Just went through this exact situation last month! Don't beat yourself up about the two week delay - I waited almost three weeks because I was hoping my employer would call me back. The key thing is to file immediately now. When you file through my.ny.gov, make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment info for the last 18 months ready. The system will ask for your last day worked and reason for separation, so be specific about being laid off. One tip that helped me: if you run into any technical issues with the website (it can be glitchy during peak hours), try filing early in the morning or late evening when there's less traffic. Good luck!

I just went through this process a couple months ago after being laid off from my warehouse job. Like others mentioned, you definitely want to file ASAP - don't wait any longer! The good news is that even though you can't backdate those two weeks, the application itself is pretty straightforward once you get started. One thing that tripped me up was making sure I had my separation paperwork ready - if your employer gave you any kind of layoff notice or termination letter, have that handy when you file. It helps speed up the process since they need to verify your reason for unemployment. Also, once you get your claim going, set up direct deposit right away if you can - it's way faster than waiting for paper checks in the mail.

One more tip - if they ask about your availability to work, be specific! Don't just say "anytime" - give them actual hours like "Monday through Friday 8am-6pm, weekends flexible" or whatever works for you. They want to see that you're genuinely available and actively seeking work. Also keep your phone nearby in case they need to call you directly after the meeting for any follow-up questions. The whole process is way less scary than it seems, you'll do great! 😊

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - you're going to do fine! One thing that really helped me was having a glass of water nearby during the call. I got so nervous I had dry mouth halfway through 😂 Also, if you don't understand a question, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat it or clarify - they're used to people being nervous and they'd rather you ask than guess wrong. The person I spoke with was actually pretty nice and patient. Take a deep breath, you've got all the prep you need from this thread! Good luck on Friday! 🤞

been getting unemployment for 8 weeks now and yeah the tax thing confused me too at first!! just go with the 10% its easier trust me you dont want to owe money later

The missing $1 could be a few different things - sometimes there are small administrative fees or rounding adjustments that aren't always clearly explained. I'd definitely call the NYS DOL to get the exact breakdown of your deductions. Also worth double-checking your benefit calculation - make sure your weekly benefit amount is actually $504 and not slightly less, which could account for the difference. You can find your exact benefit details in your payment history on the my.ny.gov portal.

I had this exact same panic when I first saw my waiting week date! Filed in June but my waiting week showed a date in August - made no sense at all. But like everyone else is saying, it's just when their system processed the administrative stuff, not when you actually served your waiting week. The NY unemployment system runs on what feels like technology from the stone age and nothing ever makes sense date-wise. As long as you're getting paid for the weeks after your waiting week, you're golden. I've been through this whole process twice now and those backend processing dates are always random and confusing. If you're still worried about it though, definitely worth calling to double-check everything looks right on your claim. The phone system is a nightmare but at least you'll have peace of mind knowing everything is set up correctly!

I'm dealing with the same exact thing right now! Filed in August but my waiting week shows a date from October. I was totally freaking out thinking they messed up my claim somehow, but after reading all these responses it seems like their system just shows random processing dates that don't match reality at all. The NY unemployment system is seriously the most confusing thing I've ever dealt with. I've been getting my regular weekly payments though, so I guess that's what actually matters. Still might try calling just to double-check everything is correct with my claim - better to be paranoid than miss out on benefits! Thanks everyone for explaining how this works, you probably saved me hours of stress wondering if something was wrong 😅

been there! just keep your job search records updated and ready because they might ask for them during the new claim review process

I went through this exact same situation about 3 months ago and it was definitely stressful at first! The key thing is to file your new claim as soon as possible - don't wait. When you file the new claim, they'll look at your wages from the past 15 months to determine eligibility, so any work you did while collecting benefits should count toward your new base period. One tip: gather all your employment documentation beforehand including any 1099s or W-2s from temporary or part-time work during your benefit year. The process took about 10 days for me to get approved and start receiving benefits again. Hang in there - you're not alone in dealing with this confusing system!