UGH don't even get me started on the unemployment system. I swear they approve claims they shouldn't just to avoid doing the work to investigate properly. Had an employee quit without notice, claim they were "constructively dismissed" and somehow got approved for benefits. Cost me thousands in increased premiums.

Another cost to factor in is that NYS also charges employers for disability benefits (DBL) and paid family leave (PFL) on top of unemployment insurance. For 2025, DBL is 0.5% on wages up to $142.80 per year per employee, and PFL is about 0.511% capped around $385 annually per employee. So your total payroll tax burden for these programs combined will be higher than just the UI rate. Make sure you're budgeting for all three when calculating your labor costs!

ugh the waiting is the worst part!! my claim has been pending for 6 days now and im checking my account like every hour. why cant they just approve it faster when its obvious the employer isnt gonna respond

Just wanted to add that you can actually track some of this process through the my.ny.gov portal. When I filed last month, I could see when the separation notice was sent to my employer and roughly when the 10-day period would expire. The status changed from "pending employer response" to "claim approved" exactly 10 days after they sent the notice to my former company. NYS Department of Labor is pretty good about sticking to their timelines, so try not to stress too much about uncooperative employers - the system works even when they don't participate.

ugh the whole system is so slow!! i had child support taken out but it took like 6 weeks and then they messed up the amount for 2 weeks. just be prepared for delays and mistakes

The automatic deduction is definitely the way to go. Before unemployment, I was always behind on payments and dealing with enforcement. Now it comes out before I even see it, which actually makes budgeting easier even though the unemployment amount is less than my regular salary was.

My husband went thru something similar. He tried calling for days with no luck. Finally used Claimyr.com after seeing it recommended here, and they got him connected to a rep who fixed everything in 10 minutes. The rep told him the system sometimes automatically closes certifications when you're close to your maximum benefit amount even if you have a few dollars left. Worth checking out if you're struggling to get through on the phones.

This exact thing happened to me back in September! The effective days counter is basically meaningless - what really matters is your maximum benefit amount (usually 26 x your weekly benefit rate). Once you hit that dollar limit, you're done certifying even if the system shows days remaining. It's super confusing because they display both numbers but don't explain which one actually controls your eligibility. I'd definitely call to confirm, but 99% chance you've just exhausted your monetary benefits. The good news is you can file a new claim once your benefit year ends in February if you've worked enough since your original claim. Hang in there!

I missed one week of certifying because I was in the hospital. Anyone know if I can still claim that week somehow? The website won't let me backdate.

I'm in a similar boat - been on unemployment since March and really worried about what happens when the $300 ends. Reading through all these comments is both helpful and terrifying! Sounds like the regular benefits should continue but I'm definitely going to check my benefit year and remaining weeks ASAP. Also bookmarking that claimyr service since it seems like half the people here have had success with it when the regular phone lines fail. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has been way more helpful than the actual DOL website! 🙏