The whole system is so confusing honestly. I filed too early once and they told me I had to wait and refile. Then another time I waited too long and missed out on a week of benefits. There should be clearer instructions on the website about timing.

Based on my experience, here's the exact timeline: File your initial claim application on the Monday after your last day of work (so the Monday after next Friday in your case). Once your claim is approved (usually takes 2-3 business days), you can then file your first weekly certification for that same week you became unemployed. The important thing is that you must be totally unemployed during the entire week you're claiming - so if Friday is your last day, you'd claim the full week starting that Monday. Don't overthink it - just make sure you have all your employment documentation ready and file as soon as you're eligible. The system will guide you through the process once you start.

I went through this exact situation last year with my photography LLC. Since you mentioned having W-2 wages from your part-time job, that's actually really important - those wages likely make you eligible for benefits even with the LLC. The key is being completely transparent about your business status when you file. I had to provide documentation showing my LLC had essentially no income and wasn't actively operating. NYS Department of Labor will want to know if you're available for work and actively seeking employment, which can be tricky if you're still technically operating the business. I'd recommend gathering all your financial records for both the LLC and your W-2 job before filing, and be prepared to explain that while you own the LLC, you're not currently generating income from it and are seeking traditional employment.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - I have an LLC that I set up for consulting work, but contracts have completely disappeared over the past few months. From what I've researched, the fact that you had W-2 wages from your part-time job is actually really good news for your eligibility. NYS Department of Labor looks at your "base period" wages to determine benefits, and W-2 income definitely counts toward that. The tricky part is proving that your LLC isn't actively operating versus just being slow. I've been told by others in similar situations that you need to be very clear that you're seeking traditional W-2 employment and not just waiting for freelance work to pick up. Document everything - bank statements showing minimal business income, any steps you've taken to wind down operations, and your active job search for regular employment. The key seems to be demonstrating that you're genuinely unemployed and available for work, not just a business owner having a rough patch.

I actually just helped my roommate through this exact situation last month! She was a senior working part-time at a retail store and got her hours cut to basically nothing. She was super worried about the student thing too, but she got approved without any major issues. The biggest thing that helped her was keeping really detailed records of her work schedule alongside her class schedule for the past year - it showed she'd been successfully managing both for a long time. She also made sure to apply online first thing in the morning when the system was less busy, then followed up with the phone interview. The whole process took about 3.5 weeks from application to first payment. One tip she shared was to be really specific about your availability in hours (like "Monday 8am-6pm, Wednesday 12pm-10pm" etc.) rather than just saying "I can work around classes." NYS Department of Labor wants to see concrete proof that you have substantial time available for employment. Since you've been doing 25 hours/week for two years, you're in great shape! Don't stress too much about it.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who successfully collected unemployment as a student in NY! I was working at a bookstore while finishing my degree and lost my job due to store closure. The application process was actually pretty straightforward once I understood what they were looking for. The key things that helped me: 1) I emphasized my consistent work history while enrolled (similar to your situation with 2 years of steady employment), 2) I provided specific available hours rather than vague statements about flexibility, and 3) I kept detailed records of my job search efforts focused on positions that matched my schedule and experience. NYS Department of Labor did ask about my class schedule during the phone interview, but they were mainly interested in confirming I had genuine availability for work. Since you're graduating soon and have been successfully balancing 25 hours/week with coursework, you should have no problem demonstrating both your work history and availability. The process took about 4 weeks for me, but it was worth it for the financial support during my final semester. Don't let the student status worry you - you've earned these benefits through your contributions!

I'm at about 2 weeks into my unemployment claim and honestly this thread is a goldmine of information! I had no idea the work search audits were this thorough or that they could happen as early as 2-3 months in. I've been doing job applications but barely keeping track beyond just remembering where I applied. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to set up a proper spreadsheet system this weekend with all the details you've mentioned - dates, companies, positions, activity types, contact methods, etc. It's actually kind of motivating to see that if you keep good records and do genuine job search activities, the audit process seems manageable rather than scary. I appreciate everyone being so detailed about their experiences - this is way more helpful than the vague official guidance on the DOL website. Better to start strong with documentation from the beginning than scramble later!

I'm about 7 weeks into my unemployment claim and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I started off pretty casual with my job search documentation - just keeping a simple list in a notebook - but reading everyone's detailed experiences has made me realize I need to completely overhaul my system. The fact that audits can happen as early as 8-16 weeks means I'm potentially entering the higher-risk zone soon. I'm going to spend this weekend creating a comprehensive spreadsheet with all the columns you've mentioned: date, company, position, activity type, contact method, and notes. It's actually reassuring to see that people who keep good records and show genuine job search effort seem to handle the audit process just fine. I've been doing mostly online applications but clearly need to diversify with networking calls, job fairs, and professional development activities. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that the official DOL information doesn't provide. Better to get organized now than panic if I get selected for an audit!

I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from a warehouse job in Buffalo last year. The whole employer-pays thing confused me too at first, but here's what I learned: New York employers pay quarterly unemployment insurance taxes based on their payroll and claim history. The money goes into a state trust fund, and that's where your benefits come from - not directly from your employer's bank account. Your former employer might get a notice about your claim, but if it was a legitimate layoff due to business reasons, they usually won't contest it. The key is to file as soon as possible since there's a waiting period, and you can't get benefits for weeks you don't claim. Good luck with your application!

As someone who works in HR at a manufacturing company here in NY, I can confirm what others have said - unemployment insurance is entirely employer-funded through payroll taxes. We pay both state (SUI) and federal (FUTA) unemployment taxes quarterly based on our total payroll. The rate varies by company based on their "experience rating" - basically how many former employees have filed claims over the past few years. A single legitimate layoff claim won't hurt your former employer much, especially if they don't have a history of frequent layoffs. Most employers understand that economic layoffs are just part of business and won't contest valid claims. Don't feel guilty about filing - this is exactly what the system is designed for!