This has been such a valuable thread! As someone who's been collecting NY unemployment for about 6 months now, I can confirm what everyone is saying - short trips are absolutely fine. I've traveled to visit family in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and even took a week-long vacation in Miami, and never had any issues as long as I kept up with my work search requirements and was ready to come back if needed. The key thing I learned early on is that the "residence" question is really asking about your permanent living situation, not temporary travel. I always certify online from wherever I am and answer honestly about my permanent address remaining the same. It's great to see Mason's update that everything worked out perfectly - that's exactly what should happen when you handle it correctly!

I went through this exact same situation last month when I visited my parents in Florida for a few days! I was so nervous about messing up my certification, but everything worked out fine. Like everyone else has said, the key is understanding that they're asking about permanent residence changes, not temporary travel. I certified online from Florida, answered 'no' to the residence question since I hadn't moved, and my benefits continued normally. The most important thing is making sure you can still do your work search activities and would be able to return quickly if you got a job opportunity. It's such a relief to see Mason's update confirming everything went smoothly - this is exactly how it should work when you handle it correctly!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim 12 days ago and my status also just shows "claim established" with no payments yet. It's so frustrating not knowing if everything is processing normally or if there's a problem. I've been religiously filing my weekly claims but like you, my payment history is completely empty. The stress of waiting when you need the money for basic expenses like rent is overwhelming. Have you tried checking if there's a specific reason for the delay in your account somewhere, or does it just show the basic status? Really hoping we both hear something soon!

I went through this same exact situation about 6 months ago and the waiting period was absolutely nerve-wracking! What really helped me was understanding that NYS Department of Labor has to go through several verification steps before releasing that first payment. In my case, it took almost 4 weeks because my previous employer was slow to respond to the wage verification request. One thing I wish I had known earlier - you can actually check if there are any pending issues by looking at the "Determinations" section of your account (if it exists). Also, I found that calling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays around 8 AM gave me better luck getting through than Mondays or Fridays. The key thing everyone here is saying is absolutely right - keep filing those weekly claims religiously even while waiting. I missed one week thinking my claim wasn't active yet and lost that week's payment permanently. The system will backdate your payments once everything gets approved, but only for weeks you actually filed. Hang in there - I know the financial stress is real when you're counting on that money!

same boat here, filed last month and still waiting. at least you know what to expect now. the waiting is the worst part but once it gets going the payments come regularly

Don't panic - you're actually in a pretty normal spot right now! The "claim pending" status is typical for the first week or two. Here's what helped me when I went through this process: 1) Set up email/text alerts in your my.ny.gov account so you don't miss any requests for documents, 2) Start keeping a job search log RIGHT NOW even before approval - I use a simple spreadsheet with company name, position, date applied, and contact method, 3) File your weekly claim this Sunday regardless of pending status (this tripped me up initially), and 4) Be patient with the determination letter - mine took about 10 business days. The system is slow but it does work eventually. You've got this!

Does anyone know if this 4-hour rule applies to self-employment income too? I do some freelancing on the side and I'm trying to figure out how to properly report my hours.

Just wanted to add that if you're planning to adjust your work hours to stay under the 16-hour threshold, make sure to communicate with your employer about why you need specific hour limits. I had to explain to my manager that working 15 hours vs 16 hours makes a $187 difference in my weekly benefits. Most employers are understanding once you explain the situation, especially if you're a reliable worker. Some even prefer part-time employees who are clear about their availability limits. Also, keep track of EVERY minute you work - including training time, meetings, and even time spent reading work emails at home, as all of this counts toward your total hours reported to NYSDOL.

Yuki, your situation sounds very similar to what I went through last year! I had my appeal hearing in March after being wrongfully denied for "voluntary quit" when I was actually terminated without cause. The judge ruled in my favor and I received my back pay exactly 19 days after the hearing. NYS Department of Labor processed everything automatically once they received the judge's written decision. One thing that really helped was setting up direct deposit beforehand - the paper checks can take an extra week or two to arrive by mail. Also, even though you didn't file weekly claims during the appeal (which is totally understandable since the whole process is confusing), you should still get your full back pay calculated from your original claim date. The system will backfill those weeks once your claim is approved. Hang in there - it sounds like your hearing went really well and you should see that money soon!

I went through a very similar appeal process with NYS Department of Labor earlier this year after being wrongfully denied for "job abandonment" when I was actually laid off. My hearing was in July and the judge ruled in my favor. The whole process from hearing to receiving back pay took about 22 days, which included getting the written decision and then NYS DOL processing everything. One tip that really helped me was calling their customer service line about a week after receiving the favorable decision letter just to confirm they had received it and my claim was being updated in their system. Sometimes there can be small administrative delays between the judge issuing the decision and the benefits department actually processing it. Also make sure to keep checking your online account at my.ny.gov - that's where you'll see your claim status change from "denied" to "approved" before the money actually hits your account. The waiting is definitely stressful especially when you're behind on bills, but it sounds like your hearing went really well so you should be getting good news soon!