Just to add - the 26 weeks starts from when you first become eligible, not when you file. So if there was any delay in processing your initial claim, that doesn't eat into your 26 weeks. Also make sure you're doing your job search requirements or they can stop your benefits even if you have weeks left.

I went through something similar when I lost my job in retail last year. One thing that really helped me was keeping track of my benefit weeks in a spreadsheet - I wrote down each week I claimed, the amount, and how many weeks I had left. The NYS DOL website has a section in your account where you can see your remaining balance, but sometimes it's not super clear. Also, don't forget that if you do any part-time work while collecting, you need to report it but you might still get partial benefits depending on how much you earn. The key is staying on top of your weekly certifications and keeping good records of your job search activities.

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same thing - got a $0 deposit yesterday and my claim has been pending for about 2 weeks now. Filed back in January after my company did layoffs. Reading everyone's experiences here gives me some hope that this is actually normal and means they're verifying my bank info before sending real payments. The timeline seems all over the place though - some people got paid in a few days while others are still waiting months! I'm definitely going to start checking my portal messages daily since multiple people mentioned important notifications hiding there. Also going to try calling right when they open at 8am. If nothing happens by next week I might have to try that claimyr service everyone keeps mentioning. This whole unemployment system is such a mess but at least now I know the $0 deposit is a good sign and I'm not alone in this! Thanks for posting this question OP - really needed to see other people going through the same thing right now.

I'm in literally the EXACT same situation right now! Got my $0 deposit this morning and I've been stuck on pending for almost 4 weeks. Filed in late December after my retail store closed permanently. This thread is honestly a godsend - I was starting to think my claim was completely messed up but now I understand the $0 deposit is just their way of verifying bank info before sending actual payments. The timeline differences are wild though - some people get paid in 2-3 days while others wait months! I've been certifying religiously every week but clearly something is holding up my payments. Going to start checking my portal messages obsessively since so many people mentioned critical notifications get buried there with no email alerts. Also planning to call right at 8am starting tomorrow. If I don't see any movement by Friday I'm definitely going to try that claimyr service - seems like actually speaking to a human is the only way to identify what's causing these pending delays. Thanks for posting this OP, knowing I'm not alone in this nightmare makes me feel slightly less crazy! 🙏

been there! the commute distance thing is real - they can't force you to take a job that requires more than a reasonable commute time or cost

From my experience dealing with NYS DOL, the 80% rule that AstroAce mentioned is correct for the first 10 weeks. But there's also a "prevailing wage" consideration - if similar jobs in your area typically pay much less than what you were making, they might argue that the lower wage is reasonable sooner. For the commute issue, generally anything over 1 hour each way or that costs more than 10% of your gross weekly benefit amount is considered unreasonable. I'd recommend calling your local career center to get clarification on your specific situation - they're usually more helpful than the main unemployment line. Keep detailed records of all job referrals and your responses in case you need to appeal any decisions later.

I always certify on Wednesday afternoons around 2-3pm and never have any problems. Most people probably do it on weekends so weekdays are way better

I usually certify on Tuesday evenings around 7-8pm and it's been pretty smooth. The system seems less congested then compared to Sunday mornings. One tip I learned is to have all your work search information ready beforehand - employer names, contact info, dates you applied, etc. It makes the whole process much faster and reduces the chance of timing out while you're looking up information.

ny unemployment stay making everything complicated asf. but yea just file now and worry about the details later

Been through this exact situation! File immediately - don't wait for the severance to end. When you're doing your weekly certification, just report the severance payments honestly. The system will automatically calculate how it affects your benefits. The key thing is getting your claim date established ASAP because that's when your benefit year starts. Even if you don't get payments right away due to severance, you'll be in the system and ready to go once it runs out.