Good reasons for delay include not knowing you were eligible, being hospitalized, or having transportation issues that prevented you from filing. Just being unemployed and looking for work isn't usually enough on its own. But definitely file now - even if you can't backdate everything, you'll start getting benefits for future weeks.

Don't beat yourself up about it! I work in HR and see this happen all the time - people think they need to exhaust their savings first or that unemployment is only for certain situations. The key thing is to file TODAY through ny.gov. Even if you can only backdate a few weeks, that's still money in your pocket. When you apply, be honest about why you delayed - "I was unaware I was eligible and was trying to find work on my own" is a valid reason that often works for at least some backdating. The worst thing you can do now is wait another day!

Just want to add that when you do file, make sure you're ready to start your weekly claims right away and keep track of your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires you to be actively looking for work and you'll need to document that.

Don't beat yourself up about missing those 6 weeks - it's a really common mistake! The important thing is to file NOW before you lose any more time. When you apply online, you'll put your actual layoff date from 6 weeks ago as your separation date, but your benefit payments will only start from the week you file the claim. Also make sure you have your employer's info handy (company name, address, reason for separation) and be prepared to start doing your weekly certifications right away. The sooner you get this process started, the sooner you can start receiving benefits while you continue your job search.

The NYS Department of Labor system is so broken honestly. They make it impossible to reach anyone and then act like we're trying to scam them for filing legitimate claims. I hope your company gets their act together and doesn't pull this kind of surprise shutdown again. At least you know your rights now.

Just went through this exact situation last month when our factory had an unexpected shutdown for electrical repairs. Filed online the day before the shutdown started and got my benefits for those 3 days we were out. The key things I learned: 1) File as soon as you know about the shutdown, 2) Be very clear it's temporary when you file, and 3) Make sure to certify for benefits even if it's just a few days. The online system actually worked fine for me - took about 20 minutes to complete the initial application. Don't stress about it affecting your job, employers deal with this stuff all the time and it's completely normal to file for temporary layoffs.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have stumbled upon this thread! I've been dealing with this exact same frustrating issue since I started my new job in mid-January - those weekly filing reminders just keep coming despite my claim showing as "exhausted." Like so many others here, I was completely focused on trying to figure out how to delete my entire my.ny.gov account, thinking that was the only way to make it stop. But after reading through all the incredibly helpful advice from @Hannah Flores, @Ravi Gupta, @Ethan Campbell, and everyone else who shared their experiences, I now understand that keeping the account active is actually the smarter long-term strategy. I just implemented the three-step solution that everyone has been recommending: updated my employment status to "Currently Employed," unchecked all the unemployment-related email notifications in my account preferences, and submitted a "Report a Problem" request with a detailed explanation of my situation. Based on the timelines that others have shared, I'm hopeful that the weekly emails will stop within the next 1-2 weeks. This community has been such a lifesaver - the practical, step-by-step solutions shared here are infinitely more useful than anything I could find through official NYS DOL channels or their nearly impossible-to-reach customer service. Thank you all for taking the time to share what actually worked instead of just venting about the broken system. This thread should definitely be bookmarked as a resource for anyone dealing with this common but annoying issue!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful to have found this thread! I've been struggling with this exact same problem for about 6 weeks now - started my new job in February but those weekly filing reminder emails just won't quit. Like everyone else here, I was completely convinced that deleting my my.ny.gov account was the only solution, but after reading through all the amazing advice from @Hannah Flores, @Ravi Gupta, and @Ethan Campbell, I realize that would have been a huge mistake! I just followed the three-step approach that everyone's been recommending: updated my employment status to "Currently Employed," unchecked all unemployment-related notifications in my account preferences, and submitted a detailed "Report a Problem" request explaining that I'm working and want the weekly reminders to stop. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm optimistic that the emails will finally stop within the next week or two. This community has been absolutely incredible - I've learned more practical solutions from this one thread than from hours of searching the official NYS DOL website and trying to reach their impossible customer service. It's such a relief to know there's actually a working solution that doesn't involve starting from scratch if I ever need benefits again. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences and what actually worked!

The NY unemployment online system is GARBAGE 🗑️ Most of their questions are so poorly worded it's like they're TRYING to trick you into answering wrong and losing benefits

I'm a per diem CNA and went through this exact same confusion! After reading all these responses, I'm feeling more confident about how to answer. It sounds like the consensus is that if shifts are just posted on a portal/board for anyone to claim (not specifically offered to YOU), then you should answer NO to refusing work. I've been overthinking this so much - glad to know I'm not the only one who finds these questions confusing! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this is super helpful for those of us trying to navigate the system without screwing up our benefits.