Just remember the money is taxable! Found that out the hard way when I filed my taxes. You can have them withhold 10% for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims.

Thanks for all this info everyone! I'm actually in a similar boat - been working in customer service for about 2 years making around $45K. One thing I'm wondering about is the waiting period. I heard there might be a one-week waiting period before benefits start? Also, does anyone know if they verify employment with your previous employer right away, or does that happen later in the process? Want to make sure I have realistic expectations for timing.

I'm dealing with this same Google Authenticator nightmare right now! Been locked out for 2 days and getting so frustrated. I tried calling the unemployment line yesterday but gave up after being on hold for over 2 hours. Based on all the helpful advice here, I'm going to try the self-service recovery on id.ny.gov first thing in the morning. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely call that ID support line at 844-891-1786 that several people mentioned - sounds way more promising than the unemployment phone maze. It's crazy how common this issue seems to be but there's absolutely nothing about it in their official help docs. This thread has been more useful than hours of searching their website! Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences.

I'm having the exact same Google Authenticator issue! Been locked out for almost a week now and it's been a total nightmare. I tried calling the unemployment line multiple times but could never get through - just endless hold music or busy signals. After reading through all these helpful responses, I'm definitely going to try the self-service recovery on id.ny.gov first thing tomorrow morning. If that doesn't work, I'll call the ID support line at 844-891-1786 that everyone's mentioned. It's such a relief to know there are actual working solutions and that I'm not the only one dealing with this frustrating Google Authenticator sync problem. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this thread is way more helpful than anything I could find on the official NY.gov help pages! Hopefully I can get back into my account soon and switch to SMS authentication to avoid this headache in the future.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I just started collecting unemployment benefits last week and was really stressing about what to do during Christmas week. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the main takeaway is just to stick to my normal routine - file by Sunday, do my job search activities (even if responses are limited), and document everything as usual. I was overthinking it and worried there might be special holiday procedures I didn't know about. The checklist idea someone mentioned is really helpful too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so much easier to navigate this when you hear from people who've actually been through it!

I've been on unemployment in NY for about 5 months now and went through both Thanksgiving and last Christmas on benefits. Everyone here is absolutely right - holidays don't change anything about your weekly certification process! Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me: I actually found holiday weeks to be a good time to focus on the "behind the scenes" job search work that's easy to put off when you're busy applying to active postings. Things like organizing your job search spreadsheet, updating your portfolio or work samples, researching salary ranges for positions you're targeting, or even taking free online courses related to your field. All of these activities count toward your work search requirements and can actually make you more competitive when employers start actively hiring again after the holidays. The NYS DOL recognizes that the job market slows down during major holidays, so they're not expecting you to find tons of new postings to apply to - they just want to see consistent effort toward finding employment. Don't stress about it, just keep doing what you've been doing!

same here just applying to anything to check the boxes

I've been dealing with NYS unemployment for about 6 months now and learned the hard way about documentation. Here's what I found works: Online applications absolutely count - just save screenshots or confirmation emails. For job sites like Indeed, make sure you note the specific employer name, not just "applied through Indeed." Also, informational interviews count as networking activities, and so does attending career workshops or webinars. I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, employer/contact, position, method of contact, and any follow-up. The key is being able to show genuine effort - they care more about quality searches in your field than just hitting random apply buttons.

I just wanted to add that timing can be really important here. The sooner you file, the sooner the process starts, and you can't get retroactive benefits for weeks before you actually submit your claim. I delayed filing for almost a month because I was worried about the same thing - what my employer would say and whether they'd try to block my claim. That ended up costing me about $1,200 in benefits I could have received during that time. What I wish I had known earlier is that even if your employer contests the claim, you often still receive benefits during the appeal process (called "pending appeal benefits"). So the worst case scenario isn't that you get nothing while fighting - it's that you might have to pay some back if the final decision goes against you, which honestly is pretty rare if you were legitimately laid off or fired without cause. My employer did respond to the NYS DOL form and claimed I was terminated for "performance issues" but they couldn't provide any documentation of progressive discipline, performance improvement plans, or written warnings. The adjudicator saw right through it and approved my claim within two weeks. Don't let fear of your employer's potential dishonesty rob you of benefits you've earned and deserve!

I went through this exact same worry when I filed last year! Yes, NYS DOL does contact employers, but I want to reassure you that the process heavily favors accuracy over employer bias. They send a standardized form (IA 12.3) that asks very specific questions about your separation - dates, wages, reason for termination, etc. It's not a free-form interview where your boss can just badmouth you. What really helped me was understanding that if your employer wants to contest your claim based on "misconduct" or "poor performance," they need actual documentation - write-ups, attendance records, performance improvement plans, witness statements, etc. They can't just say "Nina was a bad employee" and have that hold weight. In my case, my former manager tried to claim I was fired for tardiness, but when pressed for documentation, all they had were some informal notes that didn't follow their own progressive discipline policy. The adjudicator approved my claim within 10 days. My advice: file now and start gathering your evidence while you wait for their response. Every week you delay costs you potential benefits. Even if they contest it, you'll likely receive payments during the appeal process. Don't let fear of your employer's potential lies keep you from benefits you've rightfully earned through your work history!