right away and the UI $ gets deposited the next day. I really believe it’s those people that have had recent UI claims in the past where their info is already in the system have fared better than brand new claimants. I’m speaking as a state either for another agency bc when a client is already known to me and I have all the previous info in the system already makes me want to finish that person first then tackle the job of inputting new info on top of whatever else I have to do to service that person...
H-Town Mama 
John Miller Your welcome John Miller. I was finally able to certify for the first time today.
Lucky Girl as I certified the current week at the end I was able to click to claim past week looping thru the questions for each week until I certified for all my past weeks (12 weeks BTW)
So lets see what happens on the first and second direct deposit.
Did not see anything about the additional 600.00
@jiminmf. Might take a few extra days to see that 600 x 12.. but get ready for a huge influx in $$ to hit your deposit.. the 200 should also come in 200 x12
njfellow Jimin- You won't see anything about the 600. It's like a surprise on Christmas morning. Some get it some don't. I don't know why. I do and my friend who works with me at the same job does not. It doesn't make sense. It's the Government, which we all know doesn't make sense, ever!!
auntiel I found that it is the way the claim was processed and the reason why. I get my weekly UI first and then the 600.00. My last 600.00 was late due to a banking error on the Government's side.The extra 600 is a godsend for me and my family. I can't tell you how stressed I was wondering how we could survive when my unemployment is less that what I usually make.
I had to wait about a month and then everything hit.
MommyNJ4 i have been getting my $600 but not any UI.....can't even talk to anyone...the numbers they give you on the form are useless....and I am unable to to certify for previous dates... I must be doing something wrong.... ugh
I recently received an email from the adjudication department asking me to complete a questionnaire. I’m still working on it (waiting for a document) so I haven’t submitted it yet. Now I received an email saying benefits are payable and to start certifying. Should I still do the questionnaire? I don’t want to jeopardize getting paid by submitting or not submitting.
RAS Wow, no experts?
Since I can't see the questionnaire and never been in your situation, really can't answer except to say, look at the questions and try to figure out what they want to know. I wold err on the side of filling it out unless it looks like the results might change your current status. Best advise I can do, and like I said, never felt it, never been there.
RAS- the same thing happened to me. I filled out the email from the adjudication department in addition to certifying on line. I have no idea why I had to fill out the adjudication form as the info on it was just about the same as what I filled out for my original claim. ( although I did send the letter from my employer regarding my unemployment) When I log onto unemployment page my status is listed as filed with a weekly benefit amount. I have the attitude that I will do everything I am asked and answer all questions completely, honestly and to the best of my ability and I await to see what happens.
sportsfan Yes, thanks. I intend to do the same. I have answered honestly and completely but need to upload a document that I should have but can’t find it. Requested a copy from my former employer and hopefully they send it to me in time!
Okay so I went to certify my weeks and it said I don’t have access to the server? I’m going to try again tomorrow and see what happens.
i had that happen to me as well....you have an alternate time that day as well and on Sundays or sat,...... i think...the schedule will tell you
Has anyone gone into the 13 week unemployment extension from the CARES act? I have used my last original 26 weeks & now my balance shows $0. I also got a notice from unemployment that my benefits are exhausted & there are no state or federal extensions at this time, which is not correct. Everything I read on the NJDOL website says I am eligible & since I was already collecting when CARES was approved I wouldn't have to do anything to get the extra 13 weeks. Do I just try to claim for benefits as usual on Sunday & see what happens?
Stuck Unemployed workers to get an additional 20 weeks of benefits, N.J. announces:
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/07/unemployed-workers-to-get-an-additional-20-weeks-of-benefits-nj-announces.html
OnTheEdge As soon as the federal $600 drops off in a few weeks there is going to be an awful lot of people not able to pay mortgage or rent.
Stuck.... I had to re-file. And after 6-7 weeks finally went into filed. Have received 1week since May 3. You can try emailing them or faxing them. I seem to have had a bit of luck that way getting through. Good luck!
