I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with two kids as well. You absolutely can and should apply for both! Don't wait - the processing times can be weeks for both programs. For TANF cash assistance, you'll need to go to your local Department of Social Services office with documents like proof of income loss, rent/utility bills, and ID for you and the kids. They'll do an interview and calculate your benefits based on your household size and any other income including unemployment. The unemployment office doesn't need to know about TANF, but social services needs to know about your UI benefits. Also look into SNAP (food stamps) and emergency rental assistance programs - there are resources specifically for people in your situation. Hang in there, it gets better!

I'm going through something similar right now and wanted to share what I learned from my caseworker. When you apply for TANF, bring documentation of your job loss (like a layoff notice or termination letter) along with your unemployment claim confirmation. This helps speed up the process since they can see you're actively seeking benefits from both programs legitimately. Also, some local DSS offices have emergency food pantries or vouchers available while you're waiting for SNAP approval - definitely ask about those resources too since grocery money can be tight while waiting for everything to process. The whole system feels overwhelming at first but having both safety nets really does help when you have kids depending on you.

I just went through this exact same confusion when I started my unemployment claim! I spent way too much time searching through every document and email from NYS DOL thinking there was some special number I was missing. After calling around and doing research, I found out that most of the time when employers ask for an "unemployment insurance number," they're actually just looking for your Social Security number for their payroll records. The terminology is really misleading! If you want to double-check, you can also look in your my.ny.gov account under the weekly claims section where your claim reference number is displayed, but honestly 90% of the time they just want your SSN. I'd recommend calling your employer directly to clarify exactly what format they need - it'll save you hours of unnecessary searching and stress!

I'm currently going through this exact same issue and it's driving me crazy! I've been searching everywhere in my my.ny.gov account for the past few hours thinking I missed some important document or email. After reading through all these responses, it's such a relief to know that this terminology confusion is incredibly common and I'm not just being dense about the whole process. The "unemployment insurance number" really does sound like it should be some official identifier that NYS DOL assigns to you! Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to call my employer first thing tomorrow morning to ask them exactly what they're looking for - whether it's just my SSN, my claim number, or something else entirely. This thread has been a lifesaver and will probably save me from wasting my entire weekend searching for something that likely doesn't exist as a separate number. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

Great advice from everyone here! Just to add one more tip for finding your UI number - if you're having trouble locating it in your online account, it's also printed on any correspondence you receive from NYS Department of Labor, including your monetary determination letter and any notices about your claim. I always keep a screenshot of mine saved on my phone since you need it so frequently when dealing with unemployment stuff. Also seconding what Noah said about keeping it secure - treat it like you would any other important account number.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you ever need to reference your UI number over the phone with NYS Department of Labor, they might ask you to spell it out digit by digit for verification purposes. I learned this the hard way when the representative couldn't understand me clearly and I had to repeat it multiple times. Also, some automated phone systems will ask you to enter your UI number using your keypad, so it's helpful to have it written down rather than trying to read it off your phone screen while navigating the phone menu. The whole unemployment system can be overwhelming when you're new to it, but once you get familiar with these basic terms like UI number, weekly certification, and benefit year, it becomes much easier to navigate.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's absolutely maddening! I just went through this exact nightmare about a month ago and I completely understand your frustration. The NY unemployment phone system is completely broken right now and it honestly feels intentional. After reading through all these comments, I'd definitely recommend trying multiple approaches at once: 1. Contact your state assemblyperson ASAP - so many people here got callbacks within 2-3 days after weeks of trying on their own. Just google "find my NY assemblyperson" with your zip code. 2. Try calling right at 7:58am before they officially open - seems to help you get in the queue before it fills up completely. 3. Try calling their technical support or disability lines and ask for transfers to unemployment - some people had better luck with those numbers. The claimyr service that everyone keeps mentioning also sounds legitimate based on all these independent success stories. I was skeptical at first but seeing so many people vouch for it throughout this thread is pretty convincing. Don't give up! Everyone says the actual verification call takes like 5 minutes once you get through to a real person - it's just this broken phone system that's the nightmare. You've already put in weeks of effort, you're so close to getting this resolved. This community has your back! 🤞💪

I'm dealing with this EXACT same nightmare right now and I feel your pain! Been trying to get through for almost 3 weeks and it's driving me absolutely insane. The system is completely broken and it honestly feels like they designed it this way on purpose to make us give up. After reading through all these comments though, I'm feeling way more hopeful! I had no idea you could contact your state assemblyperson for unemployment issues - that's brilliant and I'm definitely trying that tomorrow morning. The fact that multiple people got callbacks within 2-3 days after weeks of trying on their own is amazing. Also going to try that 7:58am calling strategy since so many people swear by it. Makes total sense to get in the queue before it completely fills up. The claimyr service everyone keeps mentioning is really intriguing too. I'm usually super skeptical of third-party services but seeing so many independent success stories throughout this thread is pretty convincing. The fact that they're just automating the hold process rather than claiming special connections makes it seem legit. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole strategy guide just to access benefits we've literally paid into our entire working lives, but at least this community has figured out some actual solutions! Don't give up - from what everyone's saying, once you get through to a real person the verification takes like 5 minutes. We just have to crack this broken system first. Sending you all the good vibes! Let us know what works - we're all rooting for you! 🤞💪

The whole system is so confusing! Why can't they just give you a simple estimate when you start the application process? I spent hours trying to calculate mine and still wasn't sure until I actually got approved.

I've been through this process recently and want to add that you should also check if you qualify for the alternative base period if your regular base period doesn't meet the requirements. This uses the most recent four quarters instead of the first four of the last five. Also, keep in mind that the 50% calculation has a minimum weekly benefit of $104, so even if your calculation comes out lower, you'd still get at least that amount. The my.ny.gov site does have a worksheet you can download under the "Unemployment Insurance" section that walks through the math step by step - it's buried in there but helps a lot once you find it.