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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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This exact thing happened to me about 3 months ago! I was so stressed thinking I'd lost that week's payment but it turned out fine. When you log in this Sunday to certify, look for an option that says something like "claim for previous weeks" - it should be pretty obvious either on the main page or right after you finish your regular certification. You'll get both payments but the missed week will be delayed by a few extra days (took about 4-5 days for me vs the usual 2-3). One missed certification in 4 months definitely won't hurt your claim status, but I'd recommend setting multiple phone reminders now - I do Saturday night and Sunday morning alarms to make sure I never go through that panic again! Also great idea to call your electric company about payment arrangements while you wait for the funds to come through.
Nathaniel, thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's such a relief to hear from so many people who've gone through this exact same situation. I was really beating myself up about forgetting, but between my kid's soccer tournament and everything else that weekend, it just completely slipped my mind. I'm definitely going to set up those Saturday night and Sunday morning alarms as soon as I finish reading all these responses - the stress of thinking I lost a week's benefits is just not worth risking again! I'm also planning to call ConEd today about payment arrangements to buy myself some time. Really appreciate everyone here taking the time to reassure me and share practical advice. This community has been so helpful!
Hey Andre! I can totally relate to this panic - missed my certification once when my phone broke and I forgot to use my laptop. The good news is you're definitely not out of luck! NY unemployment actually handles this pretty well for occasional missed weeks. When you log in this Sunday, there should be a clear option to "Certify for Previous Weeks" either on the main dashboard or right after you complete your regular certification. Just answer the questions normally for both weeks and you'll get paid for both - though the missed week will take about 4-5 days instead of the usual 2-3 days. Since you've been consistent for 4 months, one missed week won't hurt your claim at all. Going forward, I'd set up multiple phone reminders - maybe Saturday evening and Sunday morning - because the stress of thinking you lost benefits is just awful! Also definitely call ConEd about payment arrangements if you need to buy some time until your payments come through. Most utilities have hardship programs for people on unemployment. You should be completely fine to get caught up this weekend!
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The whole system is confusing as hell. Why can't they just make it simple - you lose your job, you apply, you get benefits. Instead we have to figure out reopening vs new claims, benefit years, wage reporting... it's like they WANT to make it complicated so people give up
I totally get the frustration! I went through the same confusion when I had to reopen my claim last year. What helped me was writing down all my key dates and wage info before starting the process. The NYS Department of Labor website does have a decent FAQ section that explains the difference between reopening and filing new, but you have to dig for it. Hang in there - once you get through the initial setup, the weekly certifications are pretty straightforward.
Just wanted to add that when you reopen your claim, make sure you have all your employment documentation from that November job ready - pay stubs, W-2, termination letter, etc. NYS Department of Labor may ask for verification of your work history and earnings. Also, if your November job was in a different industry or paid significantly more/less than your original job, it could affect your weekly benefit calculation. The system will use wages from your highest earning quarter during the base period, so depending on when you worked that November job, it might actually increase your benefits. Good luck with the reopening process!
This is really helpful info about the documentation! I hadn't thought about how my November job might actually increase my benefits since it was a higher-paying position than my retail job. Do you know if there's a way to estimate what my new weekly benefit amount might be before I officially reopen the claim? I want to make sure I understand what to expect.
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I had this exact same issue a few months ago! What worked for me was going to a local Career Center - they have staff who can help unlock your account on the spot. You can find locations at labor.ny.gov/career-center-locator. Bring photo ID and your SSN. They were able to unlock mine in about 10 minutes and helped me reset everything. Way faster than trying to get through on the phone!
This is such a helpful tip! I had no idea the Career Centers could help with account issues. There's one about 20 minutes from me so I'll definitely try this tomorrow morning. Thanks for sharing the direct website link too - way better than spending hours on hold.
