Welcome to the community Jamal! I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago when I got laid off from my digital marketing role. With your $58K salary, you should definitely be getting close to that $504 maximum - I was making $55K and ended up with $489/week. A few things I wish someone had told me upfront: - Your first payment will likely take 10-14 days after approval (mine was 11 days with direct deposit) - Those Sunday certifications are CRITICAL - I set reminders for 8am and 6pm every Sunday because missing even one creates major headaches - Definitely opt for tax withholding if you haven't already - I chose 10% federal and saved myself from a nasty surprise at tax time - Keep detailed records of everything - screenshot your weekly certifications, payment dates, any correspondence The calculation is based on your highest earning quarter in the base period, so if you had a good quarter with bonuses or extra hours, that's what they're using. One last tip from someone who's been there - if you run into any issues that require talking to an actual person at DOL, the regular phone system is basically useless. I tried for days to get through when I had a payment issue. Finally used a service called claimyr.com that handles the hold time and connects you when an agent picks up. Best $20 I ever spent after wasting hours trying to get through myself. Queens rent is no joke, but you should have decent coverage while job hunting. Marketing is definitely picking back up - I actually just landed a new role last month! Hang in there and feel free to ask if you have any other questions. This community has been super helpful throughout my whole unemployment journey.

Hey Jamal! Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently navigated this whole process. I was laid off from my HR coordinator position making about $54K and ended up getting $476/week, so with your $58K salary you should definitely be in that $495-504 range everyone's mentioning. A few things that really helped me that I haven't seen mentioned yet: - If you're job searching actively, keep records of your applications and interviews - sometimes they audit to make sure you're actively looking for work - The NY unemployment website has a section where you can update your skills/resume that some employers actually use for recruiting - Don't be afraid to take on some freelance or part-time work while collecting - you just need to report it during your weekly certification (they'll reduce your benefit proportionally but you might still come out ahead overall) Also seconding what everyone said about those Sunday certifications - I literally have "UNEMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATION" as a recurring calendar event now because missing one is such a pain to fix. First payment took about 12 days for me with direct deposit. The waiting is definitely stressful when you're worried about rent, but it does come through! Hope your job search goes smoothly - marketing roles seem to be opening up more lately from what I've been seeing. This community has been amazing for moral support and practical advice during the whole process!

Been there! The system is so unfair - employers can treat you like garbage but god forbid you try to protect your mental health by leaving. I spent 6 months fighting my denial before finally giving up. Hope you have better luck than I did.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago. The key thing I learned is that you need to document EVERYTHING before you quit - and I mean everything. Screenshots of abusive emails, dates and details of incidents, any witnesses who can back up your story. I also recommend filing a complaint with HR first (even if you know they won't help) because NYS Department of Labor wants to see you tried internal channels. When I applied, they initially denied me too, but I had kept detailed records and eventually won on appeal. The whole process took about 4 months, but I did get my benefits. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible - just make sure you have solid documentation of the hostile work environment before you make your move.

Just wanted to add that while NY doesn't give dependent allowances for regular unemployment, if you end up qualifying for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) or any federal extensions in the future, those also don't include dependent payments. However, I found out that some utility companies have special programs for unemployed customers with children - Con Edison and National Grid both have hardship programs that can help reduce your bills. Also, if your kids are school-age, make sure to ask about free breakfast programs too, not just lunch. Every little bit helps when you're stretching that unemployment check to cover everything. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now - single parent with unemployment benefits trying to make it work. One resource I stumbled upon that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) through your local food bank. It's different from SNAP and you can qualify even if you're already getting food stamps. Also, if you haven't already, check with your local library - many have programs that provide free meals for kids during school breaks and some even have "lending libraries" for things like winter coats and school supplies. The librarians are usually really knowledgeable about local assistance programs too. It's frustrating that NY doesn't help with dependents like some other states, but at least there are these other safety nets if you know where to look.

File right away! I waited like a week because I was embarrassed about being unemployed and it cost me a whole week of benefits. The system doesn't backdate your claim to when you actually lost your job.

I went through this same situation last month when my company had layoffs. The most important thing to know is that NYS doesn't have a specific deadline like "you must file within X days," but your benefit week starts from the date you actually file your claim, not from when you became unemployed. So if you file today, your benefits would be calculated starting today, not from yesterday when you were laid off. I learned this the hard way when I waited almost a week thinking I needed to "get my paperwork together first" - ended up losing out on about $300 in benefits. My advice is to file online at ny.gov today even if you don't have every single document ready. You can always provide additional information later if needed.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My BYE date is coming up next month and I was getting so stressed about whether I'd miss out on my final week of benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like the key things are: 1) You CAN claim for the week ending on your BYE date, 2) You certify AFTER that week ends (so for Sofia, she'd certify on 9/7 for the week ending 9/5), and 3) Any leftover balance does disappear when your benefit year ends. I'm definitely going to take screenshots of my account before my BYE date and try to certify early that Sunday morning like Ava suggested. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating the confusing NYSDOL system!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact situation! My BYE date was 1/10/2025 and I was SO worried about missing that final week. I followed all the advice from threads like this - took screenshots beforehand, logged in early Sunday morning (1/12) to certify for the week ending 1/10, and everything went smoothly. Got my final payment deposited normally. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was calling the NYSDOL automated phone line a few days before my BYE date to confirm my remaining balance and weekly benefit amount. The automated system gave me all the info I needed without having to wait on hold for hours to speak to a human. Also want to echo what others said about preparing early if you think you'll need to file a new claim. I had worked some freelance gigs during my benefit year and was able to calculate that I'd earned enough to qualify for a new claim. Filed it on 1/13 (right after my BYE date) and I'm now in the waiting week for the new benefit year. The whole BYE date process is definitely stressful when you don't know what to expect, but reading experiences like everyone shared here really helped me feel prepared. Sofia, sounds like you've got all the info you need now - you'll be fine!