Cherie Anyone else run out of benefits? Didn’t the feds put in a twenty weeks extension? I thought you’d be automatically enrolled
No.. it is not automatic. You have to reopen your case to get the extended benefits. There is a link on website to do so.
DAO Sorry; it’s the $600 adder that has expired, but I am guessing will pass any day now.
Actually, based on the July article that On The Edge posted, you DON'T have to reapply to get the extension.
Per the article...it IS automatic.
Restaurant Ralph 
Parential Concerns Has anyone ran out of the first extension and the extra $600 has anyone gone on their site and is it automatic or do you have to reopen your claim? My husband had to call them finally got thru said someone would get back to him. That was 2 weeks ago. His claim online says 0$. Ugh this is a mess
You have to refile......then wait and wait and wait. I heard it usually takes about 2 months once refiled. Still waiting for mine.
Mel81 Okay, so I had a call from them and they just asked for my birthdate. I then asked the agent how I can get out of the pandemic unemployment and into the regular unemployment certification process. She said they would kick me over to the right place. Still couldn’t do it online but today I took a chance to certify by phone. BOOM! Certified all my weeks (2 weeks per phone call), one call after another using the phone tree. Not even my allotted time either. Go figure. Would have thought online would be easier but no.
I decided to do some extensive reading on NJ unemployment updates and here is what I found for those of you who need this info:
1) The 600 extra has of course run out however NJ did apply for the extra 300 from the Feds. It should be approved within a day or so and because it is being taken out of FEMA, it can not be distributed from regular unemployment avenue. NJ expects to issue the payments sometime in Oct for the weeks of Aug 1,8, and 15. If you qualify, meaning your unemployment was due to COVID, you will receive a lump sum payment of 900 ( 3 wks x 300 ) or however much you qualified for. Each week thereafter has to be submitted again for Fed approval and the amount of money left to be distributed is limited ( I would think especially when CA because of wildfires and LA and TX due to the recent hurricane will be applying for aid as well)
2) If you have run out of your 26 wks of unemployment and again it was due to COVID, you qualify for an additional 13 wks from the Feds ( this MUST be utilized before the extra 20 wks offered by NJ ) The extra 13 wks is PEUC- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. You will certify on your normal scheduled day/time and the PEUC will be enacted automatically when your regular unemployment has run out.
3) When your extra 13 weeks expire, then you may be eligible for the 20 weeks extended NJ benefit. It appears to me that also will be automatically enacted although there is some conflicting info it appears.
All the info I found is on the NJ unemployment website- click extended benefits.
Hope some of you who are still unemployed due to the COVID pandemic find this helpful and you may be employed soon
I go back to work next week but I had to refile at the end of June. It went from pending to filed this week, so I put in for all the weeks and will get one lump sum. I am not sure about the stimulus for July though. It took awhile but I tried to be patient. I am lucky enough that my husband is working and I figured this would take awhile so I took the extra and put it in savings to have a fall back when I had to wait.
Hi All-I have not filed unemployment in over 20 years but now have to. I entered a new claim online last week. I kept checking my claim status. It is in pending. Today I checked the status and it has information from 2004 listed??? Not sure why. Do I need to contact someone regarding this? Do I need to certify this week or do I need to wait. This is all new to me. Any help is appreciated.
Totally Confused You cannot claim weeks until your status says filed if I remember correctly, and when you do it will allow you to file back to the date you said was the last day of employment
Darrin Call the New Jersey Reemployment Call Center (732) 761-2020. They can help you straighten this out. Follow the voice prompts and you will be connected to a representative. You will be placed on a hold for a while, but hopefully you will get through. If you don't, keep trying. Call in the morning. After 2:00pm they do call backs and I don't think they take any calls until the next day. The good news is that unlike the recent past, you should be able to get through now most of the time. I have been getting through when I called in the morning. Good luck!
Thank you everyone! I've been calling but I receive a message to call back tomorrow as representatives are assisting other callers.
Totally Confused
Perhaps it was just set to come up that way automatically since today may be a State Holiday as well as a Federal one. At least I think it still is.
