im in literally the exact same boat except im 68. been trying to reach someone for weeks to figure out my options smh

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. As someone new to this community, I wanted to mention that at 71 with cancer affecting your ability to work, you may also want to look into Medicare benefits if you haven't already - they can help cover some of your medical costs while you're navigating the disability application process. Also, many cancer support organizations have financial assistance programs that might help bridge the gap. The American Cancer Society has a helpline that can connect you with local resources. Wishing you the best! 🙏

Just wanted to add that even if you can't get unemployment, you should look into other programs. There might be small business assistance or other safety net programs available. Don't give up!

Another option to consider is applying for SNAP (food assistance) or other emergency aid programs while you figure out your business situation. These programs don't have the same employment requirements as unemployment insurance. You can apply online through ACCESS HRA or myBenefits.ny.gov. Also, some local food banks and community organizations offer emergency financial assistance for small business owners - it's worth calling 211 to see what resources are available in your area.

btw make sure u answer NO when it asks if u returned to work. i messed up and hit yes once thinking it meant ever and it completely stopped my payments. took 3 weeks to fix.

Update: I successfully reopened my claim! For anyone with the same question - if you still have effective days left within your benefit year, you don't file a new claim. You just go through the normal certification process and it reactivates automatically. Thanks everyone for your help!

ugh the whole system is so confusing when you're already stressed about losing your job!! I went through this last year and it took forever to figure out what I was entitled to. Just take it one step at a time and don't let them overwhelm you with paperwork.

I went through something similar when I lost my job in manufacturing. The key thing is that unemployment benefits and mortgage protection insurance are completely separate - you can and should pursue both. For NYS Department of Labor, file online as soon as possible since there's typically a one-week waiting period before benefits start. Don't let the mortgage insurance paperwork delay your UI claim. Most mortgage protection policies do cover job loss, but they often have their own waiting periods (mine was 60 days) and may only cover a portion of your payment. Call your lender's insurance department directly - they can walk you through your specific coverage. Keep all your layoff documentation handy for both claims. You've got this!

Thanks for the update! This is super helpful to know. I just went through the same thing yesterday - uploaded all my documents and got the blank page with no confirmation. I was starting to worry I'd have to start over. It's reassuring to hear that the uploads are still working even with the email confirmation issues. Hopefully they fix this soon since it causes so much unnecessary stress for people already dealing with unemployment!

Just wanted to add my recent experience to help others going through this! I had the exact same blank page issue when uploading my documents two weeks ago. After reading through this thread, I decided to wait the recommended 3-5 business days before panicking. Sure enough, when I logged into my NY.gov account after about 4 days, I could see all my documents had been processed and were showing as "received" in my claim status. The key thing I learned is to check your overall claim status page rather than looking for a specific "Documents" tab - the uploaded files show up as part of your claim timeline. It's definitely a relief to know this is just a system glitch and not actually a failed upload! Hopefully they fix the confirmation issue soon since it's clearly causing unnecessary stress for so many people.