To answer your follow-up question - you don't need to provide LLC documentation to NYS Department of Labor unless they specifically request it during an audit or investigation. The important thing is accurate weekly reporting. If your business starts generating income, even $1, report it. If you work on business activities during a week you're claiming benefits, report those hours.

I went through this exact situation last year and want to share what I learned. You can absolutely form an LLC while collecting unemployment - I did it and had no issues. The key is understanding the difference between forming the LLC (which is just legal paperwork) and actually operating the business. NYS Department of Labor doesn't care about the paperwork part, but once you start doing any work activities for the business, you need to report it on your weekly claims. My advice: file the LLC if you want to get that step done, but be very careful about any business activities until you're ready to potentially transition off unemployment. Also, keep detailed records of everything - dates, hours worked, any income, etc. The documentation saved me when I had questions later.

The pandemic programs ending was such a mess. So many people got cut off suddenly and didn't understand why. At least now the system is back to normal operations but it's still a pain to navigate sometimes.

I remember the confusion back in 2021 when those programs ended. A lot of people didn't realize the cutoff was so abrupt. Your brother might want to check if he qualifies for regular NY unemployment instead - the eligibility requirements are different but if he recently lost a job he might still have options. The NYS Department of Labor website has a good eligibility checker tool that can help determine if someone qualifies for current benefits.

Based on what you've described, there are several potential causes for this delay: 1. Identity verification issues - very common in 2025 with the new security protocols 2. Employer response delays - they have 10 business days to respond to claims 3. Wage discrepancy investigation 4. Prior claim issues that need resolution 5. Work search documentation gaps Here's what you should do: 1. Request to speak specifically with a claims examiner, not just a general rep 2. Ask for the specific issue code on your account (they can see this) 3. Request a supervisor if they won't provide details 4. Mention Section 590.1 of NY Labor Law which requires prompt payment of benefits 5. Submit a message through your online account specifically requesting claim status detail The fact that you received a monetary determination is actually positive - it means you're financially eligible. The hold-up is likely related to one of the non-monetary eligibility factors.

Any updates on your situation? Were you able to get through and find out what's happening with your claim?

My cousin had the same worry but her immigration lawyer told her to definitely file for unemployment since she earned it. She's been collecting for 4 months now with no immigration issues. Don't let fear keep you from getting benefits you're entitled to!

I completely understand your anxiety about this - it's such a scary situation when you're worried about your immigration status! But everyone here is absolutely right. I went through this exact same worry when I was laid off during my green card process. Unemployment insurance is NOT considered public charge because it's an earned benefit - you literally paid for this insurance through your payroll deductions. The USCIS policy manual specifically excludes unemployment compensation from public charge considerations. I collected UI for about 8 months and it had zero impact on my immigration case. Don't let fear prevent you from accessing benefits you earned and deserve! File your claim with NYS Department of Labor - you paid into this system and you're entitled to these benefits.

Just wanted to add that you should register ASAP because some people have had their claims held up for not completing the work registration requirement on time. Better safe than sorry with NYS Department of Labor - they're pretty strict about following all the rules.

I went through this process a few months ago and want to add that the work registration on jobs.labor.ny.gov also requires you to upload a resume. Make sure your resume is in a common format like PDF or Word doc - I had issues with other formats being rejected. Also, once you're registered, you can actually use job applications through their portal as part of your required 3 weekly job search activities, so it does serve a dual purpose. The key is doing it within that first week like Rachel mentioned - NYS Department of Labor is really strict about the timeline.