Just checked, yes, it is a NJ State holiday today, so you just got an autoanswer about "customers" since you called during what would otherwise have been normal operating hours.
I don't know about evenings, but they did tell me that they are working on Saturdays and Sundays answering calls. I was told from the representative that people seem to have an easier time getting through on weekends.
In addition, go to their website. They have a form where you can send them an email. Not that you will get anything more than a standardized response, but at least you have something in writing that you reached out to them. For what it's worth.
Honestly, it's a mess. Be persistent. When this all started, the request went out for COBOL programmers. That tells you they are working with 1970's or 1980's technology. If in the last two decades anyone from the state purchased an off the shelf insurance claim solution and configured it for unemployment insurance claims and located this solution in the cloud with a provider like AWS (Amazon Web Services), when the Covid surge occurred, they could have scaled up in a few hours. Instead, it probably costs a fortune to run the current antiquated application on an antiquated platform, which I am sure took a herculean effort to scale up for the Covid surge. Like they say, if you want to really screw up a process, let the government handle it.
Good luck!
Can anyone tell me, when I filed last week for the first time, when do I start certifying for my benefits? When I log into my account, on the landing page, my status still shows pending. However, when I check claim status it shows filed and shows information from 2004. I will try calling nj unemployment again today.
Thank you All!
I had already replied to you.....
You cannot claim weeks until your status says filed if I remember correctly, and when you do it will allow you to file back to the date you said was the last day of employment
You have to claim benefits on your scheduled date and time based on the last 4 digits of your social security number, if you miss it there is other blocks:
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/schedule.shtml
Rather then wasting all the time trying to call someone you won't get, why not just try? if it lets you claim you're good, if not, you have to wait.
Here is what I received when I tried to certified:
the benefit year on your claim date 7-4-2004 has expired
I just opened a new claim on 10/6/2020!!!??? I keep calling and they state due to the high volume call back tomorrow.
Can anyone help!
The biggest help to me was reading the Facebook Unemployed in New Jersey Forum. The best number is 732 761 2020 or 732 761 2021 but try calling when they first open up or on a Saturday if they are still taking calls on the weekend but be ready to wait for months until you might see the first benefit payment as my experience was faxing documents, filling out Dept of Labor email questions & doing a phone monetary interview (from a Restricted Number you can’t call back) many months after the initial filing of the Unemployment Claim. Best wishes to you. Be persistent everyday and never give up.
Cympathetique Most claims are taking a month + to go through right now. I heard a rumor to call at 8:00 am on the dot and you will get a call back that day. It worked the first time I called at that time! This was back in August, though, so maybe it has changed a bit.
I've called NJ Unemployment 116 times today starting at 7:58 am. I got through to a person, however, they said they don't know why the date claim filed shows 7/4/2004. They went on to say they can see my account but it does not show I filed a claim. I told the individual I have a claim confirmation # I can provide them. They stated they can't see my file but it doesn't show I filed a claim. I stated I received an email from e-Adjudication asking me to complete another questionnaire and I received confirmation my form was submitted and received. They continued to say they can't help me because they only assist with technical issues and I needed to call back to speak to someone else. Unemployment tax has been taken out of my pay for over 40 years and now when I need to file an unemployment claim it seems I won't be able to.
OK-I've been calling for over an hour. I was able to leave my cell # for a call back. They stated they will call back 24 to 48 hours. So I guess I wait now?
Thank you again.
Totally Confused, I feel like you are not reading my comments or do not understand them.
What you are getting means that your latest filing HAS NOT FILED YET!
