I'm sorry to hear about your situation - being terminated unexpectedly is really stressful! The good news is that you should definitely be eligible for unemployment benefits in New York. Being 10 minutes late twice in a month is not considered "misconduct" under NYS Department of Labor standards, especially after 3 years of employment. Misconduct has to be willful and substantial - like theft, violence, or repeatedly violating clear workplace policies after warnings. File your claim immediately at my.ny.gov - you can apply online 24/7. Don't delay because there's a waiting period and benefits are calculated from when you file, not when you were terminated. During the application, just state the reason your employer gave you (attendance issues). If they try to fight your claim, NYS DOL will investigate and you'll likely win since occasional tardiness rarely qualifies as disqualifying misconduct. Also keep in mind that even if your claim gets initially denied, you have the right to appeal and present your case. Many people win on appeal even when initially denied. Stay strong and don't let this setback discourage you - you've got rights as a worker in New York!

I'm in a very similar situation - just got terminated from my warehouse job after being 15 minutes late three times over two months. My supervisor said it was "chronic tardiness" but I had to take public transit and sometimes the buses were just delayed. Reading everyone's responses here is giving me hope that I might still qualify for unemployment benefits. It sounds like NYS DOL looks at the actual circumstances rather than just taking the employer's word for it. I'm going to file my claim online tomorrow morning. Does anyone know if transportation issues count as a valid reason for occasional lateness, or should I just focus on the fact that it wasn't willful misconduct? Thanks for all the helpful information in this thread - it's really reassuring to see that other people have been through this and came out okay.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just got my determination letter earlier this week and finished my waiting week yesterday. The stress is real - constantly checking my account and the NYSDOL website hoping to see some movement 😅 From reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty typical, though some folks have waited longer. I'm making sure to certify every single week and keeping all my confirmation numbers just in case. One thing that's helping me cope is setting realistic expectations based on what everyone's sharing here. The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part, but it's comforting to know so many people have been through this exact process and gotten their payments eventually. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and tips - it really helps to know we're not alone in this waiting game! Fingers crossed we all see our payments soon 🤞

I'm right there with you - just got my determination letter a few days ago and completed my waiting week yesterday! The anticipation is absolutely killing me 😅 Reading through everyone's experiences here has been super helpful though. Sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty typical, which gives me hope we won't be waiting too much longer. I've been checking my account obsessively but trying to remind myself that the determination letter is a good sign - means we're approved and just need to be patient with the system. Definitely keeping up with those weekly certifications religiously and saving all my confirmation numbers. The waiting game is brutal but at least we're all going through this together! Hoping we both see our payments soon 🤞

Hey! I just went through this exact same process about a month ago and totally feel your stress right now. Here's what I learned that might help: **Timeline**: My PIN arrived in exactly 21 days after getting that "Questionnaire Complete" message. The waiting is brutal but try to stay patient! **Work Search Activities**: Cannot emphasize this enough - START TRACKING NOW! Even if you have to go back and recreate what you remember from the past week or two. You need 3 activities per week and they can ask for this log at any time. I use a simple spreadsheet: Date | Company | Job Title | Where Applied (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.) | Any Follow-up **About Certification**: You definitely need your PIN first, which comes with your monetary determination letter in the mail. Once you get it, you can backdate to your actual last day of work - so don't worry about those weeks you've already been unemployed! **Best Practices**: - Certify Sunday mornings around 7-8am (website is fastest then) - Screenshot EVERYTHING during the process - Keep all confirmation emails - Answer questions honestly but don't overthink them **Quick tip**: When your PIN arrives, the system will have you certify for all missed weeks at once during your first login. Have your work search activities ready for each week since you became unemployed. The hardest part is definitely this waiting period where you feel like you're in limbo. Once you get that PIN and start the weekly routine, everything becomes so much clearer! You're doing everything right - just hang tight! 💪

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact process about 3 months ago! The "Questionnaire Complete" status is definitely nerve-wracking because you're just sitting there wondering what happens next. My PIN took exactly 17 days to arrive in the mail. The envelope is pretty thick and has "New York State Department of Labor" clearly printed on it, so you won't miss it. Inside you'll get your monetary determination letter showing your weekly benefit amount plus that 4-digit PIN you need. Few things that really helped me: **Work search log**: Start NOW even if you have to recreate the past week from memory. I used a simple Notes app entry for each activity: "1/15 - Applied to Marketing Coordinator at ABC Company via LinkedIn." You need 3 per week once you start certifying. **Backdating**: You can absolutely claim benefits back to your actual last day of work. I was unemployed for 9 days before I even applied and got paid for all of it once approved. **First certification**: When you log in with your PIN for the first time, the system will walk you through certifying for ALL weeks since you became unemployed. It's actually pretty straightforward - just answer each week's questions honestly. **Timing**: I certify every Sunday at 7:30am and never have issues with the website. Avoid afternoons/evenings when traffic is heavy. The waiting period is honestly the worst part of this whole process! Once you get that PIN and start the weekly routine, everything becomes much more predictable. You're doing everything right - just hang in there! 🙏

Just wanted to say thanks for asking this question - I'm in the exact same boat and was wondering the same thing!

I went through this exact situation last year when my company did sudden layoffs. You definitely don't need a termination letter to file - I filed the same day I was let go with just my employment details. The NYS Department of Labor website walks you through everything step by step. One tip: keep a record of exactly what your supervisor said when they let you go, even if it's just notes you write yourself. I wrote down the conversation right after it happened and it helped when they asked for details during the phone interview. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected, and I started receiving benefits within a few weeks.

I just joined this community because I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience! Been trying to call NY unemployment for 5 days straight and getting that automatic "high call volume" hangup every single time. It's so maddening! Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea so many people were dealing with this identical nightmare. The strategies everyone has shared here are pure gold, especially the 7:58am Wednesday timing + alternate number (888-783-1370) + payment options approach that multiple people have had success with. It's honestly ridiculous that we need a whole community playbook just to make a phone call to a government agency, but I'm so grateful this discussion exists! The "perfect storm" explanation of system updates + staffing shortages + increased claims really helps me understand why the system is so broken right now. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and come back with updates - you're literally helping people survive financially during an already stressful time. I'm definitely going to try the Wednesday morning strategy this week. This community support gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off! 🙏

I just discovered this thread and wow - reading through everyone's experiences has been both devastating and incredibly helpful! I'm on day 12 of trying to get through to NYSDOL and getting that same automated hangup every single time. I was honestly starting to think there was something wrong with ME or my phone until I found this discussion. The detailed strategies you all have shared are amazing - especially the Wednesday 7:58am + alternate number (888-783-1370) + payment options combo that so many people have had success with. It's absolutely mind-blowing that we need a whole community survival guide just to access unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful this thread exists! The "perfect storm" explanation really puts everything into perspective. I have a certification issue that's been pending for 3 weeks now and I'm getting desperate. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-won knowledge and especially those who came back with success updates - you're giving hope to those of us still trapped in this phone system nightmare. I'm definitely trying the Wednesday morning strategy this week. This community is proof that we can support each other when the system completely fails us! 🙏