I'm really sorry to hear about your company closing down after 15 years - that's such devastating news for you and all your coworkers. You absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits since this is a clear case of involuntary separation due to business closure, not any performance issues on your part. I went through a similar situation when my previous employer shut down operations unexpectedly, and while it's overwhelming at first, the process is actually quite manageable if you stay organized. Here's what I'd recommend: start gathering your documentation NOW while you still have access to everything. Get copies of recent pay stubs, any official closure announcements, your supervisor's contact info, and save screenshots of company emails about the shutdown. You can file your claim online at my.ny.gov starting the week you actually become unemployed (not before). One thing that really helped speed up my approval was asking HR for a brief letter on company letterhead confirming the closure date and that all employees were laid off due to business closure - this eliminates any questions about the separation reason. Also, if your company mentions severance pay, make sure to report that when filing as it might affect your benefit start date. Business closures are typically the most straightforward unemployment cases since there's no dispute about why you're filing. You're smart to start preparing early - that preparation will make everything go much smoother. Hang in there during this difficult transition!

I'm so sorry to hear about your company closing after 15 years - that's incredibly difficult news to process. You absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits since this is a business closure, which counts as involuntary separation through no fault of your own. Based on what others have shared, here's what I'd prioritize: First, start collecting documentation immediately while you still have workplace access - recent pay stubs, any closure announcements, supervisor contact info, and screenshots of company communications about the shutdown. Second, ask HR for an official letter on company letterhead confirming the closure date and that layoffs are due to business closure (not performance) - this seems to really speed up approval based on everyone's experiences here. You can file online at my.ny.gov starting the week you actually stop working, not before. If there's any severance offered, make sure to report that as it could affect benefit timing. The good news is business closures are typically straightforward cases since there's no question about separation reason. It's overwhelming now, but you're being smart by preparing early. Having your paperwork organized will make the whole process much smoother. Stay strong during this transition - you've got this!

Make sure you're reporting ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim, even if it's cash work or just a few hours. NYS Department of Labor cross-references with employers and not reporting can trigger an overpayment investigation. The formula is: Weekly Benefit Rate minus (Earnings minus 25% of Weekly Benefit Rate) = Your payment amount.

Just want to add that the earnings calculation can get tricky if you have variable hours each week. I learned the hard way that you need to report earnings for the week you actually worked, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday but got paid the following Tuesday, those earnings count for the week you worked. Also, if your part-time earnings consistently put you over the benefit amount, NYS Department of Labor might eventually close your claim assuming you're no longer unemployed. Keep track of your hours and earnings carefully!

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your specific situation, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself when I had questions about my base period wages.

Just wanted to add that you should definitely file your claim as soon as possible since there's a waiting period before benefits start. New York has eliminated the unpaid waiting week, but there can still be processing delays. Also, make sure you have all your employment documentation ready - W-2s, pay stubs, and any separation paperwork from your employer. The $75k salary you mentioned shouldn't be an issue at all for eligibility, and you'll likely qualify for close to the maximum weekly benefit amount.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been following this thread closely and is about to go through the same process myself. My benefit year ends next week and I've been really anxious about what comes next, but reading through all these detailed experiences has been incredibly reassuring! The consistency in everyone's advice is really striking - the early morning application timing (7:30-8 AM on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday), having all employment records organized, keeping detailed job search documentation, and being prepared for that verification phone call. It's clear that preparation is absolutely key to making this process smoother. @Drake, @StarSailor, @Amina Diop, @Jungleboo Soletrain - thank you all for sharing such specific details about your recent experiences. It really helps to hear from people who just went through this successfully. The fact that several of you ended up with higher weekly amounts is encouraging too! I'm planning to apply first thing Tuesday morning with all my documents ready. Going to create that comprehensive job search spreadsheet this weekend and make sure I have every piece of employment info organized. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone had experience with the system being down for maintenance? Want to have a backup day in mind just in case Tuesday doesn't work out. Thanks again everyone for making this feel so much less overwhelming. This community support is amazing! 🙏

I just went through this exact process a few weeks ago and wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! Yes, you can definitely reapply immediately after your benefit year expires - I was in the same worried state as you @Omar Fawzi. Here's what worked for me: • Applied online on a Tuesday at 8:15 AM (following the great timing advice from this community!) • Had all employment records from the past 2 years organized in a folder: W-2s, pay stubs, exact employment dates, employer contact details • Created a detailed job search tracker with company names, positions, application dates, and any networking activities • Kept my phone on during business hours - they called me 16 days after applying for a brief verification interview My processing took about 3 weeks total, and surprisingly my new weekly benefit amount was $12 higher than my previous claim due to some freelance work I'd done during my base period. The verification call was super straightforward - maybe 12 minutes where they confirmed employment dates and asked about 4-5 specific job applications. One thing I'd emphasize that others have mentioned - definitely include ALL work during your base period, even short-term contracts or gig work. They're thorough but fair in their verification process. The waiting period is nerve-wracking but the system does work! Keep certifying weekly during processing and maintain detailed job search records. You've got this! 💪 Reading through everyone's experiences in this thread really helped calm my nerves when I was going through it. This community support is invaluable!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and can definitely confirm - yes, you can get both unemployment and Medicaid at the same time! When I lost my job, I was terrified about losing health coverage, but it turned out to be much smoother than expected. I applied for unemployment first through the NYS DOL website, then submitted my Medicaid application through NY State of Health about a week later. The key is being completely honest about your unemployment income on the Medicaid application - they'll ask for your expected annual income, so I just estimated based on my weekly UI benefit amount. I was getting around $395/week in unemployment and still qualified for full Medicaid coverage because that annual amount kept me well under the income threshold. The whole Medicaid approval process took about 3 weeks for me. Having both programs running simultaneously was such a lifesaver during my job search - the peace of mind of knowing I had both income support and health coverage made all the difference. My advice would be to apply for both ASAP and don't overthink it. The system is designed to help people in transition like us!

I'm in the exact same situation right now - just lost my job last Friday and my employer coverage ends at the end of this month. This thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to apply for both unemployment through NYS DOL and Medicaid through NY State of Health. It's such a relief to hear from so many people who successfully got both programs at the same time. I was really worried that getting UI benefits would somehow disqualify me from Medicaid, but it sounds like as long as you're honest about the income, most people still qualify since the weekly amounts are relatively low. I'm estimating I'll get around $365/week in unemployment based on my previous salary, which seems to be well within the range where everyone here still got approved for Medicaid. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - it's making this whole overwhelming situation feel so much more manageable!