I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective as someone who works in employment law. Reading through this thread, I'm really impressed by how much accurate information has been shared! Just to reinforce what others have said - car trouble causing attendance issues is typically NOT considered willful misconduct under NY unemployment law. The key legal standard is whether your actions were deliberate violations of your employer's reasonable expectations. Mechanical breakdowns are generally viewed as circumstances beyond your control. When you file your claim, focus on these key points: 1) The attendance issues were directly caused by unforeseeable car problems, 2) You weren't deliberately choosing to violate company policy, and 3) You have documentation showing the legitimate nature of the car trouble. Also, don't be intimidated if your employer contests - retail employers often do this automatically regardless of the merits of their case. The unemployment system in NY is actually designed to err on the side of helping workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. File your claim today and keep all that documentation handy!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience that might help. I was fired from my warehouse job about two months ago for what they called "excessive tardiness," but like you, it was due to transportation issues - my bus route kept getting delayed because of ongoing construction. I was really nervous about filing for unemployment because I'd never done it before and thought being fired automatically meant I wouldn't qualify. But after reading similar threads and getting advice, I filed my claim within a few days of being terminated. The whole process took about 4 weeks, but I was approved! The key things that helped were: being completely honest about being fired, documenting all the bus delays and construction notices I could find, and explaining clearly that the tardiness wasn't intentional or willful. My former employer did contest the claim, but the adjudicator understood that public transportation delays due to construction were beyond my control. Your car trouble situation sounds very similar - mechanical problems are definitely not something you can predict or control. Don't let fear stop you from applying - you have every right to file and a good chance of being approved based on what you've described. File today and keep all that documentation ready!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Got laid off in July, accepted an offer in August but couldn't start until September due to their onboarding timeline. NYS DOL was totally fine with it - I collected benefits for the full 5 weeks between accepting the offer and starting work. The case worker I eventually spoke with explained that you're considered unemployed until you receive your first paycheck, regardless of having a future start date. Just make sure to keep applying to other jobs during your weekly certifications (I did 3-4 applications per week) and be completely transparent about your situation. The anxiety about filing was way worse than the actual process. You've got a 7+ week gap which is plenty of time to justify benefits. Don't leave money on the table that you're entitled to!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Just got laid off two weeks ago and accepted an offer yesterday, but they can't start me until March 1st due to their quarterly training program. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the consensus is clear: be honest about the pending job offer when filing, maintain genuine availability for other immediate work opportunities, and keep up with the required job search activities until you actually start working. The fact that so many people have successfully navigated this with NYS DOL gives me confidence to file my claim this week. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread is a goldmine of real-world experience that you just can't find in the official documentation!

I'm currently dealing with 17 forfeit days myself and this thread has been absolutely incredible - way more helpful than anything I could find on the official NY DOL website! I was seriously considering stopping my weekly certifications after getting $0 for the past two weeks, but reading everyone's experiences here has convinced me to stick with it. The countdown calendar idea that multiple people mentioned is brilliant - I just created one and knowing I have exactly 14 days left until payments should resume makes this feel so much more manageable. What really struck me is how many of us are going through the exact same confusion and stress right now. It's honestly shameful that NY unemployment doesn't provide clear guidance about forfeit day procedures, but thankfully this community has all the real answers we need. I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here: keep certifying religiously, document everything with screenshots, stay current on work search requirements, and remember this is temporary punishment not permanent loss. To everyone else currently serving forfeit days - we've got this! There's definitely light at the end of the tunnel if we just push through these next few weeks together.

I'm just getting started with my own forfeit days situation (got the determination letter yesterday for 25 days!) and honestly was feeling pretty hopeless about it until I found this thread. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like as long as I keep doing my weekly certifications religiously, I will eventually start getting payments again once the forfeit period ends. 25 days means I'm looking at about 5 weeks of $0 payments, which is going to be really tough financially, but at least now I know there's an actual end date to work toward. I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here: set up that countdown calendar, keep certifying every week no matter what, document everything with screenshots, and stay current on work search requirements. It's so frustrating that the NY unemployment system makes this process so confusing and provides basically zero clear guidance, but thankfully this community has all the real information we actually need. To everyone else currently dealing with forfeit days - it's really comforting to know we're all in this together and that there IS light at the end of the tunnel if we just stick with the process!

Just wanted to add that you can also check your benefit information by calling the Tele-Claim line at 888-581-5812. It's automated and available 24/7, so you don't have to deal with hold times. When you call, have your SSN ready and follow the prompts - it will tell you your remaining benefit balance, weeks left, and benefit year end date. I find this quicker than navigating the website sometimes, especially when the portal is being slow or glitchy.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're worried about running out of benefits, start documenting everything now! Keep detailed records of your job search activities, any part-time work you do, and save all your weekly certification confirmations. If you end up needing to file a new claim after your benefit year expires, having organized records will make the process much smoother. Also, consider reaching out to your local American Job Center (formerly One-Stop) - they often have career counselors who can help with job search strategies and might know about local hiring events or training programs that could help you land something before your benefits run out.

I went through something similar last year and can share what happened. I forgot to report about $200 in odd jobs over a few weeks. When I realized my mistake, I immediately called NYS Department of Labor (took forever to get through) and voluntarily reported it. They were actually pretty understanding since I came forward on my own. They calculated an overpayment of about $85 that I had to pay back, but no penalties since it was clearly an honest mistake and I self-reported. The key is being proactive - don't wait for them to find it during an audit. Document everything about the work you did (dates, amounts, who paid you) before you contact them. It shows you're being thorough and honest about the situation.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago and want to share some practical advice. First, definitely contact NYS Department of Labor as soon as possible - waiting only makes it look worse if they discover it themselves. When you call, have all your documentation ready: exact dates you worked, amount earned, and who paid you. They'll ask specific questions and being prepared shows good faith. In my case, I had unreported income of about $300 over several weeks and they calculated an overpayment, but because I self-reported they waived any penalties. The overpayment was much less than I expected because they only reduce benefits proportionally, not dollar-for-dollar. The whole process took about 6 weeks to resolve, and I was able to continue receiving benefits for the weeks where I properly reported income. Don't panic - honest mistakes happen and they handle them much differently than intentional fraud.