If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your claim status, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I needed to clarify something about my separation reason during adjudication.

I went through something similar when I got fired for attendance issues due to my child's daycare problems. The key thing that helped my case was keeping detailed records of everything - dates of absences, reasons, any communication with my employer about the issues. NYS Department of Labor really does look at whether it was willful misconduct or circumstances beyond your control. Since you have those car repair receipts, definitely include those when you file. Also, if you ever communicated with your manager about the transportation issues beforehand (like emails or texts), gather those too. The more documentation you have showing it wasn't intentional, the better your chances. Good luck!

I went through this exact situation with my marketing consultancy in 2023. After 8 years of steady growth, I suddenly lost 3 major clients within a month and my income dropped by about 80%. I was terrified about applying for UI while still technically "running" my business. The best advice I can give you is to be 100% transparent with NYSDOL from the start. When I applied, I explained exactly what happened - how the business was still legally operating but generating almost no income, how I was actively job searching while trying to salvage what I could, and provided detailed financial records showing the dramatic revenue drop. What really helped my case was having quarterly tax payments that clearly showed the decline, and I made sure to track every single hour I spent on business activities vs. job search activities. I reported maybe 8-10 hours per week on average trying to keep the business alive while spending 25-30 hours job searching and interviewing. They did put me through additional review because of the self-employment situation, but I was eventually approved for partial benefits. It took about 5 weeks to get my first payment, but having that support allowed me to take the time to find a really good full-time position instead of just grabbing the first thing available. Your 9-year investment is worth fighting for, but don't let pride keep you from getting the support you've already paid into the system. Document everything and be honest - the worst they can do is say no, but you might be surprised by the support available.

I'm facing a very similar situation with my freelance design business - been running it for 5 years and January completely destroyed my client base. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about the S-Corp vs sole proprietor distinctions and the importance of detailed documentation. One thing I wanted to add that might help others in similar situations: when I spoke to an accountant about potentially restructuring my business, they mentioned that if you're considering converting from sole proprietor to S-Corp for future protection, now might actually be a good time to do it while income is low. Obviously that's a longer-term strategy and won't help with immediate UI eligibility, but it could set you up better for any future economic downturns. @Aisha Khan - your situation with the S-Corp structure and proper tax payments sounds like it should definitely qualify for benefits. The fact that you've been paying into the system for years means you've earned this support. Don't feel guilty about using a safety net you've been contributing to - that's exactly what it's there for. The advice about using Claimyr to get through to an actual person also sounds like it could save a lot of frustration. Has anyone tried their service recently? The regular phone lines have been absolutely impossible to get through on.

Don't let the complexity discourage you from applying! I was in a similar situation where I had worked at two different places within the year and wasn't sure if it would count. The online application at my.ny.gov actually walks you through entering all your employment history from the past 18 months, and their system automatically calculates whether you meet the requirements. You'll need your employer information, dates worked, and gross wages for each job. Since you have 8 months total of work history this year, you're likely in good shape as long as your combined earnings hit those thresholds that Melina mentioned.

Pedro, based on what you've described, you should definitely apply! With 6 months of work earlier this year plus your recent 2 months, you likely have enough work history to qualify. The NYS Department of Labor will look at your entire base period (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters) when determining eligibility. Since you were laid off due to company downsizing and didn't quit voluntarily, you should meet the separation requirements too. Make sure you have all your employment information handy - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and your gross wages from both jobs. The online application will guide you through everything and automatically calculate if you meet the monetary requirements.

Look into Santander Consumer or Capital One Auto Finance - they sometimes work with non-traditional income sources. Also check if you qualify for any first-time buyer programs that might be more flexible.

Try looking at smaller, independent dealerships rather than big chain lots - they're often more willing to work with unique situations. I'd also suggest getting pre-approved through a credit union first before shopping. Navy Federal and SEFCU (if you're in the Capital Region) have been known to consider unemployment benefits. Having that pre-approval letter in hand gives you more negotiating power with dealers. Also, consider certified pre-owned vehicles instead of new ones - lower payments might make lenders more comfortable with your temporary income situation.

I feel your pain - this exact same thing happened to my sister last month! The system randomly applied some ancient penalty from years ago when she wasn't even collecting unemployment. It turned out to be a major glitch where old records were getting mixed up with current accounts. That 2015 date is definitely not normal - it screams system error to me. The fact that you're getting both a forfeit AND still owing money sounds like the system is applying multiple penalties incorrectly. My sister ended up having to be really persistent, but she eventually got through and they admitted it was a mistake on their end. They released all her back payments in one lump sum about a week later. The key was having all her documentation ready when she finally got someone on the phone. Don't give up - this sounds like a legitimate system error that they'll have to fix once someone actually looks at your account properly. The timing and that weird expiration date are too suspicious to be coincidental.

This is so frustrating but unfortunately very typical of the NY unemployment system right now. That 2015 expiration date is a dead giveaway that something is seriously wrong with your account - either old data got mixed up or there's a system glitch affecting multiple people. I've been following similar issues in this community and it seems like there was a major system update that went wrong, causing old penalties and random dates to appear on current accounts. The fact that you weren't even on unemployment in 2015 makes this pretty clearly a system error. The double penalty situation (forfeit + still owing money) doesn't make sense either. Normally if they forfeit your entire weekly payment, that should count toward any penalty balance, not be separate from it. Here's what I'd recommend based on what's worked for others: - Document everything immediately, especially that 2015 date before it potentially gets "fixed" and disappears - Try the secure messaging system first asking specifically about the date discrepancy - If that fails, the callback services people mentioned seem to be the most reliable way to actually reach a human - Consider contacting your state representative's office - they often have direct lines to DOL Don't let them wear you down - this sounds like a legitimate system error that they'll have to fix once someone actually reviews your case. Keep us posted on how it goes!