definitely file asap because even if they deny you initially you can appeal and the whole time youre appealing you should keep filing your weekly claims

I went through something similar about 6 months ago - got fired for what they called "attendance issues" but it was really due to my mom's medical appointments that I had to help with. The NYS Department of Labor actually sided with me during adjudication because I had emails showing I tried to work with my supervisor on the scheduling. The key thing is to file your claim right away like others said, and when they do the fact-finding interview, be honest about the childcare situation and any communication you had with your employer about it. Also keep filing those weekly claims even if your case is under review - you don't want to miss out on benefits for weeks you should have been eligible for. The whole process took about 4 weeks for me but I ended up getting approved and they paid me retroactively for the waiting period.

Don't forget you also need to post the required unemployment insurance notices in your workplace and keep payroll records for at least 4 years. NYS Department of Labor can audit you and they want to see everything documented properly.

As someone who went through this process recently, I'd recommend starting the registration process early even before you hire anyone. The NYS Department of Labor employer account setup can take a few weeks to get fully activated. Also, don't forget that you'll need to obtain a state employer identification number if you don't already have one. The Business Services Online portal that Emma mentioned is definitely the way to go - it's much easier than trying to do everything by mail or phone. One tip: keep detailed records from day one because when you file those quarterly reports, you'll need exact wage information for each employee.

did u verify ur identity yet? they might be waiting for u to do id.me verification. they dont tell u this but sometimes u cant certify until that's done

the website is trash. call the automated phone system for claiming weekly benefits: 1-888-581-5812. sometimes the phone system works when the website doesn't.

hang in there! the marketing field is tough right now but 26 weeks should hopefully be enough time. just stay on top of the weekly claims and job search stuff and you should be good

I just went through this same situation last month after my tech company had layoffs. The 26-week limit is correct, but I'd also recommend setting up your online account ASAP if you haven't already - it makes tracking everything so much easier. One thing that caught me off guard was that you need to keep detailed records of your job search activities from day one. I use a simple spreadsheet with company names, positions applied for, dates, and contact methods. Also, don't wait to start networking - reach out to former colleagues and industry contacts early since a lot of good opportunities come through referrals rather than public job postings. The weekly filing becomes routine pretty quickly, just set a reminder on your phone for the same day each week. Good luck with the job search!

Just want to add that after certification, if you're on standby status through your union, the process works a little differently. Your employer has to confirm your standby status each week too, so there's an extra step that can slow things down.

From what I've experienced, the "effective" status you're seeing is actually a good sign - it means your claim is active and processing normally. After you submit your weekly certification, the system does an automated review first checking things like your reported earnings, work search requirements, and availability for work. If everything passes the automated checks, payment typically gets released within 1-2 business days and you'll see it in your account 2-3 days later depending on your bank. The only time you'd usually hear back is if there's an issue that needs manual review or if they need additional documentation from you. So no news is generally good news with the NYS Department of Labor system!