I've been on unemployment for about 3 months now and this thread is SO helpful! I had no clue about the unofficial 7pm cutoff - I've been certifying around 8-9pm most Sundays thinking I was fine since it's way before midnight. Haven't had any major delays yet but now I'm worried I've just been getting lucky. The fact that so many people have confirmed this batch processing issue with actual NYSDOL reps makes it pretty clear this is real, not just rumors. It's honestly ridiculous that they don't clearly communicate this on their website - when you're unemployed every day counts for getting your money on time! I'm definitely switching to a 5pm Sunday certification from now on. Better to be overly cautious than deal with delayed payments when rent is due. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - this is way more valuable than anything on the official site!

This has been such an enlightening thread! I'm about 5 weeks into unemployment and had been certifying anywhere between 8-11 PM on Sundays, thinking the midnight deadline gave me plenty of flexibility. Reading everyone's experiences about the unofficial 7 PM cutoff and batch processing delays is honestly a bit shocking - it's crazy that NYSDOL doesn't make this clear on their website when so many people depend on that Tuesday payment for rent and bills. I haven't experienced any delays yet, but based on all the consistent stories here, I'm definitely not going to risk it anymore. Planning to switch to a 4 PM Sunday certification schedule to give myself plenty of buffer time. It's really frustrating that we have to learn these critical details through community knowledge rather than official guidance, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their real-world experiences here. This kind of practical information is invaluable when you're managing finances on unemployment benefits!

One thing - you still have to meet the job search requirements even for partial unemployment. Keep track of your work search activities because they can ask for your log anytime during certification.

Just went through this exact same situation at my job! The key thing is to file online at labor.ny.gov and when you do your weekly certifications, always report your gross earnings (before taxes). The system will automatically calculate how much partial benefit you get. Also keep all your pay stubs - they sometimes ask for proof of your reduced earnings. The whole process was way easier than I expected once I actually started it. Good luck!

Basically it's insurance against becoming unemployed. Just like car insurance protects you if you crash, unemployment insurance protects your income if you lose your job. The 'insurance' part means it's a program you pay into (through your employer) while working, then can claim benefits from when you need it.

To add to what others have said, here are the key eligibility requirements for NY unemployment insurance: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two calendar quarters during your "base period" (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file), 2) You must have earned at least $2,600 in your highest-earning quarter, 3) Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. Since you worked for 2 years, you should easily meet the work history requirement. The "covered employment" mentioned earlier just means jobs where your employer paid unemployment insurance taxes - which is most regular W-2 jobs. Being laid off definitely counts as losing your job through no fault of your own.

I went through a similar appeal process last year and wanted to share what worked for me. Beyond the HR complaints and documentation that others mentioned, also gather any evidence of how the hostile environment affected your work performance or health - doctor visits, therapy sessions, etc. The NYS Department of Labor examiner in my case was particularly interested in proof that I made reasonable attempts to continue working despite the conditions. Also, when you write your appeal statement, be very specific about dates, incidents, and how each violation created an impossible work situation. The more detailed timeline you can provide, the better your chances. Good luck with your appeal!

I work as a paralegal at an employment law firm and see a lot of these hostile work environment cases. A few additional tips for your appeal: 1) Include any witnesses who can corroborate your complaints - coworkers who saw the behavior or who you confided in at the time. Their statements can be crucial. 2) If you have any text messages, emails, or social media posts from around the time you quit that show your distress about the work situation, include those too. 3) Make sure to emphasize in your appeal letter that you explored other options before quitting (like the HR complaints you filed) and only left as a last resort. The NYS Department of Labor needs to see that a reasonable person in your situation would have felt compelled to quit. The fact that you have HR complaints and their non-responses is actually really strong evidence - it shows you tried to resolve things through proper channels first.

I'm new to the community and just stumbled across this thread while researching unemployment benefits myself. This discussion has been incredibly helpful! I was laid off last month and have been hesitating to file because I genuinely liked my former manager and didn't want to cause financial problems for the company. Reading all these explanations about how the system actually works - especially the insurance analogies and learning about the State Insurance Fund - has really opened my eyes. It's clear that unemployment insurance is set up as a legitimate business expense that employers plan for, not an unexpected burden. The perspective from the HR professional and claims examiner particularly helped me understand that this is just how the system is supposed to function. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week. Thank you to everyone who contributed - this thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with unemployment anxiety!

I'm reading through this thread as someone who's currently unemployed and was also hesitating to file for the same reasons everyone has mentioned. The explanations here have been incredibly helpful - especially learning that there's actually a State Insurance Fund rather than money coming directly from individual employers. What really sealed it for me was the claims examiner confirming that this is literally how the system is designed to work and that employers know this when they hire people. I think we put so much guilt on ourselves because we don't understand the mechanics behind these programs. It's like feeling bad about using public roads because they're taxpayer-funded - when actually that's exactly what they're there for! Thanks to everyone who took the time to explain this so thoroughly. This thread has genuinely changed my perspective and I'll be filing my claim tomorrow.