I went through this exact situation about a year ago. In addition to what others mentioned, definitely check if your county has a "One-Stop" career center - they often have emergency assistance funds and can help with resume writing and job placement. Also, if you have any unpaid wages from your previous employer, you can file a wage claim with NYS Department of Labor even if you were denied UI benefits. That helped me recover about $800 I was owed. Don't give up on the appeal either - bring any pay stubs or W-2s you have to show your work history. The system can be confusing but there are people who want to help you navigate it.

I'm in a similar situation right now - just got denied last week for the same reason (not enough hours in base period). One thing I learned is that you should also check if you qualify for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) or any extended benefits if you had any UI claims in the past few years. Also, your local community college might have emergency student aid if you're considering going back to school - some programs are specifically for people who lost jobs. The financial aid office can sometimes help even if you're not enrolled yet. Hang in there - this community has been really helpful for me in figuring out all these different programs I never knew existed.

I'm in the exact same boat right now! Just finished my waiting week and certified yesterday (Monday). The uncertainty is killing me because I have bills due this week too. From reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like 3-5 business days is pretty normal for that first payment, which gives me some hope. I'm definitely going to try calling my bank tomorrow to see if they can spot any pending deposits like Raj suggested - that's such a smart idea! Also planning to set up those text notifications that were mentioned. It's reassuring to see so many people sharing their timelines and that most folks did eventually get their payments, even if some took longer than expected. The waiting game is brutal but at least we're not alone in this!

I went through this same anxiety just a few weeks ago! My first payment took 5 business days after certification, which felt like forever when you're watching every penny. What really helped was setting up account alerts with my bank so I'd get a text the moment any deposit hit my account - saved me from obsessively checking my balance 20 times a day. Also, if your payment doesn't show up by day 5, don't hesitate to call NYSDOL. I know their phone lines are terrible, but sometimes there are small issues that need to be resolved (like address verification or direct deposit confirmation) that can hold things up. The good news is once you get that first payment, the subsequent ones are much more predictable and usually arrive within 2-3 days. Hang in there - it's coming!

I went through this same struggle when I first started receiving benefits! The NYS portal is definitely not user-friendly. One additional tip that worked for me: if you still can't find your Monetary Determination letter after checking all the sections mentioned here, try logging in from a different device entirely. I had issues where my laptop wouldn't show certain documents but they appeared when I logged in from my phone (despite what others said about mobile limitations). Also, make sure your popup blocker isn't preventing PDFs from opening - I spent hours thinking documents weren't there when they were just being blocked from downloading. The system is frustrating but don't give up - your letter is definitely in there somewhere!

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the same issue right now and it's reassuring to see so many different solutions. I just wanted to add one more tip that helped me: if you're using a VPN, try disconnecting it before accessing the NYS portal. I was having issues where certain sections wouldn't load properly, and turning off my VPN fixed it completely. Government sites sometimes have restrictions that can interfere with VPN connections. Also, for anyone still struggling, I found that the customer service chat feature (when it's actually working) can sometimes tell you exactly which section your documents are stored in without having to wait on hold for hours. It's not always available but worth checking if you see a chat option when you log in.

I've been on NY unemployment for about 6 months and can add to what everyone's saying about the timing - Friday certification definitely means Monday/Tuesday payment with no way to speed it up. One thing that really helped me was setting up low balance alerts on my phone for like $50 or whatever threshold works for you. That way I get a heads up before I'm completely tapped out over the weekend waiting for Monday's deposit. Also, if you have any subscription services or automatic payments that typically hit on weekends, consider moving those to Tuesday or Wednesday. I had Netflix and Spotify both try to charge on Saturday mornings and got hit with overdraft fees my first month before I learned to time everything around the unemployment payment schedule. The learning curve is real but after a few cycles you'll have it figured out. The most important thing is just accepting that weekend money isn't happening and planning accordingly!

I've been on NY unemployment for about 10 months now and everything everyone is saying about the timing is spot on - Friday certification always means Monday/Tuesday payment, no exceptions. One tip that saved me multiple times: if you use a smartphone banking app, set up push notifications for deposits AND withdrawals. That way you know immediately when your unemployment hits Monday morning, but also get alerts if any automatic payments are about to overdraft you over the weekend. Also, I discovered that some 24/7 laundromats and convenience stores will do small cash advances if you're a regular customer and explain you're waiting for unemployment to process. Obviously not ideal and there's usually a small fee, but it's helped me get gas or groceries a couple times when I was completely tapped out on Sunday. The timing is definitely frustrating when you're new to it, but after almost a year I can say you really do develop a whole rhythm around it. Your brain just starts automatically planning 2-3 days ahead once you get used to the cycle!

Based on your work history, you should definitely qualify for a new unemployment claim! Working from September 2024 to April 2025 gives you wages in multiple quarters (Q3 and Q4 of 2024, plus Q1 of 2025), which easily meets NY's requirements. I was in a similar situation - had an old claim from 2022, then worked for about 8 months before getting laid off again in early 2024. I was nervous about reapplying but it turned out to be straightforward. The system automatically calculates which base period gives you the best benefit rate, so you don't have to worry about that part. When you file, use your existing NY.gov account and select "File a New Claim" rather than trying to reopen your old one. Have your employment dates and employer info ready, but don't stress too much about the wage amounts since they pull that data from employer reports anyway. The hardest part honestly is just getting past the anxiety of navigating their website - once you actually start the application it's pretty step-by-step. Good luck!

Hey Rami! I was in almost the exact same boat last year - got laid off in late 2023, collected benefits, then worked a contract job from August 2024 until February 2025 when it ended. I was super worried about whether I'd qualify again but it turned out to be no problem at all! Your work from September 2024 to April 2025 definitely qualifies you for a new claim. Since you worked across multiple quarters (Q3 2024, Q4 2024, and Q1 2025), you easily meet the requirements. The system will automatically use whichever base period gives you the higher benefit amount. When I filed my new claim, I used my existing NY.gov login and selected "File a New Claim" - don't try to reopen your old one from 2023. The application asked for all my employment info from the past 18 months, so have your temp job details ready (start date, end date, employer info, reason for separation). One thing that surprised me was how much faster the process was the second time around - I think because all my basic info was already in the system. Got approved within about 10 days and payments started right after that. Don't stress too much about the wage calculations or whether you'll qualify - your work history clearly meets the requirements. The hardest part is just getting through their confusing website interface! You've got this.