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I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and won my appeal! Here's what really helped me: I created a detailed spreadsheet showing every single work search activity by date, including the method (online application, phone call, in-person visit), company name, position title, and any confirmation numbers or emails I received. Even though I had made the same mistake of doing most activities on one day, the judge appreciated that I had clearly been making genuine efforts to find work. The key is showing good faith compliance with the spirit of the law, even if you didn't technically meet every requirement perfectly. Also, practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely - you'll probably only have 10-15 minutes to present your case. Don't let them intimidate you with all the legal language - just tell your story honestly with your evidence ready!
This gives me so much hope! I'm definitely going to create a detailed spreadsheet like you suggested. That sounds like a really professional way to present everything. Quick question - did you include activities that might have seemed "minor" like updating your LinkedIn profile or researching companies online? I did some of that stuff but wasn't sure if it would count as legitimate work search activities.
I included everything I could document! LinkedIn profile updates count if you can show the date you made changes (LinkedIn shows edit history in your activity). Company research is harder to prove unless you saved screenshots or took notes with dates. I also included things like attending virtual job fairs, completing online skills assessments, and even calling companies directly to inquire about positions (though you need to log the company name, contact person, and date). The more comprehensive your documentation, the better. The judge seemed impressed that I had treated job searching like a real job with detailed records. One tip: if you did any informal networking (like reaching out to former colleagues or industry contacts), include those too with screenshots of messages or emails. Good luck with your appeal!
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if anyone else is reading this and facing the same problem, make sure you check if your state has any "good cause" exceptions for work search requirements. Sometimes life circumstances (like lack of transportation, caring for family members, or technical issues with job sites) can be valid reasons for not meeting the exact requirements. Also, I noticed some people mentioned using online services to get through to unemployment offices - just be careful about giving personal info to third-party services. The official NYSDOL website has a callback feature that might be safer to try first. Kaiya, I'm rooting for you in your appeal! The fact that you were genuinely trying to find work and have documentation should work in your favor.
Thank you so much for the additional tips about "good cause" exceptions - I hadn't heard about those before! I'll definitely look into that on the NYSDOL website. You're absolutely right about being careful with third-party services too. I did try the official callback feature but it said there was a 3+ day wait, which is why some people mentioned the other options. I really appreciate all the support from everyone here - it's been overwhelming trying to figure this out on my own, but reading about other people's experiences and successes gives me hope that I can get through this appeal process successfully!
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I went through almost the exact same situation about 8 months ago - terminated during "restructuring" with a settlement that included severance and NDA. The good news is you absolutely can file for unemployment benefits! The settlement won't disqualify you as long as the termination was involuntary (which yours clearly was). When I filed, I was completely upfront about both the termination circumstances and the settlement details. NYS DOL asked for the settlement amount and dates, but since I could prove the termination wasn't my fault, I was approved. One tip - file your claim ASAP even while you're still figuring out all the details, because there's already a waiting week built into the system anyway. The review process took about 3 weeks in my case, but having clear documentation that showed involuntary termination really helped speed things up. Just be honest about everything from the start and you should be fine!
This is super reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! 8 months ago and everything worked out fine - that gives me a lot of confidence. The 3-week review timeline is really helpful to know for planning purposes. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week like you and others have suggested. It sounds like the key is just being completely transparent from the beginning rather than trying to hide anything. Quick question - when you say you were "upfront about settlement details," did you have to provide actual copies of the settlement agreement to NYS DOL, or was it sufficient to just report the amounts and dates verbally during the application process?
