One important thing - if you receive any severance pay, that might affect when your benefits start. Severance is considered wages in NY so it could delay your eligibility. Make sure to report any severance when you file your initial claim so there are no issues later.

I went through this exact situation last year. File your claim the Monday after your last day of work - don't wait any longer than that! The NYS DOL website lets you file 24/7 online which is way easier than calling. You'll need your employer's full business name and address, your employment dates, and your Social Security number. The one-week waiting period means you won't get paid for your first week of benefits, but you still need to certify for it. Also keep records of everything - save confirmation numbers and print out your claim summary. Good luck with everything!

Most people don't qualify for SUB anyway so don't stress about it too much

I understand the frustration with navigating all these different programs! To add some clarity - SUB plans are governed by specific IRS and Department of Labor regulations, so they're pretty structured when they exist. The key thing to remember is that SUB benefits must be reported to NYS DOL when you certify for your weekly benefits, since they count as income. If your employer does have a SUB plan, they're required to provide you with documentation about it. You might also want to check if your state has any other supplemental programs - some states offer additional weeks of benefits or emergency extensions during high unemployment periods, though these would come through the regular unemployment system, not from employers.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and it's such a relief to find this thread! Filed my unemployment claim about 10 days ago and it's been stuck on "pending" status with absolutely no option to certify for weekly benefits. Like so many others here, the representative who helped me file made it sound like I could start claiming immediately, but clearly that's not how it actually works. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I was honestly starting to panic thinking I had done something wrong with my application or that it somehow got lost in their system. It's really frustrating how NYSDOL doesn't explain upfront that new claims typically take 2-3 weeks to process. They should definitely be more transparent about this waiting period instead of leaving people in the dark wondering what's happening. I've been calling multiple times every day but keep hitting that automated wall about high call volumes. Based on all the advice here, I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8 AM tomorrow when their lines first open. I also had no idea about the message inbox feature - going to check that immediately! It's such a relief to know that once our claims are approved, we'll be able to backdate for all the weeks we're missing during this pending period. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this stressful process. Hopefully we'll all start seeing movement on our claims soon!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue and finding this thread has been such a huge relief! Filed my claim about 8 days ago and have been checking the website obsessively hoping to see some change from that "pending" status. Like everyone else, I was told during my phone interview that I could start certifying right away, but there's literally no option anywhere on the site. Reading all these responses has really eased my anxiety - I was starting to think I had messed up my application somehow or that it got lost in their system. It's so frustrating how NYSDOL doesn't explain upfront that this 2-3 week waiting period is completely normal for new claims. They really need to be more transparent about the process instead of leaving people wondering what's wrong. I've been calling daily but can't get past that automated message about high call volumes. Definitely going to try the 8 AM strategy that everyone's recommending here. Also had no idea about the message inbox feature - going to check that right now! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. It's such a relief to know we'll be able to backdate for all these weeks once our claims are approved. Hoping we all start seeing movement soon!

One more thing to check - make sure your employer has your correct Social Security number on file. Sometimes wage reporting issues are just because of mismatched SSNs rather than non-payment of taxes. You can verify this by looking at your most recent pay stub.

I went through something similar with a small business that wasn't properly reporting wages. One thing that helped me was calling the NYS Department of Labor's employer services line directly to report the issue. They can put a hold on your case while they investigate, which at least prevents it from being automatically denied. Also, keep all your pay stubs and any documentation showing you worked there - you'll need proof of employment and wages earned. The process took about 6 weeks in my case, but I eventually got my benefits backdated once they sorted out the employer compliance issue.

hang in there - the first payment always feels like it takes forever but once you're in the system it's usually pretty reliable. just make sure you're doing everything they ask for job searches and weekly certs

I went through this same anxiety when I filed last year. The waiting period is definitely stressful, but 2-3 weeks is pretty standard for NYS. One thing that helped me was calling the automated phone line (1-888-209-8124) to check my claim status - sometimes it shows more detail than the website. Also, make sure you have your direct deposit info set up correctly in your account because that can add extra time if there are any issues with your banking information. The good news is that once it's approved, you'll get back pay for all the eligible weeks you've been waiting.