I'm dealing with something similar right now. Just turned 60 and got laid off after 25 years at my company. My pension is $1,650/month and I'm still waiting to hear back from NYS DOL about my claim status. From what I've researched, there might be some differences in how they treat pensions if you were involuntarily separated (like a layoff) versus voluntary retirement. Also, I've heard that if your pension is from a different employer than where you were laid off from, the rules might be different. Has anyone had experience with that scenario? It's so confusing trying to navigate all these regulations when you're already stressed about finding new work at our age.

I'm in a very similar boat - 55 years old, laid off after 18 years, and getting a pension of about $1,400/month. What I learned from my experience is that you definitely need to report the pension upfront when filing your claim, but there are some nuances that might help your situation. First, make sure to clarify with NYS DOL whether your pension is considered "employer-contributory" - if you contributed your own money to it through payroll deductions, that portion might not count against your benefits. Second, if you're actively looking for work (which it sounds like you are), emphasize that you're available and able to work - this isn't a retirement situation. I'd also recommend documenting everything about your layoff and pension details before calling them, because you'll likely need to provide specific information about how the pension is funded and calculated. The system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up - there might be more options than the initial determination suggests.

Wait I'm confused about the calculation. Is it based on your last job's wages or all your jobs? I had two part-time jobs before getting laid off and I don't know which wages they use for the NYS Department of Labor calculation.

I went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off from my electrical work making around $1900/week. Like others said, you'll probably hit the max benefit of $504/week which is rough when you're used to much higher income. The important thing is to file immediately - don't wait! I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking I might get called back, and you can't backdate benefits before your filing date. Also make sure you have all your pay stubs ready because NYS Department of Labor will ask for documentation. The whole process takes a few weeks to get your first payment, so the sooner you start the better. Good luck man, I know it's stressful but it does help bridge the gap while you're job hunting.

I just went through this exact same frustrating experience yesterday! The email instructions are completely useless now - that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button they keep mentioning literally doesn't exist anymore on the redesigned site. Here's what actually works (confirmed working as of today): 1. Log into labor.ny.gov normally 2. Click "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" from the main dashboard menu 3. Scroll down and look for "Claim Weekly Benefits" - it's just a regular text link in the services list, NOT the big prominent button the email describes 4. Make sure you're using Chrome or Firefox (had issues with Edge) The key thing is completely ignoring those outdated email instructions. They're describing a website interface that hasn't existed for months! I wasted almost an hour clicking around looking for that mythical button before finding this buried text link. It's honestly ridiculous that NY DOL can redesign their entire website but can't be bothered to update the email templates that hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers depend on every single week. This is causing so much unnecessary stress for people already dealing with unemployment challenges. Hope this saves you the frustration I went through! Once you know where to actually look, the certification process works fine - it's just finding the right entry point that's the problem thanks to their misleading instructions.

I'm experiencing the exact same frustrating issue! Just tried to certify this morning and spent over 30 minutes looking for that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button mentioned in the email - it's nowhere to be found on the actual website. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though. I just tried the solution that everyone's recommending: 1. Log into labor.ny.gov 2. Click "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" from the main dashboard 3. Scroll down and look for "Claim Weekly Benefits" - it appears as a plain text link buried in the services list, NOT the big prominent button described in the emails 4. Make sure to use Chrome or Firefox for best compatibility It worked perfectly! The link was exactly where everyone said it would be under the Unemployment Services section. The email instructions are completely misleading - they're describing a website interface that clearly doesn't exist anymore. It's honestly mind-boggling that NY DOL can completely redesign their website but can't be bothered to update simple email templates that hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers depend on every single week. This disconnect is causing so much unnecessary stress and confusion for people already dealing with unemployment challenges. This community thread has been infinitely more helpful than any official documentation from NY DOL. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share the actual working steps - you're literally saving fellow New Yorkers hours of frustration and helping people get their benefits when they need them most! 🙏

good luck with your claim! nonprofit work is so important and its ridiculous that anyone would think those workers dont deserve the same benefits

I can confirm this from personal experience! I worked at a nonprofit health clinic for 4 years and when they had budget cuts, I was able to collect unemployment without any issues. The NYS Department of Labor treated it exactly like any other employer. The key thing is that nonprofits with 4+ employees are required to pay unemployment taxes just like for-profit businesses. Your food bank definitely would have been paying into the system. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you earned those benefits!

Just went through this exact same nightmare last month! The Okta verification issue is so common right now. Here's what finally worked after days of trying: 1) Use Safari if you have a Mac (worked better than Chrome/Firefox for me) 2) Turn off any ad blockers or privacy extensions 3) Make sure your cookies are enabled for the NY DOL site 4) Try using your phone's hotspot instead of regular wifi - sometimes the IP routing makes a difference. The most important thing though is to make sure your phone number in your account profile is formatted EXACTLY like this: (555) 123-4567 with parentheses and dash. The system is super picky about that. If you're still stuck after all the browser tricks, honestly the claimyr service others mentioned is worth the $20 if you're desperate - I was skeptical too but it actually works. Don't give up, you'll get through eventually! 🤞

Been struggling with this Okta issue for days too! After reading through all these suggestions, I tried using Microsoft Edge (never thought I'd be recommending Edge lol) with all extensions disabled and it actually worked! Also had to format my phone number as (xxx) xxx-xxxx in my profile - apparently the system is super picky about that format. The key things that seemed to work: 1) Different browser (Edge/Safari/Firefox) 2) Disable ALL extensions and ad blockers 3) Use incognito/private mode 4) Strong wifi or try mobile hotspot 5) Phone number formatted with parentheses and dash 6) Try during off-peak hours (early morning or mid-afternoon). If you're still stuck after trying all the browser tricks, that claimyr service people mentioned is legit - my neighbor used it and got connected to an agent in under an hour. Don't lose hope, the system is just terribly designed but you'll get through eventually! 💪