why do u even wait so late yo? just do it early and avoid the stress

You're totally fine! I've been on unemployment for about 8 months now and I can tell you the cutoff is definitely midnight Sunday, not some arbitrary time like 5pm. I've certified as late as 11:45pm before and still got my Tuesday deposit right on schedule. The system processes all Sunday certifications together in one big batch overnight, so whether you do it at 8am or 11pm makes no difference. Your bills will be covered - you'll see that deposit Tuesday morning as usual! 💪

performance issues vs misconduct is a big difference though. if someone's just not good at their job that's not their fault really, they should get unemployment. if they're stealing or showing up drunk that's different

As someone who went through this recently, I can confirm what others are saying - you don't pay unemployment benefits directly to the employee. The NYS Department of Labor handles all payments from the trust fund that employers like you contribute to through payroll taxes. For performance issues (not misconduct), the employee will likely qualify for benefits, but this doesn't mean extra costs upfront for you. Your future UI tax rate could be affected if you have multiple claims, but that's calculated annually based on your overall claims history. Document everything well for your records, but performance terminations rarely disqualify someone from receiving benefits in NY.

I wanted to follow up about the Career Services program someone mentioned. It's actually called the Re-Employment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program. You might receive an invitation to participate, and if you do, it's mandatory. But regardless, you can access free career counseling, resume help, and job search assistance through your local NY Career Center even after your benefits end. These services aren't tied to your unemployment benefits and are available to all NY residents. And to answer your original question - no, you don't need to formally close your claim. The system automatically processes it as exhausted once you reach the maximum benefit amount or weeks.

Just went through this exact situation last month! After my 26 weeks ended, I kept checking my account daily even though I wasn't certifying anymore. About 2 weeks later, I got both an email and a letter with information about next steps. The letter included info about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program which provides funding for job training - definitely worth looking into if you're considering learning new skills. Also, make sure to download all your payment history and tax documents from your account before the end of the tax year, as you'll need the 1099-G for filing. One thing I wish I had known earlier - if you're collecting any other benefits like SNAP, make sure to report the end of your unemployment benefits to those agencies within 10 days. The change in income could affect your eligibility or benefit amounts.

I had this exact same problem when I first applied! The NYS DOL system really doesn't make it obvious where to find your claim number. Here's what finally worked for me: I called the automated line at 1-888-209-8124 and was able to get my claim number without having to wait on hold for a live agent. You just need your SSN and some basic info from your application. If that doesn't work for some reason, try logging into my.ny.gov and look under "View Benefit Payment History" - even if you haven't received any payments yet, your claim number should be displayed at the top of that page. And don't stress too much about the weekly filing - you can absolutely file using just your SSN and PIN if you still can't locate the claim number. The system will find your claim automatically. Hope this helps!

I just went through this exact same thing last week and it was so stressful! After reading through all these helpful suggestions, I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me. If you're still having trouble after trying the automated phone line and checking the "View Benefit Payment History" section, try clearing your browser cache and cookies before logging into my.ny.gov again. Sometimes the system gets glitchy and a fresh login session can make information appear that wasn't showing before. I also discovered that if you have any correspondence from NYS DOL in your my.ny.gov inbox (even if it's just application confirmations), your claim number is sometimes embedded in those messages even if it's not obvious. Don't give up - there are definitely multiple ways to find it, and worst case you can always file your weekly claims with just your SSN like others mentioned!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! It's so frustrating - been trying to get my waiting week credit for over 2 weeks and the system won't let me certify until I get it approved. I've tried calling every morning starting at 7:55am and throughout the day but just get that automated message saying to call back later. From reading all these responses, it sounds like contacting your state assembly member or senator might be the most reliable solution. Several people mentioned getting results within a few days that way, which is way better than the weeks of phone tag we're dealing with. I'm also seriously considering trying that Claimyr service that keeps getting mentioned. I hate that we have to pay a third party just to access benefits we're entitled to, but at this point I'm running out of options and patience. My savings are almost gone too. Thanks for posting this - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this nightmare! The NY unemployment system really needs to be fixed. It shouldn't be this hard to get help when you're already struggling financially.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare with the waiting week credit! Been calling for over 2 weeks now and can't get through to a single human being. The system won't let me certify online either - just keeps giving me that error about needing to request waiting week credit first. After reading through all these comments, I'm definitely going to try calling my assembly member tomorrow. So many people have had success that way and gotten their issues resolved in just a few days. That sounds way better than this endless phone tag with the unemployment office. I'm also bookmarking that Claimyr service as a backup plan. I hate that we might have to pay a third party just to access benefits we're legally entitled to, but honestly at this point I'm willing to try anything. My rent is due soon too and I can't keep burning through my savings like this. Thanks for posting this thread - it's oddly comforting to know I'm not the only one dealing with this broken system. The fact that so many of us are having the exact same problem shows how messed up NY unemployment really is right now. Hang in there everyone!