honestly the whole unemployment tax system is confusing AF. why can't they just make it simple and tell you straight up if you need to pay or not instead of all these weird exceptions and thresholds

Just went through this exact situation with my business last month! As an LLC with employees, you're definitely required to register for unemployment insurance if you meet the wage threshold. The key thing to remember is that it's not just about number of employees - if you pay $300+ in wages in any calendar quarter, you need to register within 10 days of meeting that threshold. Don't wait like I did! I had to pay some back taxes because I thought I had more time to figure it out. The registration process itself isn't too bad once you get started, but definitely don't delay if you think you might already be over that $300 quarterly limit.

same here wondering about the money amounts. my job is cutting hours so might need to file soon

@Caleb Stark - Your calculation sounds about right! With $11,500 in your highest quarter, you'd get around $442 per week ($11,500 ÷ 26 = $442.31). Just make sure you have all your wage records ready when you file - sometimes employers don't report everything correctly to the state. Also, remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld or set some aside for tax season. The good news is that $442/week for up to 26 weeks could definitely help cover basic expenses while job hunting.

I'm going through something very similar! Filed in mid-January and have been stuck on "determining benefit rate" for about 7 weeks now. Like you, I got my determination letter weeks ago but still no payments. What's really getting to me is that I can see other people who filed after me already getting their benefits while I'm still waiting. Based on all the advice in this thread, I think I'm going to try a few different approaches this week: calling right at 8:00 AM Monday morning, sending another message through the portal specifically mentioning my determination letter date and requesting an "escalation," and looking up my state representative. It's ridiculous that we have to become detective investigators just to get our own benefits! Thanks for posting this Emma - reading everyone's experiences and suggestions has been really helpful. At least now I know this isn't just happening to me and there are actual steps I can take. Hoping we all get this resolved soon! 🙏

I'm so sorry you're going through this Emma! I had a very similar experience last year - stuck in "determining benefit rate" limbo for 8 weeks despite having my determination letter. What finally broke through for me was a combination of persistence and luck. I called exactly at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday (avoid Mondays - everyone calls then) and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent found that my account had been flagged because one of my previous employers had submitted conflicting wage information AFTER my determination letter was already sent out. She cleared the flag in literally 2 minutes and my backpay hit my account 3 days later. The key things that helped: 1) Have your determination letter date ready when you call, 2) Ask specifically about "system flags" or "wage investigations," and 3) Don't let them just tell you to "wait" - ask for the specific reason for the delay. Also keep certifying every week! You WILL get all your backpay once this gets resolved. The system is definitely broken but there are real people there who can help once you reach them. Hang in there! 💪

That's correct - being in a probationary period when terminated doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits. What matters is your work history over the past 18 months and whether you were terminated for misconduct or quit voluntarily. If you were laid off or terminated without cause, you should be eligible regardless of probationary status.

I work at a local workforce development center and see this situation a lot unfortunately. The harsh reality is yes, you've likely lost out on a significant amount in benefits by waiting 4+ months. NYS caps the backdate at 28 days, so you're looking at losing roughly 12-14 weeks of potential payments. But don't let that stop you from filing RIGHT NOW - every day you wait is another day of benefits lost. Also worth noting that even if you get approved, the 26-week benefit period started ticking from when you first became unemployed, not when you file. So your benefit weeks are already being consumed. File today through ny.gov and don't wait for perfect information - you can always provide additional documentation later.

I went through something similar earlier this year! My payments stopped in May and I didn't get them resolved until August. The most important thing is to be persistent and document everything. When you do get through to someone, ask them to check for any "adjudication flags" or "system holds" on your account - that's usually what causes the sudden payment stops. Also, since you're now working, make sure to tell them the exact date you returned to work so they can calculate your final eligible week correctly. They should be able to process all your backpay for July through September in one lump sum once they clear whatever is blocking your account. Don't give up - you're definitely entitled to that money for the weeks you properly certified!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My payments stopped in August and I've been getting the runaround for weeks. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually really helpful - I didn't know about the secure message option through NY.gov or that service Summer mentioned for getting through the phone lines. @Harold Oh - one thing that might help while you're trying all these contact methods is to screenshot or print your weekly certification history from your online account. When I was digging through mine, I noticed it shows the dates you certified and whether payment was "pending" vs "paid" for each week. Having that ready when you do get through to someone will probably speed things up since you can point to exactly which weeks they owe you for. Also wanted to add - I've heard from other people in unemployment Facebook groups that sometimes calling the local career centers can help too. They can't process payments but they might be able to escalate your case or at least confirm what's showing in the system. Worth a shot if the main number keeps hanging up on you!