You have to wait until it says "filed" to be able to make the weekly claims
What is happening is when you try to claim, being the new 2020 claim has not filed, the claiming system is looking at the old claim from 2004 since it is the only one filed in their system
When I filed a claim for my furlough in March it took 2 1/2 weeks before it said "filed" and I could start making claims
STOP wasting your time calling them and wait until your status says "filed" then your good to go
Go to:
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/
Click "Check a claim status here"
fill out your info and click the enter button
You will need claim status to say "filed" before you can make weekly claims...here is a shot of mine
Until it says filed, your paperwork has not been processed and no one will be able to help you by phone
Hi Darrin-yes, I am doing exactly as you are stated. I go to the NJ Unemployment site. I click 'Check a claim status here'. I fill out the info, ssn, dob, email, and first and last name and then I hit enter. What appears is:
Claim status: filed
Date of claim: 7/4/2020, etc.
However, when I log into my online account and I chose update info, the claim status indicates on the main landing page: pending. I'm trying to understand why when I enter my info exactly as you indicated it states filed and when I log into my online account it states pending.
Thank you
I just received a phone call from a very nice gentleman from NJ Unemployment. He explained to me that for claim status I should sign in to my account and on my dashboard to see the claim status there. Choosing 'check claim status here' tab will not show current information. He went on to state due to the high number of applicants to allow 3-5 weeks. He stated I did have a claim pending and apologize for any misinformation that was provided to me.
Thank you Darrin and everyone else for your help and support. I sincerely appreciate everything.
Hi All-my claim is now in the filed status and I was able to certify for benefits today. I still have not received an email nor letter indicating my claim has been either approved or denied. Is there anything else I need to do other than certifying for my benefits each week? Like I said this is all new to me and I apologize for all the questions. I tried calling NJ Unemployment but had no success getting through. Thank you all!
When I certified for first time after my claim was listed as filed, after a week or so the money just appeared in the checking account that I gave them for direct deposit.
Hope the same happens for you-good luck!
Just certify for your weekly benefits every week at your allotted time. You should be fine! Good luck!
Has anyone gotten the federal lost wage money yet? It says paid out the week of October 19th on the unemployment website but I haven’t seen anything in my acct.
Butttz I received mine on friday.. i know you had to hit that you were unemployed due to covid reasons on the certify benefits page
Summerlove2 
Jrsemom FYI...Call your state representative in your county. They will email you a form. Fill it out and send it back. They will contact unemployment on your behalf and then unemployment will call you within 48 hours. That's what I did for my daughter and it worked.
Shell It would be better for everyone if he just let every business open fully so people could get back to work.
Hmm; how’s that working in states where they tried that? Lower unemployment?
I don’t think he’s the 800lb gorilla to get the country moving again.
But, to be on point, just posted it in case people need to do something to take advantage.
The 20 weeks extended unemployment is effective if you have exhausted your standard 26 weeks AND the extended 13 weeks federal unemployment benefits ( PEUC). If you qualify for the extra 20 weeks you will automatically receive those benefits, and if additional info is needed for you to qualify you should receive e mail from unemployment dept.
Dealing with the nightmare that is NJ Unemployment...... been trying to contact someone calling 3 different numbers daily numerous times a day.....was hoping someone could help? I'm just shy of 20 weeks employment.....started the job July 5th and getting laid off today......I'm shy of the 20 weeks you need to qualify but made over 20 thousand since July 5th...... can I still qualify for unemployment insurance?! Can't get a straight answer anywhere.......any help appreciated
Joseph Found this with google: Note: To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits in 2022, you must have earned at least $240 per week (a base week) during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period, or you must have earned at least $12,000 in total covered employment during the base year period.
4catmom Sorry Joseph. What a coincidence, probably a way for your employer to avoid paying their part of the unemployment. Hopefully you are getting decent severance.
iJay They go back to you last job in order to make up your weeks. I had this problem has far as a human answering i called randolph which is job service no help bad number. I will see if i can find the number i got someone on
Yea problem is I didn't have employment on the books in NJ prior to this last job that lasted from July 5th till yesterday........but did make around $24 thousand so hoping that should suffice the unemployment requirement..... will try calling again all day.......
I would think without having the eligible prior employment it would be a no go.
I say with 10.7 million open jobs in the United States today, I suspect spending the time finding employment rather than chasing unemployment would be more fruitful.
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm
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