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I'm going through the same thing right now! It's so stressful trying to explain why I haven't worked in 6 months. Did anyone ask you specific questions about your job search activities? I'm worried they'll want to know exactly what I was doing every week.
I went through this exact situation after being laid off from a tech company. What worked for me was creating a narrative around "strategic career planning" - I explained that after the unexpected layoff, I took time to reassess my career goals and target companies that aligned with my values. I also kept a portfolio of the networking events I attended, informational interviews I conducted, and any freelance or volunteer work I did. When employers see you were intentional about your search rather than just desperate for any job, it actually becomes a positive. The 8-month timeline isn't unusual at all in today's market, especially for professional roles.
File now! I made the mistake of thinking I had to wait until my final paycheck cleared or something. Turns out that doesn't matter at all for filing your initial claim.
Just to add to what everyone else is saying - definitely file today! I went through this process last year and the key thing to remember is that you can't backdate your claim in NY, so every day you wait is potentially a day of benefits you're missing out on. The online application on the NYS DOL website is pretty straightforward and takes about 30-45 minutes. Make sure you have your Social Security card, ID, and details about your employment history for the past 18 months ready. Also, even though you were terminated due to budget cuts (which sounds like it should qualify you), be prepared that they might still need to verify the circumstances with your employer, which can add some processing time. Good luck!
Just respond honestly and quickly to whatever they send you. The worst thing you can do is ignore it or miss deadlines. I've seen people lose benefits just because they didn't respond to fact finding requests on time, even when they had valid claims.
I went through this exact same thing a few months ago - got the fact finding notice after being on benefits for about 2 months. Turned out my former employer had finally submitted their response to NYS Department of Labor (they're supposed to do it within 10 days but many take their sweet time). The fact finding interview was actually pretty straightforward - they just wanted to confirm the details of my layoff and make sure my employer's version matched mine. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks, and my benefits continued during the investigation. Just make sure you respond to any requests promptly and keep all your documentation handy. You've got this!
UPDATE: Great news! My friend just called me - all the backpay hit his account this morning! It took exactly 4 days after he got the letter. Everything was included from his application date (minus the waiting week like someone mentioned). Thanks again for all the help and reassurance!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm currently in week 5 of waiting after applying in July and haven't received any payments yet. Reading about everyone's experiences gives me hope that the backpay will eventually come through. I've been certifying every week and my payment history shows all weeks as "certified" so it sounds like I'm doing everything right. Just need to keep being patient I guess! Thanks for sharing your friend's story and especially for coming back with the update - it really helps to know the timeline once approval happens.
Yara Khoury
Just a heads up - if you received a large amount in unemployment benefits and didn't have taxes withheld, you might want to consider making estimated tax payments for 2025 if you're still receiving benefits. The IRS can charge penalties if you owe too much at filing time.
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GalacticGuru
I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I learned from my tax preparer. If you didn't have taxes withheld, you'll likely need to pay quarterly estimated taxes going forward to avoid underpayment penalties. The safe harbor rule is to pay at least 90% of this year's tax liability or 100% of last year's (110% if your AGI was over $150K). Also, don't forget that unemployment benefits might push you into a higher tax bracket, so the effective rate could be more than the 22% someone mentioned earlier. I ended up owing about $2,400 on $10,000 in benefits between federal and NY state taxes.
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