I had this exact same issue about 6 weeks ago! Completely forgot to certify on Sunday because I was helping my sister move. I was freaking out thinking I'd lost that week's benefits but when I logged in the following Sunday, there was a clear option to "Certify for Previous Weeks" right on the main page. Just answered all the usual questions for both weeks and got paid for both - though like others mentioned, the payments came a few days apart. The missed week payment took about 4-5 days vs the usual 2-3. NY's system is actually pretty understanding about occasional missed certifications as long as you don't make it a habit. You should be all set when you certify this Sunday!

Don't worry Andre, this happens to more people than you'd think! I missed certification once when my phone died during a camping trip and I completely forgot until Monday morning. The NY system actually handles this pretty well - when you log in this Sunday, you should see an option to certify for previous weeks right after you complete your current week's certification. Just answer the questions normally for both weeks. You'll get both payments but the missed week will take an extra day or two to process. I got mine about 4 days later instead of the usual 2-3. For what it's worth, I also set up multiple phone reminders now - Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon just to be safe. The stress of thinking you lost a week's benefits is not worth it! You should be totally fine to get caught up this weekend.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now - just got the zero effective days message yesterday but my benefit year doesn't end until November 2025. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful in understanding the difference between effective days and benefit year. I think I'm going to follow the advice about continuing to certify weekly, especially after seeing people's experiences about how it keeps you accountable for job searching and positions you better if any extensions do happen. I'm also going to look into those other assistance programs mentioned - I've been hesitant to apply for things like SNAP but my unemployment savings are getting pretty thin. Has anyone had experience with the job training programs through NYSDOL that were mentioned? I'm in retail management but thinking I might need to pivot to a different field given how my industry has been struggling.

I'm dealing with this same issue right now - my effective days just hit zero last week but my benefit year runs until January 2026. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to keep certifying weekly for at least the next couple months. The way I see it, even if there's only a 10% chance of extensions being passed, the few minutes each week is worth the potential backpay. Plus several people mentioned how it helps keep you disciplined with job searching, which I definitely need right now. I'm also going to look into applying for SNAP and HEAP - I've been putting it off but hearing how straightforward the process was for others makes me feel more confident about it. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who went through this recently. It's really helpful to get practical advice from people who actually dealt with this situation rather than just guessing what might happen.

same here wondering about the money amounts. my job is cutting hours so might need to file soon

@Caleb Stark - Your calculation sounds about right! With $11,500 in your highest quarter, you'd get around $442 per week ($11,500 ÷ 26 = $442.31). Just make sure you have all your wage records ready when you file - sometimes employers don't report everything correctly to the state. Also, remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld or set some aside for tax season. The good news is that $442/week for up to 26 weeks could definitely help cover basic expenses while job hunting.

I'm going through something similar right now and it's so overwhelming. One thing my therapist mentioned is that New York recognizes "constructive discharge" - basically when working conditions become so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit. If your workplace is genuinely toxic and making your depression worse, that could strengthen your case. Document everything - keep a journal of incidents, save any emails or messages that show the toxic environment, and get your therapist to specifically note how your workplace is impacting your mental health. The NYS Department of Labor looks at the whole picture, not just the medical condition itself. Also consider reaching out to a mental health advocacy organization - they sometimes have resources or can point you toward legal aid that specializes in these cases.

I work in HR and have dealt with several cases like this. For constructive discharge claims, the NYS Department of Labor will look for a pattern of behavior that would make any reasonable person quit - not just isolated incidents. Start documenting everything now, but also try to reconstruct past events with as much detail as possible (dates, witnesses, what was said/done). Keep copies of any written communications. The Mental Health Association of New York State (mhanys.org) has resources and might be able to connect you with local advocacy groups. Also, the New York State Bar Association has a lawyer referral service that can help you find attorneys who specialize in employment law and mental health discrimination. Having legal advice before you quit could be really valuable since unemployment benefits aren't guaranteed even with good documentation.

This exact same thing just happened to me this morning! I was so confused because like you, I'm nowhere near exhausting my benefits - should have about 16 weeks left. The timing with everyone getting this message today definitely makes it seem like a system issue rather than individual account problems. I've been reading through all the responses here and it sounds like there are a few possibilities: 1. System glitch from the maintenance updates happening today (really hoping this is it!) 2. Some kind of employer wage verification issue that triggered an automatic hold 3. Random account review that pauses benefits without warning I'm planning to try certifying again first thing tomorrow morning. If it's still not working by Wednesday, I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service people mentioned since calling NYSDOL directly seems nearly impossible. Thanks for posting this - it's oddly comforting to know so many of us are dealing with the exact same issue today. Hopefully we'll all be back to normal certification tomorrow! Keep us posted on what happens when you try again.

I'm seeing this issue too and came here looking for answers! Got the exact same "You have been paid all benefits due you on this claim" message when I tried to certify this morning. I still have 12 weeks left on my claim and haven't had any issues until today. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - the fact that so many people are reporting this identical message TODAY specifically makes me think it's definitely the system maintenance issue that @Leslie Parker mentioned rather than individual account problems. I'm going to follow the advice here and try certifying again tomorrow morning. If it's still not working by Wednesday, I'll look into using that Claimyr service since calling NYSDOL directly seems like a nightmare based on everyone's experiences. Thanks for posting this @Sara Unger - you probably saved a lot of people from panicking unnecessarily! I'll update tomorrow on whether the issue resolves itself.