I went through something similar last year. The key thing to remember is that NYS DOL considers several factors when determining if work is "suitable" - wage level compared to your previous job, commute time/distance, and whether it matches your skills and experience. A 4-hour daily commute plus $2/hour pay cut would likely be considered unreasonable by most standards. When you file your weekly claim, there should be a question about whether you refused any work - answer honestly and provide clear details about why (excessive commute time, significant pay reduction). Keep copies of the job offer details and your refusal reason. If they do flag it for review, you'll have a chance to explain during the adjudication process. Don't panic - they're looking for people who refuse reasonable offers, not situations like yours where the job creates genuine hardship.

I'm in a very similar situation right now - got offered a job that's 90 minutes each way and pays $3 less than what I was making. The stress of potentially losing benefits is real, but from what I'm reading here it sounds like your case has legitimate grounds for refusal. The 4-hour daily commute would eat up so much time and gas money that you'd probably be making less than minimum wage when you factor in travel costs. I've been documenting everything - the job posting, my previous salary, commute calculations, etc. just in case. It's frustrating that we even have to worry about this when the job offers are clearly unreasonable, but at least NYS DOL seems to have some protection for situations like ours where the work truly isn't suitable.

wait so if the pay is lower you can refuse? I thought once you're on unemployment you have to take whatever is offered or lose benefits

I went through something very similar a few months ago. NYS Department of Labor considers several factors for "suitable work" including the wage compared to your previous job, travel distance, and whether you have the skills/experience for the position. A 45-minute commute each way plus $3/hour less pay would likely be valid reasons to decline, especially if you're still early in your benefit period. When I declined a similar offer, I made sure to document everything - the job details, why it wasn't suitable, and continued my active job search. I didn't face any penalties. The key is being able to justify your decision if they ask during your certification calls.

The general rule is file the day after your last day of work or as soon as you know you'll be unemployed. For layoffs with advance notice, you can sometimes file before your last day if you have a specific end date. But in most cases like yours where you're already separated, file immediately. The my.ny.gov system will walk you through everything step by step.

I went through this exact same confusion when I lost my job last year! The key thing to remember is that your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you became unemployed. Since you're already 5 days past your last work day, definitely file today - don't wait any longer. I made the mistake of overthinking it and lost a whole week of potential benefits. The online system at my.ny.gov is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. Just have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history ready. The sooner you file, the sooner your waiting week starts counting down. Good luck!

Congrats on getting your EB approved! This is such a helpful thread for anyone going through this transition. I'm currently on week 22 of my regular benefits and was already stressing about what happens next. Reading everyone's experiences here really puts my mind at ease. The key takeaway seems crystal clear: never stop certifying weekly, even if you see $0 payments temporarily. It's reassuring to know the system does work, even if it takes a couple weeks to process. Thanks for sharing your update - it gives hope to those of us approaching the 26-week mark!

This thread is incredibly valuable! I'm currently on week 15 of my regular benefits but already bookmarking this for future reference. The consensus is so clear - keep certifying no matter what. I had no idea about the $0 payment thing during the transition period, that would have definitely sent me into panic mode. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences, especially the success stories. It's so much better than trying to decipher the confusing official website. Question for those who went through this - did your EB weekly amount stay the same as your regular UI amount, or did it change at all?

I just went through this process about 6 weeks ago and wanted to share what helped me the most. Beyond all the great advice already given about documents and timelines, I'd recommend doing a practice run of your story out loud beforehand - not just thinking through it, but actually speaking it. I recorded myself on my phone explaining what happened and listened back to catch places where I rambled or got confused. During the actual hearing, I felt much more confident because I'd already "said it" several times. Also, don't be afraid to take a moment to think before answering - the judge won't rush you. When my employer made some claims that weren't accurate, I took a breath and calmly explained my version rather than getting flustered. The decision came back in my favor about 10 days later. You're going to do great - the fact that you're preparing and asking questions shows you're taking it seriously, which is exactly the right approach.

I went through this same process about 4 months ago when my employer contested my claim, and I know exactly how you're feeling right now. The anxiety beforehand was honestly worse than the actual hearing itself. Here's what I wish someone had told me: the administrative law judge is there to get to the truth, not to intimidate you. They'll start by explaining the process and swearing everyone in. Then they'll usually ask you to give your version of what happened first, followed by your employer. The judge will ask clarifying questions throughout - things like "When did this conversation happen?" or "Do you have any documentation of that?" Don't worry if you don't have perfect documentation for everything - just be honest about what you do and don't have. One thing that caught me off guard was that my employer's representative seemed very prepared with dates and details, but the judge asked them just as many tough questions as they asked me. The whole thing lasted about 40 minutes, and I got the written decision about 2 weeks later (in my favor). You've got this - just breathe, tell the truth, and remember that you have every right to those benefits if you were legitimately separated from your job through no fault of your own.