Same boat here, been doing the minimum 3 activities but maybe I need to do more? My adjudication officer mentioned something about 'good faith effort' during my phone interview.

From my experience, the most effective combo is direct applications + follow-up calls + visiting local career centers. I was stuck for 3 months just doing online applications, but once I started actually calling employers a few days after applying AND attending the free resume workshops at my local One-Stop Career Center, things picked up fast. The career center staff also helped me identify which job boards actually have real postings vs the fake ones that just collect your info. Also don't overlook LinkedIn networking - sending personalized messages to people in your field counts as a networking activity and sometimes leads to referrals.

anybody know if this works the same way for part time workers?

Just went through this process myself! NY does backdate to your last day of work BUT only if you can prove when you lost your job and have a valid reason for the delay in filing. I had a 10-day gap between losing my job and filing my claim, and they approved the full backpay after I submitted my termination email and explained I was trying to figure out the process first. Don't stress too much - just gather your documentation (last paystub, termination notice, even emails work) and be honest about why there was a delay when you talk to them. The key is filing ASAP from now and being prepared to explain the gap.

Update: I finally got through this morning! Called exactly at 8:00am and pressed the options for existing claim and then representative. Still waited for 45 minutes on hold but finally spoke to someone who could help. Turns out there was a verification issue with my past employer that was holding everything up. She processed all my back payments and said I should see the money in 2-3 business days. So relieved!

Congrats on getting through @Haley! That's so frustrating that it was just a verification issue that could have been resolved weeks ago if you could have reached someone earlier. The system really needs to be better at communicating what's holding up claims instead of just leaving people in limbo. For anyone else still struggling - her experience confirms that calling right at 8am opening time really is the best strategy, even if you have to wait on hold afterward.

I'm going through something similar right now and it's incredibly frustrating. One thing that helped me was using the "Contact Us" form on the my.ny.gov website and selecting "Technical Issues" as the category - even though it's not really technical, I got a response faster than when I selected "General Inquiry." Also, try calling the Trade Adjustment Assistance line at 1-888-469-7365 - they sometimes can transfer you to the right department or at least give you better guidance on documentation needed for construction layoffs. Keep detailed records of every attempt to contact them with dates and times - this will help if you need to escalate later. Don't give up, the system is broken but there are people who do want to help once you can reach them.

I went through almost the exact same thing last month with a construction layoff showing up as voluntary quit in the system. What finally worked for me was filing an appeal online through the my.ny.gov portal - there's a section called "Appeal a Determination" under the unemployment services. Even though it sounds scary, the appeal process actually got me connected with someone who could review my case properly. I attached my layoff notice, final paycheck showing "end of project" as the reason, and a brief letter explaining the situation. Got a response within 10 business days and they corrected the issue. In the meantime, keep filing your weekly certifications even if they're getting denied - you can get backpay once it's fixed. Also document every single phone call attempt with date/time - I kept a simple note on my phone and it helped show I was trying to resolve this properly. Don't panic about rent yet, there are emergency assistance programs through 211 if you call them. You've got this!

@Mateo Rodriguez Just to add to what others have said - with your $28k income last year, you should qualify for benefits. The weekly benefit amount is roughly half your average weekly wage (up to the state maximum). Since you worked retail for 2 years, you definitely meet the work history requirements. One tip: file your claim online at labor.ny.gov as soon as possible, even if you're still figuring things out. You can always ask questions later, but you don't want to lose any potential benefit weeks by waiting. The system will walk you through the process step by step.

@Mateo Rodriguez Welcome to the unemployment process! As others mentioned, NY's standard duration is 26 weeks. Since you're new to this, here are a few practical tips: 1) File your claim ASAP online at labor.ny.gov - don't wait, 2) Set up direct deposit to avoid delays with benefit payments, 3) Keep a job search log from day one (I use a simple spreadsheet with company names, positions, dates, and contact info), and 4) Save all correspondence from NYS DOL in a folder. The system can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get into the weekly routine of filing your claim and documenting your job search, it becomes manageable. Your retail experience should definitely help you find something new - lots of employers value that customer service background. Good luck!