Final update for anyone who might be in a similar situation: My appeal was approved! It took 16 days total. I got through to an agent using that Claimyr service someone recommended (which actually worked surprisingly well), and they explained that the retail job clearly didn't meet the suitable work criteria because it was less than 80% of my previous salary and didn't utilize my education/skills. All my missed payments were deposited today. Thanks everyone for your help - I'm still job hunting but at least I can pay rent while I search for something in my field.

Congratulations on winning your appeal! This is such great news and really helpful for others who might face similar situations. Your case is a perfect example of why it's so important to understand the "suitable work" criteria and not just panic when benefits get cut. The fact that you documented everything properly and got the right information from this community really made the difference. Your experience shows that while the system can be frustrating and scary, it does work when you know your rights and follow the proper procedures. Thanks for sharing the outcome - it gives hope to others going through this!

my cousin works in HR and she says companies budget for unemployment costs but still try to minimize them however they can. sounds like your boss is just worried about their bottom line

Just want to add that the NYS Department of Labor also considers the size of the employer when calculating these experience ratings. Smaller businesses like restaurants often get hit harder by rate increases from unemployment claims because they have fewer employees to spread the cost across. That might explain why your boss seemed particularly concerned - every claim really does impact their quarterly tax bill more significantly than it would for a big corporation.

I'm having the exact same issue! Filed my weekly claim on Tuesday and it's now Thursday with no deposit. This is only my second week filing so I'm still learning the process. Based on what everyone is saying here, it sounds like Tuesday filers might have to wait until the following Tuesday for processing, which would mean we won't see payment until next Wednesday or Thursday. That's really frustrating when you're counting on that money. I'm going to check my my.ny.gov account tonight to make sure there are no hidden issues or messages I missed. Thanks for asking this question - it's helpful to know other people are dealing with the same confusion!

I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Filed my weekly claim Tuesday morning and it's now Thursday with no payment in sight. This is my first time navigating the unemployment system and the uncertainty around payment timing is really stressful when you're already dealing with job loss. From reading everyone's responses, it seems like Tuesday filers get processed the following Tuesday, which means we probably won't see deposits until next Wednesday/Thursday. That's a full week+ wait which is tough when you're budgeting tight. I'm definitely going to start filing earlier in the week going forward - sounds like Sunday/Monday filers get their money much faster. Going to triple-check my my.ny.gov account tonight for any hidden issues and keep my fingers crossed for next week!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. The 26 weeks just end - no automatic extension. What really helped me was applying for SNAP benefits about 3 weeks before my UI ended, and I also looked into local food banks and utility assistance programs through 211 (just dial 2-1-1). The NYS Department of Labor website has a section called "Reemployment Services" that lists training programs, but honestly it's hard to navigate. I ended up going to my local Career Center in person - they were way more helpful than trying to figure it out online. Also check if your county has any emergency rental assistance programs. Don't give up on the job search, but definitely start building that safety net now before the benefits actually stop.

I'm in a very similar situation - my benefits are ending in about 3 weeks and I'm terrified. Reading through these comments is both helpful and scary. It sounds like the key is to start applying for other assistance NOW rather than waiting. I had no idea there was no automatic extension - I was definitely counting on that. Has anyone had success with the workforce development programs that @Dmitry mentioned? I'm willing to do training if it means getting some kind of income support while I'm in the program. Also going to look into that Claimyr service since calling NYS Department of Labor has been impossible for me too.

I went through this exact same headache a few months ago when I got laid off from my retail job. Like everyone else is saying, you definitely don't need that employer UI account number to file your initial claim. The NYS system can be really confusing because some of the older help pages still mention it, but the current online filing process at my.ny.gov just needs your employer's business name exactly as it appears on your paystubs, their address, and your employment dates. I made the mistake of trying to abbreviate my company's name the first time and got an error, but once I put in the full legal name it went through fine. Don't let this delay your filing - you've got enough to worry about after being laid off without stressing over information you don't actually need!

I'm a former NYS DOL employee and want to clarify this for everyone - you're all absolutely right that the employer UI account number is NOT required for filing unemployment claims. This number is only used internally by employers for their quarterly tax filings and wage reports. The online system at my.ny.gov is specifically designed to match employers using business name, address, and Federal EIN. The most important thing is using the EXACT legal business name from your W-2 or final paystub - don't drop any "Corporation," "LLC," "Inc.," etc. If the system can't find a match, it will flag for manual review rather than reject your claim outright. Also, make sure your employment dates are accurate as this helps with the matching process. Don't let confusion over this optional field delay your filing - timing is much more critical than having every single piece of employer information!