Being laid off is way easier than other situations for unemployment. I got laid off from my restaurant job last year and had no issues at all - claim was approved in like 10 days. Just make sure you have your last pay stub and any layoff notice from your employer when you file.

One thing I'd add is to file your claim online as soon as possible after your last day of work - don't wait! The NYS Department of Labor website (labor.ny.gov) lets you file 24/7 and it's much faster than trying to call. Also, if your company is doing a mass layoff (50+ people), they might have already filed a WARN notice with the state which can actually speed up processing since DOL already knows about the layoffs. Make sure to keep all your paperwork from your employer about the layoff - having that documentation ready will help if they need any clarification during the review process.

Make sure when you file that you answer the questions about your availability honestly. If there were any dates when you couldn't work due to the disability, report those accurately. NYS Department of Labor will likely put your claim into adjudication to review the circumstances, but as long as you're truthful about the timeline and have medical clearance, you should be approved.

UGH the whole system is so confusing!!! Why can't they just have clear answers about this stuff on their website? I swear NYS Department of Labor makes everything more complicated than it needs to be.

Check your my.ny.gov account under payment history. Sometimes it shows the card delivery status there. Also make sure you didn't accidentally throw it away - the envelope looks like junk mail and the card itself is pretty thin.

I went through the same thing last month - waited almost 4 weeks for my card! Turns out the postal service had a delay in my area. What finally worked for me was calling KeyBank early in the morning (like 8 AM sharp) when their lines weren't as busy. They were able to confirm my address and expedite a replacement card. Also, definitely check with your post office to see if they're holding any mail for you - sometimes they hold cards if the delivery person couldn't access your mailbox or if your address wasn't clear.

My sister went through this exact thing! She documented everything for months - kept a journal of incidents, saved emails, even recorded conversations (check if that's legal in NY first). When she finally quit and filed for unemployment, she got approved after about 3 weeks of adjudication. The key was showing she tried multiple times to resolve it through proper channels first.

wait so if I quit can I still file weekly claims while they're deciding? or do I have to wait until the adjudication is over? this is so confusing

I'm in a really similar situation right now - just got told by my doctor that I need to take extended leave for mental health reasons and I was panicking about how I'd pay my bills. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief! I had no idea that NY State Disability Benefits was even an option. I was getting so frustrated trying to figure out the unemployment "able and available" requirement when I clearly can't work right now. It sounds like the wcb.ny.gov online application is definitely the way to go based on what everyone's shared. I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow to make sure they understand what forms they'll need to fill out. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories - it's really comforting to know that other people have gotten through this process successfully. Sometimes you just need to hear that there's actually help available when you're dealing with health issues!

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! My rheumatologist just told me I need to stop working due to a lupus flare that's been getting progressively worse. I was so confused about the unemployment requirements too - kept reading about being "able and available" and thinking there was no way I'd qualify when I literally can't work right now. This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening about NY State Disability Benefits through the Workers' Compensation Board. I had no idea this program even existed! It's such a relief to hear from so many people who've actually been approved and received benefits. I'm definitely going to apply through wcb.ny.gov based on everyone's recommendations here. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's made me feel so much less alone in dealing with this situation. Sometimes when you're dealing with a chronic illness, it feels like the system isn't set up to help you, but knowing there are actual resources available makes such a difference!