I've been on NY unemployment since December and this whole thread has been such an eye-opener! I was definitely one of those people setting Sunday alarms and stressing out thinking I had to certify by a specific time or lose my benefits. It's amazing how much unnecessary anxiety we create when we don't have the full picture. I've experienced those Sunday system crashes too - the site would be so slow or completely unresponsive, which just added to the stress. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely switching to Monday morning certifications. The real payment timing details everyone shared are incredibly helpful too. It's frustrating that the official NYSDOL site doesn't clearly explain these flexibility options, but thankfully we have this community to share actual experiences. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's going to help so many people avoid that Sunday certification panic!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I just started collecting NY unemployment two weeks ago and was doing the exact same thing as everyone else - setting multiple Sunday alarms and panicking if I wasn't logged in by 9 AM sharp. I honestly thought Sunday certification was mandatory and that missing it would mean losing a full week of benefits. Reading everyone's experiences about being able to certify any day through Saturday is such a huge relief! I've already dealt with those frustrating Sunday morning system crashes where pages take forever to load or just time out completely. The Monday morning certification strategy sounds perfect - no more weekend stress and better system performance. What I find most valuable is all the real payment timing details everyone shared. Knowing that Monday certification typically means Wednesday payment instead of Tuesday is so much more practical than the vague "2-3 business days" on the official site. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this community is already proving to be way more helpful than trying to navigate the NYSDOL website alone!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately in a very similar situation! I gave my two weeks notice at my restaurant job yesterday and I'm already nervous they might do exactly what happened to all of you - just cut me loose early instead of letting me work through my notice period. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both eye-opening and reassuring. It's incredible how common this practice seems to be across different industries. I had no idea that when employers do this, it's still considered involuntary termination for unemployment purposes since you were willing to work but they made the choice to end it early. If this does happen to me, I'll definitely file with NYS Department of Labor right away and make sure to emphasize that I submitted my resignation with the intention to work my full notice period. It's really frustrating that being professional and giving proper notice can backfire financially, but it's comforting to know there are protections in place. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories - this community is so helpful for navigating these tricky employment situations that seem way more common than I realized!

I'm completely new to this community but found myself in almost exactly the same situation! I gave my two weeks notice at my customer service job on Wednesday and they just told me this morning that they're "releasing me immediately" and don't need me for my remaining shifts. I was honestly panicking thinking I'd screwed myself out of unemployment benefits by resigning first, but reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief. It's amazing (and frustrating) how common this seems to be - you try to do the right thing by giving professional notice and then employers basically punish you for it. But knowing that NYS Department of Labor treats this as involuntary termination since I was willing to work my full notice period but they chose to cut it short is incredibly reassuring. I'm definitely filing my claim first thing Monday morning and will make sure to be very clear about the timeline - that I submitted my resignation with a specific end date but they terminated me before that. Thank you so much to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so comforting to know we're not alone in dealing with these situations and that there are actually protections in place when employers pull these moves!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm collecting unemployment in NY too and had a similar panic moment last week when I thought I missed my certification deadline (turns out I was just confused about the timing). Reading everyone's experiences here really shows how common these concerns are and how helpful this community is. @Keisha Johnson so glad you got it resolved quickly! The consistent advice about calling right at 8am when they open seems to be the real secret sauce. I just enabled the email reminders through NY.gov that multiple people recommended - can't believe I didn't know about that feature! Also setting up the multiple alarm system that @Amina Sy and others mentioned. The certification log idea from @Zara Ahmed is genius too - definitely starting one to track everything. It's incredible how much more useful this real-world advice is compared to trying to navigate the official websites alone. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - you've turned what could be a nightmare situation into a manageable one with clear action steps!

This thread is absolutely incredible! As someone who's been collecting NY unemployment since October 2024, I wish I had found this kind of detailed, real-world advice earlier. I've had a few close calls myself but never actually missed a certification - reading everyone's experiences here makes me realize how lucky I've been! The consistency in everyone's advice is amazing - calling right at 8am, avoiding Mondays, having documentation ready. I just went through my NY.gov account and enabled those email reminders that multiple people mentioned (seriously can't believe I didn't know about this feature!). Also love the certification log idea from @Zara Ahmed - I'm a bit of a worrier so having written proof of everything would definitely give me peace of mind. @Keisha Johnson your original post and quick resolution really shows that while the system can be confusing, there are definitely people willing to help when you need it. This whole thread should be required reading for anyone starting unemployment in NY - the practical tips here are so much more valuable than anything on the official websites. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and made this such a comprehensive resource!

Wait so if I just started a new job in November but got laid off in December, those wages won't count toward my base period? That seems really unfair since that was my highest paying job.

I went through this exact situation last year! The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor uses quarters, not months, for base period calculations. So your September-December 2024 earnings would fall into Q3 and Q4 of 2024, which should definitely be included in your base period if you filed recently. The system automatically calculates both standard and alternate base periods and gives you whichever results in higher benefits - you don't need to request anything special. Just make sure all your employers properly reported your wages to the state, as that's usually where discrepancies come from.

I'm brand new to this community and just filed my unemployment claim three days ago after being unexpectedly laid off from my project management role. Reading through this entire thread has been such a blessing - I went from complete panic about the RESEA appointment to actually feeling prepared and even a little optimistic! The consistent advice about creating a spreadsheet to track job applications is brilliant and I've already started implementing that system. What really stands out to me is how everyone emphasizes that the counselors genuinely want to help rather than just check boxes or catch you doing something wrong. As someone who's never been unemployed before, I was terrified they'd pressure me into taking any random job, but it sounds like they actually provide valuable career guidance tailored to your specific field and goals. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their detailed experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone starting the unemployment process! The support and practical advice here has made such a difference in my mindset.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their RESEA experiences in this thread! I'm completely new to unemployment benefits (just filed my claim two days ago after being laid off from my accounting position) and I was honestly having panic attacks about the RESEA appointment notification I received. Reading through all of these detailed, honest experiences has completely transformed my anxiety into actual preparation and even some optimism! The consistent advice about organizing work search records in a spreadsheet is something I'm implementing immediately, and hearing that the counselors are generally supportive and industry-aware rather than just trying to push any random job has been such a relief. As someone in finance/accounting, I was terrified they'd pressure me into unrelated roles, but it sounds like they actually provide valuable, tailored career guidance. This community is amazing - the peer support here is exactly what people need when navigating this process for the first time. I feel so much more prepared and confident now!