Just went through this process myself a few months ago! I was in retail too and got let go for the same reason - slow business, staff reduction. I selected "lack of work" and wrote "Position eliminated due to business slowdown and staff reduction" in the explanation. The whole thing went through without any issues. The NYS DOL verified with my employer and everything matched up perfectly. Don't stress too much about the exact wording - just be honest and straightforward about what happened. Your situation sounds very straightforward for unemployment benefits.

I work as a claims specialist and see these situations frequently. "Lack of work" is definitely the right choice for your situation. When filling out the explanation, I'd recommend something like "Position eliminated due to reduced business volume and staff reduction." The NYS DOL really appreciates when applicants are clear and consistent with what actually happened. Since your employer specifically mentioned slow business and staff reduction, that aligns perfectly with the "lack of work" category. Your claim should process smoothly as long as you're factual about the circumstances.

The NYS Department of Labor system is such a mess. I've been waiting 4 months for my back pay and every time I call they give me a different excuse. First it was adjudication, then it was a system update, now they're saying there's some kind of verification issue. Meanwhile I'm about to lose my apartment because I can't pay rent!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim was approved 10 days ago and I can see all my weekly certifications marked as "paid" in the system, but only received payment for one week. It's really concerning when you're counting on that back pay to catch up on essential expenses. From what I've read in other forums, sometimes there can be automated holds placed on accounts for various reasons even after approval. Have you tried logging into your NY.gov account to see if there are any pending issues or notifications that might explain the delay?

This reminds me of when my cousin went through the same thing last summer. She was panicking about not getting her back pay but it all worked out. The waiting is the worst part but NYS Department of Labor does pay what they owe you. Stay strong!

Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! The waiting is nerve-wracking but you should definitely get your back pay. One tip - check your online account regularly because sometimes the payments show up there before you get any notification. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, the money usually hits your account faster than waiting for a paper check. Hope you get your payments soon and can catch up on those bills!

I'm in the exact same situation! Just filed my NY unemployment claim 2 days ago and have been refreshing my email constantly waiting for some kind of confirmation. The system is telling me to certify tomorrow but I've been hesitating because it feels so wrong to do it without official approval. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring though - I had no idea this was actually the normal process for NY! The NYSDOL website really doesn't explain this timeline at all, which is so frustrating. I was starting to think maybe I filled something out wrong or my application got stuck. Definitely going to follow everyone's advice and start certifying as instructed while I wait patiently for that determination letter. It's amazing how many people are dealing with this same confusing process right now - thanks to everyone for sharing your stories! This thread has been way more helpful than anything on the official website.

I'm going through this EXACT same situation right now too! Filed my NY unemployment claim just yesterday and have been constantly refreshing my email waiting for some kind of approval confirmation that apparently never comes before you start certifying. When I saw the system instructing me to certify this weekend without any official approval, I was totally convinced I had messed something up during the application process. This entire thread has been absolutely incredible though - I had no idea that this confusing backwards-feeling process is actually completely normal for NY unemployment! It's honestly mind-blowing how the NYSDOL website provides zero clear explanation about this timeline. I've been losing sleep thinking I might screw something up by certifying too early, but reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much peace of mind. It's wild seeing how many people are dealing with this same anxiety-inducing process right now! I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here and start my weekly certifications as instructed this weekend while I wait patiently for that determination letter over the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and timelines - this community thread has been infinitely more helpful than anything I could find on the official NYSDOL website!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this headache too! If the my.ny.gov site is acting up (which it does A LOT), you can also try accessing your unemployment info through the mobile app - sometimes it loads better than the desktop version. Also, pro tip: if you need this info quickly for tax deadlines, your tax preparer might be able to help you interpret the payment history if you can at least get to that section. Mine helped me figure out which of all those confusing dates was actually the right one to use. And definitely keep a screenshot or download of whatever you find - the NYS system has a habit of going down right when you need it most!

I just dealt with this same issue last week! Here's what worked for me: In your my.ny.gov account, go to Labor Services > Unemployment Services > Payment History. The key thing is to make sure you set the date range to cover your entire claim period (there's usually a dropdown at the top). Look for the "Date Paid" column - that's the actual date the payment was issued, which is what you need for taxes. Don't use the "Claim Week Ending" date since that's just the period you're claiming for. If you're still confused, cross-reference it with your bank statements - look for deposits from "NYS DEPT OF LABOR" and the dates should match up within a day or two. Hope this helps!