If you're struggling to reach NYS Department of Labor for questions about your earnings calculation, I found claimyr.com really helpful. They can get you through to an actual agent who can review your work history and explain if you meet the 3x WBA requirement. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Much easier than trying to call the regular number and getting hung up on.

Pro tip: if you're close to the 3x WBA threshold, make sure NYS Department of Labor has all your wage information. Sometimes employers report wages late or there are data entry errors. You can request a wage transcript to verify everything is correct before assuming you don't qualify.

I'm also dealing with the adjudication wait right now - filed about 6 days ago and seeing that same "adjudication in progress" message. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really helpful though. It sounds like 3-4 weeks is pretty standard for straightforward layoff cases, which is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time. I had no idea you could continue certifying during adjudication, so that's really valuable information. The weekly check approach instead of daily obsessing sounds like a much better strategy for managing the stress too. It's tough when you're already dealing with job loss and then have to wait weeks just to find out if you'll get the benefits you're entitled to, but at least knowing others have successfully gotten through this process helps. Fingers crossed all of us waiting right now will get positive news soon!

I'm currently at 3 weeks in adjudication for my layoff claim, so seeing everyone's timelines here gives me hope I'm getting close to resolution. The NYS Department of Labor really should provide better communication about where you stand in the process - that "adjudication in progress" message tells you absolutely nothing! I've learned to check only on Mondays now instead of constantly refreshing, which has definitely helped my stress levels. For anyone new to this process, definitely keep certifying each week like others mentioned - I almost stopped doing it thinking it was pointless during adjudication but thankfully read about the retroactive payments working that way. The waiting is brutal when you're already dealing with financial pressure from job loss, but it sounds like most straightforward layoff cases do eventually get approved. Hang in there everyone!

Landlords are required to accept bank statements showing deposits as proof in NY state due to the pandemic tenant protections. Print those out and highlight the unemployment deposits. He can't legally reject that as proof.

I went through this exact situation in December! The key is getting the "Benefits Verification Letter" directly from a rep - it's different from the determination letter and shows your current active status plus weekly amount. I tried calling for days with no luck, then used the claimyr service that others mentioned here. Cost like $20 but I got connected to someone in under 2 hours instead of the endless busy signals. The agent emailed me the verification letter immediately while I was still on the phone. Saved my housing situation! Don't waste more time trying to find it online - it literally doesn't exist there. The phone route with claimyr is your best bet to meet that Friday deadline.

Also check out your county's social services office - many have emergency rental assistance and utility help programs that can bridge you while job searching. Nassau and Suffolk counties have decent programs, and NYC has HRA which offers cash assistance. Don't be proud about it, these programs exist for exactly this situation. I used them between jobs and it kept me from losing my apartment.

Just went through this myself - my benefits ended 3 weeks ago. Here's what I wish someone had told me earlier: Start applying for other programs BEFORE week 24, not after. The paperwork takes forever. I'm currently getting help through my county's emergency assistance program and it's literally keeping me afloat. Also, temp agencies can be a lifeline - even if it's not your dream job, any income helps and sometimes temp positions turn permanent. Don't give up, the job market is tough but there are people who want to help if you know where to look.

yeah definitely document stuff but also make sure you understand what counts as good cause. unsafe work conditions, harassment, discrimination, significant pay cuts, major job duty changes - stuff like that. just being unhappy with your boss or coworkers usually doesn't qualify unfortunately

I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago. The hostile work environment piece is key - you'll want to show a pattern of behavior, not just isolated incidents. I kept a journal with dates, times, witnesses present, and exact quotes when possible. Also save any written communications that show the hostile behavior. When I filed, I made sure to be very specific about how the environment affected my ability to do my job and my health. The adjudication process was nerve-wracking but having that documentation really helped my case. One tip: if you have any performance reviews or emails showing you were doing good work before the hostile environment started, that can help show the situation wasn't related to your job performance.