I just went through this exact situation 4 months ago! Got terminated in a "restructuring" (which we all know is often just an excuse) and received a settlement with severance and NDA. The settlement absolutely does NOT disqualify you from unemployment benefits - I was worried about the same thing. What matters is that your termination was involuntary, which it clearly was. When I filed my claim, I reported everything honestly - the settlement amount, dates, and circumstances of termination. NYS DOL reviewed it and approved me without any issues. The key is being transparent from day one. Don't wait to file - there's already a waiting period built in, so get the process started now. My benefits started about 3 weeks after filing, and the settlement actually helped because it provided clear documentation that the termination was the company's decision, not mine. You've got this!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's incredibly reassuring to hear from someone who went through this exact situation just 4 months ago and had everything work out smoothly. You're absolutely right about being transparent from day one - that seems to be the common theme from everyone who's had success with this process. I really appreciate you mentioning that the settlement actually helped provide documentation that the termination was the company's decision. I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right - having it in writing that it was "restructuring" should actually work in my favor. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week and just be completely honest about everything. Thanks for the encouragement - it really helps to know others have navigated this successfully!
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One thing nobody mentions - if you have a 401k loan or any garnishments from your pay, bring documentation of that too. NYS Department of Labor might need to know about it depending on your situation. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.
Great advice everyone! Just to add - if you've had any name changes in the past 18 months (marriage, divorce, legal name change), bring documentation of that too like marriage certificate or court order. NYS DOL needs to match your SSN with the name on your work records. Also, if you worked for any temporary agencies or had 1099 contract work, gather those records as well since they count toward your work history. The key is being thorough upfront to avoid delays later.
This is really helpful! I didn't think about name changes or temp agency work. Quick question - for the 1099 contract work, do I need the actual 1099 forms or just the work dates and payment info? I did some freelance work about a year ago but I'm not sure where I put those tax documents.
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Wow, reading through all these experiences is incredibly helpful! I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster and was totally confused about the order of steps. It sounds like the consensus is definitely ID.me verification first, then unemployment application. I'm planning to tackle this next week and feel so much more prepared now thanks to everyone's detailed tips - especially about doing it during off-peak hours, having backup documents ready, and using the mobile app. It's reassuring to see that while some people had challenges, many recent experiences have been pretty smooth. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice that the official websites don't provide!
I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you too! I was feeling really overwhelmed about the whole process before reading everyone's experiences. It's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who actually just went through it rather than trying to decipher the official government websites. I'm bookmarking this whole conversation to reference when I start my verification process. Good luck with yours next week - sounds like you're going to be well prepared with all these tips!
I just went through the ID.me verification process this morning and wanted to share my experience while it's still fresh! Like many others have mentioned, yes you definitely need to complete ID.me first before you can access the NY unemployment application. I followed the advice from this thread about doing it during off-peak hours (around 10:30am on a Thursday) and it made a huge difference - only had to wait about 8 minutes for video verification. One thing I didn't see mentioned here: make sure you're in a room with minimal background noise because the agent asked me to repeat some information when a car honked outside. Also, they had me turn my head left and right during the video call to match my ID photo angles, so don't be surprised by that. The whole process took about 25 minutes total, and I was able to immediately start my unemployment application afterward. Having read through all these experiences beforehand really helped me feel prepared and confident going in. Thanks everyone for sharing your tips!
Anastasia Kozlov
My friend just dealt with this. File new claim, but EXPECT problems. Her new claim took 7 weeks to process and she had to call multiple times. The system is a mess. Budget accordingly if you can.
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Malik Johnson
Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally went through this exact situation 3 months ago. Filed my new claim when I had 3 effective days left (after reading advice similar to what's here), and it took about 3 weeks total to get my first payment on the new claim. The key things that helped me: - Filed the new claim early (don't wait until you hit zero days) - Never stopped doing my weekly certifications - Had all my employer info organized beforehand - Got lucky and qualified based on work I did before my original claim started One thing that caught me off guard - my weekly benefit amount dropped from $420 to $340 on the new claim because they use a different calculation period. So even if you qualify, your payment might change. Also seconding what others said about claimyr - used them after 2 weeks of getting nowhere on my own and finally got connected to someone who could actually help. Worth the cost to avoid the endless hold music. Good luck OP, the system sucks but you'll get through it!
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Hazel Garcia
•This is super helpful, thank you for sharing your actual timeline! The drop in weekly benefits is something I hadn't even thought about. Did they explain why the calculation changed so much? Also really appreciate the tip about not waiting until zero days - filing this weekend for sure now.
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