I went through something similar about 6 months ago! The key thing is that you were ready and willing to work those two weeks, but your employer chose to end it early. That makes it their decision, not yours. When I filed, I explained it exactly like that - gave notice with intention to work through it, but was told to leave immediately. Got approved without any issues. Just be clear about the timeline when you file and you should be fine. Good luck!

This exact situation happened to me about a year ago and I was so stressed about it! But don't worry - you're definitely eligible for benefits. NYS Department of Labor sees this as a discharge since you were willing to work but they chose to terminate you early. When I filed, I made sure to clearly state that I provided two weeks notice with the intention to work through it, but was told to leave immediately. The claim was approved without any problems. Just stick to the facts about the timeline and you'll be fine. The important thing is you were ready and willing to continue working those final two weeks.

I was in a very similar situation last year with part-time work across multiple employers and was convinced I wouldn't qualify. The wage requirements seem scary at first, but here's what helped me: don't try to calculate it yourself because you might not have all the right quarters or wage info. The NYS Department of Labor has access to all your employment records and will do the math automatically when you file. With $4,200 spread across different jobs, you might be surprised - I had about the same amount and qualified because my earnings were concentrated in a couple good quarters. The application itself is free and you'll know definitively within a few weeks whether you meet the requirements. Even if you're denied initially, there's sometimes an alternative base period calculation they can try. Honestly, the stress of not knowing is worse than just applying and getting a clear answer!

I just went through this process a couple months ago and want to echo what everyone else is saying - JUST APPLY! I was in almost the exact same boat with around $4,000 from part-time work spread across different employers and was absolutely convinced I wouldn't qualify. Spent weeks stressing about it and trying to add up quarters myself with old pay stubs. Finally just bit the bullet and filed online, and to my shock I was approved! Turns out my highest quarter was better than I thought because I forgot about some overtime hours. The whole thing took maybe 30 minutes to file and then I got my determination letter about 2 weeks later. Even if you don't qualify under the regular base period, they automatically check you for the alternative base period too. The worst case scenario is you get a "no" and you're in the same spot you're in right now, but at least you'll know for sure instead of wondering. Don't let the confusing wage calculations scare you away from potentially getting benefits you're entitled to!

Don't stress too much about it right now! Focus on keeping your current job and building up those quarterly earnings. The longer you work and the more you earn, the better your potential weekly benefit amount will be if you ever need to file for unemployment.

Just to add some clarity - the NYS Department of Labor also has a minimum work requirement of at least 2 calendar quarters during your base period. So even if you meet the earnings thresholds that others mentioned, you need to have actually worked in at least 2 different quarters. Since you mentioned working part-time last year plus your current 6 weeks, you might already meet this if your previous job spanned multiple quarters. The good news is that once you qualify, your weekly benefit amount is based on your highest quarter earnings, so every week you work now is potentially increasing that amount!

Hey congrats on getting approved so quickly! That's awesome. Just wanted to share my recent experience - I got approved last month and my first payment hit exactly 3 business days after I did my first certification on Sunday (so Wednesday morning). The key things that helped me: 1. Make sure you certify EVERY Sunday without fail 2. Keep detailed records of your 3 weekly job search activities - I use a simple spreadsheet with dates, company names, and what I did 3. Set up direct deposit if you haven't already - way faster than the debit card 4. Don't panic if the first payment takes a few extra days, it gets more consistent after that The $421 weekly benefit is solid! Should help while you're looking for your next opportunity. Good luck with the job search - the restaurant industry is picking up again as we get closer to spring season.

Just went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The fast approval is definitely a good sign - means your employer reported everything correctly and there weren't any red flags with your claim. You should see your first payment within 2-3 business days after you certify this Sunday. Don't forget about the waiting week though - you won't get paid for your very first week of unemployment, that's just how NY does it. After that first payment hits, the timing becomes pretty predictable. One thing I wish someone told me - download the NY.gov app, it makes certifying way easier than using the website. Also keep all your work search documentation organized from day one, trust me on this! The system really has improved a lot over the past couple years.

I'm also new to filing unemployment in NY and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was wondering - does anyone know if there are any other recent changes to the unemployment system I should be aware of? I just started my claim this month and want to make sure I'm not missing anything important. The hours reporting change makes sense now, but are there other policy updates from 2024 or 2025 that might affect how I file my weekly certifications?

I'm also dealing with this same confusion! Started filing in February and nobody told me about any of these changes. I worked 9 hours last week and was stressed about whether to report 0 or 1 day. Reading through all these comments is such a relief - sounds like 9 hours = 0 days under the new system. It's crazy how they just change things without proper notification. I've been keeping detailed records of my hours just in case, which seems like a good idea based on what people are saying here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!