Glad to hear your payment arrived! For future reference, the specific timing depends on how quickly each financial institution processes ACH transfers from NY state government agencies. Chime and a few other online banks make funds available immediately when they receive the ACH notification (which is why they're faster). Most other banks and services like PayPal wait until the transfer fully settles. If anyone else is reading this and planning to change their deposit account, just be prepared for that first payment to take a little longer, and know that different financial institutions have different processing schedules.

I'm going through the same situation right now! Just switched from my regular bank to PayPal for unemployment deposits and it's been 2 days past my usual deposit time. Reading through these comments is really reassuring - sounds like the first payment after switching always takes longer. Has anyone noticed if PayPal sends notifications when the deposit hits, or do you just have to keep checking your balance?

File ASAP and be honest about everything. The adjudication process will review all the facts. If you can show the car problems were legitimate and you tried to address them, you have a good shot at approval.

I went through something similar a few months ago - got fired for attendance due to public transit delays that were completely out of my control. NYS DOL approved my claim after about 3 weeks of review. The key things that helped me were: 1) I documented every incident with timestamps and photos of delayed train notifications, 2) I showed I had notified my supervisor each time I was going to be late, and 3) I had a generally good work record otherwise. Since you mentioned car troubles, definitely gather those mechanic receipts and any texts/emails you sent to your boss about the situation. The fact that you worked there for 2 years with no other issues will definitely work in your favor. Good luck!

One more thing I forgot to mention - holidays mess everything up too. If Monday is a bank holiday, you won't see the money till Tuesday. Found that out the hard way on Memorial Day weekend 😫

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been on NY unemployment for about 6 months now. The timing is pretty consistent - Friday certification = Monday/Tuesday payment, no exceptions. I've tried certifying at different times on Friday hoping it would make a difference, but it never does. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I know the exact moment the deposit hits. Also, if you're really tight on cash, some banks will let you overdraft knowing the unemployment deposit is coming (mine does this automatically now that it recognizes the pattern), but obviously that comes with fees. The hardest part is just that first month when you're learning the rhythm. After that you'll plan around it naturally!

So happy to see this thread worked out! I've been lurking here for weeks dealing with my own unemployment nightmare. Just wanted to share another tip that helped me - if you're calling and getting the "high call volume" disconnect message, try calling back immediately. Sometimes the system will put you in queue on the second or third attempt even if it hung up the first time. Also, make sure your phone isn't on silent - I missed a callback once because I didn't hear it ring! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here, it really helps knowing we're not alone in this struggle.

As someone who just went through this exact same nightmare last month, I feel your pain! One thing that finally worked for me was using the online chat feature on the NY.gov website during off-peak hours (like 11pm-1am). I know it sounds crazy, but they have overnight support staff and way fewer people are trying to chat at that time. When the chat agents can't help directly, they can sometimes schedule you for a priority callback the next business day. Also, if you're on social media, try reaching out to @nyslabor on Twitter with your case details - they've been pretty responsive to public complaints lately and can sometimes escalate urgent cases. Hope this helps and hang in there!

Make sure she understands the weekly claim requirement too! Even after the initial application is approved, you have to file every week to actually receive payments. I know someone who got approved but didn't realize they had to keep filing weekly and missed out on several weeks of benefits.

One thing I'd add is to make sure your neighbor has her most recent pay stub and any termination paperwork from her employer ready. The system will ask for her last day of work and final wages, so having those exact dates and amounts will make the process smoother. Also, if she was laid off due to lack of work (not fired for cause), that makes her eligible right away. The initial application usually takes 2-3 weeks to process, but she should start filing weekly claims immediately after applying even before getting approved - those weeks can be paid retroactively once she's approved.