I had one of these appointments about 6 weeks ago and it was honestly much less stressful than I anticipated! The whole "REIMAGINE Your Career" thing is just their standard marketing language - don't let that freak you out. My appointment was virtual over Zoom and lasted about 30 minutes. The counselor was actually pretty nice and mainly just wanted to verify I was actively job searching and following the work search requirements. I had a basic list of jobs I'd applied to (just company names, positions, and dates in a simple document) and she seemed totally satisfied with that level of detail. Here's the key thing - absolutely mention your school volunteering during the appointment! When I brought up some community work I was doing, the counselor was really positive about it and said it demonstrated I was staying productive and developing skills. They actually view volunteer activities as a major plus, not a distraction from job searching. Since it's virtual, you might have more scheduling flexibility than you realize. You could potentially do the call earlier in the morning or later in the evening around your volunteering commitment. But if you absolutely need to reschedule, try calling the career center number directly (not the main unemployment line) right at 8 AM when they open - that's your best chance of getting through without a massive wait. Don't stress too much about this! These counselors aren't looking for reasons to cut your benefits or catch you doing something wrong. They just want to see that you're making a genuine effort and following the guidelines. The fact that you're already volunteering and being thoughtful about your commitments shows exactly the kind of responsible attitude they want to see. You'll do great!

I totally get your anxiety about this! I had my NYS Career Center appointment about a month ago and was similarly stressed beforehand. The whole "REIMAGINE Your Career" messaging really does sound more intimidating than it actually is - it's just their standard branding. My appointment was done over Zoom and took about 35 minutes. The counselor was actually pretty understanding and just wanted to confirm I was actively job searching. I kept a simple list of applications I'd submitted (company names, positions, dates applied) and that was totally sufficient for them. Here's what I wish someone had told me: definitely mention your school volunteering during the appointment! When I brought up some volunteer work I was doing, my counselor was really positive about it and said it showed initiative and community engagement. They actually view volunteer activities as demonstrating you're staying productive while job searching. Since it's virtual, you might have more flexibility than you think. You could potentially schedule it for early morning or evening to work around your volunteering commitment. But if you absolutely need to reschedule, call the career center number directly (not the main unemployment line) right at 8 AM - that's your best shot at getting through. Try not to stress too much! These counselors aren't trying to trip you up - they just want to see you're following the work search requirements and making a genuine effort. The fact that you're already volunteering shows exactly the kind of responsible attitude they're looking for. You've got this!

This thread has been such a treasure trove of information! I'm new to NY unemployment (just started collecting in February) and was honestly pretty anxious about the whole certification process. Reading through everyone's experiences here - especially @Keisha Johnson's successful resolution - has been incredibly reassuring. The consistent advice about calling at 8am, setting up multiple reminders, and enabling those NY.gov email notifications is gold. I had no idea about the email reminder feature until this thread! Just set that up along with phone alarms for Sunday mornings. The certification log idea from @Zara Ahmed is brilliant too - definitely starting one to track everything. It's amazing how this community shares such practical, real-world solutions that you just can't find on the official websites. Makes dealing with the unemployment system feel so much less intimidating when you know there are proven strategies and supportive people who've navigated these challenges successfully. Thank you to everyone who shared their tips and experiences!

This thread has become an amazing resource for anyone dealing with missed certifications! I just went through a similar situation last month where I completely spaced on certifying - ended up calling right at 8am on a Tuesday (avoiding that Monday rush like others mentioned) and got through in about 30 minutes. The agent was super helpful and got my missed week processed immediately. One tip I'd add is to write down the agent's name and any reference numbers they give you - it can be helpful if you need to follow up later. Also, I've found that having your employment history dates ready (when you last worked, when you filed your claim, etc.) speeds up the process since they usually ask for that info to verify your account. So glad you got everything sorted out @Keisha Johnson! This community really is incredible for sharing real solutions that actually work.

just to add - make sure you apply as soon as possible after losing your job. there's usually a waiting period before benefits start and you want to get that clock ticking. the UI number is just the beginning of the process.

I went through this same process about 6 months ago and can confirm what others have said - the UI number gets assigned automatically when you submit your initial claim on my.ny.gov. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have all your employment history for the past 18 months ready, including exact dates and employer addresses. The system will ask for detailed info about your previous jobs. Also, once you get your UI number, you'll need to certify for benefits every week - don't forget to do this or you could lose your benefits! The certification usually opens up on Sunday for the previous week.

I'm completely new to this community but found myself in almost exactly the same situation! I gave my two weeks notice at my customer service job on Wednesday and they just told me this morning that they're "releasing me immediately" and don't need me for my remaining shifts. I was honestly panicking thinking I'd screwed myself out of unemployment benefits by resigning first, but reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief. It's amazing (and frustrating) how common this seems to be - you try to do the right thing by giving professional notice and then employers basically punish you for it. But knowing that NYS Department of Labor treats this as involuntary termination since I was willing to work my full notice period but they chose to cut it short is incredibly reassuring. I'm definitely filing my claim first thing Monday morning and will make sure to be very clear about the timeline - that I submitted my resignation with a specific end date but they terminated me before that. Thank you so much to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so comforting to know we're not alone in dealing with these situations and that there are actually protections in place when employers pull these moves!

I'm brand new to this community but unfortunately dealing with this exact situation right now! I gave my two weeks notice at my banking job yesterday and I'm already getting a bad feeling that they might pull the same move everyone here has described. Reading through all these experiences has been both educational and comforting - I had absolutely no idea this was such a widespread practice or that it would still qualify for unemployment benefits. It's really frustrating to learn that trying to be professional and give proper notice can actually backfire financially, but it's incredibly reassuring to know that NYS Department of Labor treats these situations as involuntary termination since you're willing to work but the employer chooses to cut it short. If this does happen to me, I'll definitely file immediately and make sure to emphasize that I submitted my resignation with the intention to work my full two weeks but they made the decision to terminate early. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - finding this community and learning about these protections has taken such a weight off my shoulders. It's amazing how much support and real-world advice you can get from people who've actually been through these situations!

Congrats on getting it sorted! This is really helpful info - I'm in a similar situation where I need to change my direct deposit soon and was worried about the timing. Good to know that changing it a few days before certification seems to work. Did you get any kind of confirmation email or notification that the change went through, or did you just have to wait and see if the money showed up in the right place?

Thanks for the update! This is super helpful - I was literally in the same exact boat last week but chickened out and didn't change my bank info because I was too worried about timing. Seeing that it worked for you gives me confidence to finally make the switch. The fact that you changed it Thursday and still got paid Tuesday in the new account is exactly what I needed to know. Definitely going to take that screenshot advice too!