good for you getting off the system! I've been trying to find work for 8 months now and still nothing. The job search requirements are such a pain.

Just want to add that if your part-time job has irregular hours or you're not sure about the full-time conversion timeline, you might want to keep your claim open initially and just report your part-time earnings each week. NYS allows you to work part-time while collecting reduced benefits as long as you report all wages honestly. This way you have a safety net if the full-time position doesn't materialize. Once you're confident about steady full-time work, then do the proper closure process everyone mentioned above.

You should also update your job search log to show that you're no longer actively searching since you accepted employment. This helps keep your records clean with NYS Department of Labor.

Make sure to also check if you need to report any wages earned during your last week of unemployment benefits. Since your job starts Monday, you'll want to be clear about which week was your final week of eligibility. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about accurate wage reporting, so it's better to over-communicate than leave anything unclear when you submit your return to work notification.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm going through something similar right now - got a confusing monetary determination but then also received IDme letters. Reading everyone's experiences here really clarifies that these are separate parts of the process. @Anastasia Kozlov - glad to hear you made progress with the IDme and got scheduled for a phone interview! That gives me hope for my own case. I think the key takeaway is that even if the initial monetary determination looks discouraging, it's worth completing all the steps because there are multiple factors and they can recalculate using different base periods. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - this system is so confusing without community support like this!

I just want to echo what others have said about not giving up based on that initial monetary determination! I had a very similar experience last year - got a letter showing a tiny weekly benefit amount that made me think I didn't qualify, then got the IDme verification requests. I was so confused and almost didn't bother with the verification. Thankfully I did complete it, and during my phone interview they discovered that my previous employer had reported my separation incorrectly. Once that was corrected AND they recalculated using my alternate base period (which included higher earnings from 15 months prior), my weekly benefit amount went from $38 to $247! The whole process took about 6 weeks total, but it was absolutely worth it. The NY system sends out these letters at different times and they don't always tell the complete story. Definitely complete every step they ask for - you never know what might change once a human actually reviews your full case.

Mine went through pretty fast actually got my first payment in like 10 days but I think I got lucky. Make sure you have all your employer information correct on the application because any mistakes will slow things down.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim 10 days ago and still showing "under review." Has anyone had luck calling the DOL directly to get an update? I've tried a few times but can never get through. The automated system just tells me to wait but I'm getting anxious about my bills piling up.

Hey QuantumQuasar, I totally understand the stress about rent! I went through the same thing when I first filed. One thing that helped me was calling my landlord early to explain the situation - many are understanding about unemployment delays, especially if you have a good rental history. You might be able to work out a short extension or payment plan. Also, don't forget to check if you qualify for any emergency rental assistance programs in your area while waiting for your unemployment to kick in. The waiting period really is the worst part, but once it starts flowing, you'll be okay. Hang in there!

I feel for you on the stress about rent - I was in the exact same situation when I filed my claim earlier this year. The timeline everyone mentioned is accurate: one week waiting period plus processing time means about 2-3 weeks total before your first payment hits your account. What really helped me was setting up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail. Also, make sure you're filing your weekly claims every Sunday by midnight, even if it feels pointless at first. The system is frustrating but it does work once everything processes. If you're really tight on rent, some local community organizations have emergency assistance programs that can bridge the gap while you wait for unemployment to start flowing.