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!

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!

I was in the exact same situation last year after getting laid off from my data entry job. Applied for Medicaid while collecting unemployment and got approved within 3 weeks. The key thing that helped me was gathering all my documentation beforehand - unemployment benefit determination letter, recent payment history from my.ny.gov, and bank statements showing my benefit deposits. Also want to mention that if you have any ongoing prescriptions or medical appointments coming up, mention the urgency when you apply - they can sometimes expedite cases for people with immediate medical needs. The $420 weekly you're getting should definitely qualify you, so don't stress too much about the income part.

Yes, that's exactly right! The unemployment benefit determination letter is the same as your initial eligibility notice that shows you were approved for benefits and lists your weekly benefit amount. That document is perfect for the Medicaid application because it officially shows your UI income. You can also print out your recent payment history from the Department of Labor website if you want extra documentation, but the determination letter should be sufficient. Make sure it's the most recent one if you've had any changes to your benefit amount. Good luck with your application!

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!