I went through this same nightmare last month and it was incredibly stressful. What finally worked for me was a combination of clearing all my browser data (cookies, cache, everything) and then using the full account recovery process on my.ny.gov - not just the password reset. The key thing I learned is that you have to answer the security questions EXACTLY as you originally entered them, including any weird capitalization or spacing. If you used abbreviations like "St" instead of "Street" in your address, you need to use the same format. It took me three tries but I eventually got back in. Don't give up - the system is finicky but it does work eventually!
This is really detailed advice, thank you! The part about matching the exact formatting from when you originally set up the account is something I never would have thought of. I probably did abbreviate things when I first registered. Going to try this approach along with clearing my browser data completely before attempting the recovery again.
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I'm dealing with a similar situation at my company right now - they just announced a 25% pay cut for everyone in our department. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful, especially knowing that NYS Department of Labor does recognize substantial pay cuts as good cause for quitting. I've been with my company for 3 years and this would drop my salary from $48,000 to $36,000, which would make it impossible for me to cover my rent and basic expenses. I'm planning to start documenting everything immediately like you all suggested - the original announcement, my current pay stubs, and any follow-up communications. It's scary to think about quitting, but it sounds like there's a real path forward with unemployment benefits if I handle it properly. Thanks for sharing all your experiences and advice - it's making me feel less alone in this difficult situation.
I'm so sorry you're going through this too! It's really tough when companies put employees in these impossible positions. Your salary drop from $48k to $36k is definitely substantial enough to qualify under the 20%+ rule that others have mentioned. I'd also suggest keeping track of any meetings or conversations about the pay cut, not just written communications - even notes about verbal discussions can be helpful evidence. One thing I'm wondering about for all of us in this situation is whether we should try to negotiate with our employers first (like asking for reduced hours instead of reduced pay) before quitting, or if that might actually hurt our unemployment claims? It sounds like having a clear paper trail showing the company gave us an ultimatum is important for proving we had no reasonable alternative.
I'm a labor law attorney and wanted to add some legal perspective to this discussion. You're all on the right track - New York does recognize "constructive discharge" when employers make substantial unilateral changes to employment terms. A 30% pay cut definitely qualifies as substantial under NYS case law. However, there are some important timing considerations: 1) Don't accept even one paycheck at the reduced rate if possible, as this could be seen as accepting the new terms, 2) File your unemployment claim within the same week you quit, and 3) Be prepared for the employer to contest your claim - they often do in these situations. Also keep in mind that unemployment benefits in NY are typically 50% of your average weekly wage (up to the maximum), so plan your finances accordingly. Document everything, including any verbal communications, and consider sending a formal resignation letter clearly stating you're resigning due to the substantial reduction in compensation. This creates a clear record of your reasoning.
This is incredibly valuable legal insight - thank you so much for weighing in! The point about not accepting even one paycheck at the reduced rate is really important and something I hadn't considered. If my employer implements the pay cut next month, I should resign before that first reduced paycheck rather than working at the lower rate and then quitting later, correct? Also, when you mention that employers often contest these claims, what does that process typically look like from the employee's perspective? Should I expect to have to provide testimony or attend any kind of hearing? I want to be as prepared as possible since this is already such a stressful situation.
Lourdes Fox
The whole tax system is rigged anyway. They give you unemployment when you're desperate then want it all back in taxes. Makes no sense to me.
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Selena Bautista
•I get the frustration but unemployment has always been taxable income. At least NYS doesn't tax unemployment benefits at the state level, so you only owe federal taxes on it.
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Cynthia Love
For anyone still looking for their 1099-G, you can also call the NYS Tax Department at 518-457-5181 - they can help you get a duplicate copy if the online system isn't working. Also, if you're worried about owing taxes because you didn't have anything withheld, you might want to look into making quarterly estimated payments for this year if you expect to receive unemployment again. That way you won't get hit with a big tax bill next year. And remember, even though unemployment is taxable, you may still qualify for other tax credits that could help offset what you owe.
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Keisha Johnson
•This is really comprehensive advice, thanks! The quarterly payment tip is especially helpful - I never thought about that for next year. Quick question though - do you know if there's a minimum amount of unemployment income that triggers the tax obligation, or is any amount taxable no matter how small?
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