The restaurant industry is rough right now but there are jobs out there. Focus on your weekly claims and job search requirements and you should be fine for the 26 weeks. Just stay on top of everything with NYS Department of Labor.

Hey Victoria, sorry to hear about your layoff! The 26 weeks is correct for NY unemployment benefits. Since you worked full-time for 2 years at your restaurant job, you should definitely qualify for the full duration. Just make sure to file your weekly certifications on time every week - you can usually do this online through the NY.gov website. Also keep track of your job search activities (3 per week minimum) because they do audit those records. The restaurant industry has been picking up lately, so hopefully you'll find something before your benefits run out. Good luck!

Congratulations on the new job! Just make sure you keep all your employment documentation in case NYS Department of Labor needs to verify anything later. It's always better to be over-prepared when dealing with unemployment claims.

Just want to add that you should also make sure to update your contact information with NYS Department of Labor if your employment status changes, especially if you get employer-provided health insurance. They sometimes need to verify benefit eligibility and having current info helps avoid any delays or complications. Also, if this new job doesn't work out for any reason, you'll want to have everything properly documented to potentially reopen your claim later.

The whole ny unemployment system is DESIGNED to be user-unfriendly. They make it so hard to reach humans that people just give up and don't collect benefits they're entitled to. It's infuriating but true.

I feel your pain! Made a similar mistake last year where I accidentally said I was available for part-time work only instead of full-time. Here's what finally worked for me: I called the main number (800-833-3000) at exactly 8:00am on a Tuesday and got through after about 90 minutes on hold. The key was calling RIGHT when they opened and being super persistent. Also, keep detailed notes of every call attempt - date, time, how long you waited, what happened. If you still can't get through after a week, contact your local state assembly member's office. They have staff specifically for helping with unemployment issues and can escalate your case. Don't panic about fraud accusations - they know their phone system causes these mistakes and as long as you're actively trying to fix it, you should be fine. Keep certifying your weekly benefits correctly while you work on fixing this!

This is such a frustrating situation but you're definitely not alone in this! I work as a benefits counselor and see cases like yours fairly regularly. NYS Department of Labor absolutely recognizes rescinded job offers as qualifying for unemployment benefits. The important thing to remember is that you meet all the basic eligibility criteria - you're unemployed through no fault of your own, you were ready and able to work, and the employer's decision to withdraw the offer was completely beyond your control. When you file your claim, make sure to be very detailed about the timeline and attach all your documentation (offer letter, acceptance email, background check completion, and the rescission notice). This documentation will actually make your case stronger because it shows you were genuinely employed and acting in good faith throughout the process. Don't worry about not filing initially - that's a completely understandable decision when you thought you had secure employment. File as soon as possible now and you should be able to get your benefits without any major complications!

I'm so sorry this happened to you - what a terrible way to start what you thought was going to be your first week at a new job! I haven't been through this exact situation myself, but I wanted to reach out because I've been following this thread and everyone's advice seems really solid. It sounds like you have a really strong case for unemployment benefits since you were already unemployed when they pulled the offer and you have all the documentation to back up your story. The fact that so many people here have gone through similar situations and had their claims approved gives me confidence that yours will work out too. I know it's stressful having to go back to job searching when you thought you were done with that, but at least the unemployment benefits will give you some financial breathing room while you get back out there. Definitely file as soon as possible like everyone is saying - you've clearly done your research and you know what documentation to include. Best of luck with your claim and your continued job search!

the my.ny.gov site is such a mess, half the time the links don't even work right. i always have to try logging in like 3 times before it actually lets me see my unemployment stuff. but yeah once you get in its under unemployment services then account info

Just wanted to add that you can also download the mobile app for my.ny.gov which sometimes works better than the website. I use it to check my payment dates and do my weekly claims when I'm not at my computer.