Just file your claim anyway - the worst they can say is no. I filed not knowing if I qualified and turns out I did. The NYS Department of Labor system will tell you pretty quickly if you don't meet the wage requirements.

Just to add some clarity - you also need to have worked in at least two different quarters during your base period to qualify. So it's not just about hitting the $2,600 total, you need to have earnings spread across multiple quarters. This trips up a lot of people who had all their earnings concentrated in just one quarter. The NYS Department of Labor website has a benefit calculator that can help you figure out if you qualify before you file.

This thread is such a great resource! As someone new to this community, I'm really impressed by how detailed and supportive everyone's responses are. The original poster's situation is unfortunately very common - I think a lot of people assume they'll find work quickly and delay filing for unemployment benefits. What strikes me most is how the community not only provided practical advice about NY's backdating policies and filing procedures, but also emotional support during what's clearly a stressful time. The follow-up posts showing the successful resolution with 3 weeks of backdating approved gives hope to others who might be in similar situations. For anyone else reading this, the key lessons seem to be: - File immediately when you become unemployed, even if you think it's temporary - NY allows backdating up to 4 weeks with "good cause" - Keep detailed records of your job search activities for weekly certification - Set up reminders for weekly benefit certification to avoid missing payments Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is invaluable for navigating these complex systems!

As someone who just joined this community, I have to say this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! Reading through everyone's experiences with NY unemployment filing really highlights how important it is to have knowledgeable people willing to share what they've learned the hard way. The original poster's situation resonates with me because I think many of us would make that same mistake - assuming we'll find work quickly and not wanting to "burden the system" if we don't really need it. But it's clear from everyone's responses that unemployment benefits exist for exactly these situations, and there's no shame in using them when you're eligible. What really stands out to me is how this community provided both practical information (the 4-week backdating rule, good cause requirements, weekly certification reminders) AND emotional support throughout the process. The follow-up showing that 3 out of 6 weeks got approved proves that even when you make mistakes, acting quickly based on good advice can still salvage a difficult situation. For anyone else who might stumble across this thread in the future: don't wait! File immediately, be honest about why you delayed, and make sure to certify every single week going forward. This community has created a really valuable resource here.

Just be really careful about this stuff. I reported my wages wrong once and they hit me with an overpayment notice months later. NYS Department of Labor doesn't mess around with wage reporting errors.

For tips specifically - if you're in a restaurant job, make sure you're reporting what you actually received, not what the restaurant reports as your tip income. Sometimes there's a difference and you want to be accurate on your weekly claim certification.

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm also dealing with unemployment benefits for the first time and had the same misconception that unused benefits would just sit there waiting for me to use them later. Reading everyone's explanations about how the benefit year system works has really cleared things up. It's definitely a relief to know that if you become unemployed again within the same benefit year, you can still access your remaining balance - I had no idea about that detail. For anyone else who's new to this like me, it seems like the main points are: 1) benefits are calculated fresh for each new claim based on recent work history, 2) unused benefits expire when your benefit year ends (52 weeks from initial filing), but 3) you can return to the same claim if you become unemployed again within that same benefit year. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decode the official government websites!

As someone who's been through the unemployment system in NY a couple times, I can confirm what others have said - any unused balance disappears when your benefit year ends. It's frustrating but that's how it works. One thing I'd add is to make sure you keep good records of when your benefit year started so you know exactly when it expires. Also, if you do take that job offer (which you absolutely should!), make sure to properly close out your claim through the online portal to avoid any issues down the road. The key thing to remember is that unemployment is temporary income replacement, not a savings plan. Take the job and don't look back - steady employment is always better than living off unemployment benefits, even if it means leaving money on the table.

I went through this exact same situation last year - warehouse job, unsafe conditions, forced resignation. The key thing that helped me win my appeal was being super specific about how the unsafe conditions violated OSHA standards. I listed every incident with dates, described exactly what safety equipment was broken or missing, and included photos I took on my phone. Also document any conversations where you brought up safety concerns to supervisors. The judge wants to see you made reasonable attempts to fix the situation before quitting. Don't just say "unsafe conditions" - say things like "forklift had faulty brakes reported on [date], no safety harnesses provided for elevated work, blocked emergency exits, etc." Good luck!

I've been through this process twice - once successfully, once not. The difference was in the details. For your unsafe warehouse conditions case, you need to frame it around NYS Labor Law standards. Mention specific violations like inadequate ventilation, broken machinery without lockout/tagout procedures, missing safety guards, or violations of warehouse height safety requirements. The administrative law judge needs to see that a reasonable person in your situation would have quit. Also, if you filed any workers' comp claims or incident reports while employed, definitely include those. One thing I learned the hard way - if you have any medical documentation showing stress or injury from the unsafe conditions, include that too. The NYS Department of Labor considers both physical safety and health impacts when determining "good cause" for leaving. Keep the letter under 2 pages but make every sentence count.