I'm so sorry you're dealing with this situation - chronic back pain from warehouse work is no joke and it's frustrating when employers won't make reasonable accommodations. Based on what others have shared here, you definitely have a strong case for unemployment benefits. NYS Department of Labor does recognize medical reasons as "good cause" for quitting, especially when you've documented your condition and attempted to work with your employer first. Since you have the medical documentation from your doctor stating the heavy lifting would worsen your condition AND you tried to get lighter duties from your supervisor, you've done everything right. Make sure to include all of that in your application - the medical records, any emails or documentation of your accommodation request, and your supervisor's refusal. The process might take several weeks for review, but don't let that discourage you. Keep filing your weekly claims even during the review period and stay positive. You took the right steps to protect your health, and that's what matters most.

I went through a very similar situation about 8 months ago with a knee injury from my job at a distribution center. Like you, I had medical documentation stating that prolonged standing and heavy lifting would worsen my condition, but my employer refused to provide any accommodations. I was really nervous about filing for unemployment since I technically quit, but NYS Department of Labor approved my claim after about 4 weeks of review. The key things that helped my case were: having my doctor explicitly state in writing that continuing the job would "exacerbate" my injury, keeping screenshots of all text messages and emails where I requested accommodations, and writing a detailed timeline of events when I filed my claim. Don't let the stress get to you too much - you clearly have legitimate medical reasons and tried to work with your employer first. Make sure to emphasize in your application that quitting was your last resort after your supervisor refused reasonable accommodations despite proper medical documentation. You've got this!

I'm also going through this exact same waiting period right now! Filed my claim about 11 days ago and have been obsessively refreshing my my.ny.gov account hoping to see some update from that dreaded "claim under review" status. Finding this thread has been such a lifesaver - I honestly had no idea that 2-3 weeks was completely normal processing time even for straightforward cases. Like so many others here, I was also laid off due to company downsizing and this is my first time ever filing for unemployment, so I've been convinced I must have made some error on my application. Reading through everyone's shared experiences has completely shifted my perspective from panic mode to understanding that this waiting period is just part of how the system works. The informed delivery tip that keeps getting mentioned throughout this thread is absolutely genius - just signed up for that so I'll at least have some advance notice when that determination letter is finally on its way! It's incredible how much better it feels knowing we're all going through this same nerve-wracking experience together. Thanks for posting this question - you've created such a supportive space for first-time filers like us who had no clue what timeline to expect. Going to try really hard to limit myself to checking once per day instead of my current habit of refreshing multiple times daily!

I'm also in the waiting phase - filed my claim about a week and a half ago and have been checking my account daily! This thread has been so helpful to discover. Like everyone else here, this is my first time filing for unemployment and I was starting to wonder if I'd done something wrong since I hadn't heard anything yet. I was also laid off due to company downsizing, so it's really reassuring to see so many of us in similar clear-cut situations. Reading all these shared experiences has really put things in perspective - I went from thinking there was an issue with my application to understanding that 2-3 weeks is completely standard processing time. Just signed up for informed delivery based on all the great recommendations here! It's amazing how much this community has helped ease the anxiety of not knowing what timeline to expect. Thanks for creating this thread - it's been such a relief to know we're all going through this same waiting period together. Going to try to be more patient and trust the process now that I know this is totally normal!

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! Was on short-term disability for 3 months after a car accident, got medical clearance to return to work, but my company had eliminated my position during "cost-cutting measures" while I was out. Filed for unemployment immediately after getting my clearance letter and was approved within about 2 weeks. The key things that helped me were: 1) Having my medical clearance documentation ready, 2) Being clear that I was able and available for work, and 3) explaining that my job loss was due to company restructuring, not anything I did. NYS Department of Labor was actually very understanding about the situation. Don't stress too much - this type of scenario is more common than you'd think, and as long as you're medically cleared and ready to work, you should be fine. Make sure to file your weekly certifications on time even while waiting for approval!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm literally in the exact same situation right now - was on short-term disability for 4 months due to a workplace injury, just got medical clearance to return to work yesterday, but HR told me this morning that my position was eliminated during a "reorganization" that happened 2 months ago while I was out. I've been panicking all day thinking I might not qualify for unemployment because of the disability period, but reading everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief! It sounds like having the medical clearance is the most important thing. I'm definitely going to file my claim tomorrow morning. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it's so helpful to know I'm not alone in this situation and that there's hope for getting approved!

Been through this twice now. Keep filing, report income accurately, and save copies of everything. When the contract ends, your benefits should resume at the full amount automatically. Just make sure you're still meeting job search requirements during the contract if NYS Department of Labor requires it.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year with a 4-week consulting gig. The advice here is spot on - definitely keep filing your weekly claims and report every dollar you earn. What helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my contract earnings each week so I could report accurately. The partial benefit calculation worked in my favor since the contract paid less than my full weekly benefit amount. One thing to note: make sure you understand if your contract work affects your job search requirements. In my case, I still had to log job search activities even while working the contract. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I got into the routine of accurate reporting.

Just to add some clarity on the 25% rule that Liam mentioned - it's actually 25% of your weekly benefit rate OR $100, whichever is LESS. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you'd get $100 (25% of $400). But if your weekly benefit is $300, you'd only get $75 (25% of $300). After that threshold, it's dollar-for-dollar reduction. I found this out the hard way when I assumed it was always $100. Also, make sure you're reporting gross earnings before any expenses or fees that Uber takes out - NYS Department of Labor wants the total amount you earned, not what you actually received after their cuts.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also keep track of your vehicle expenses if you're driving for Uber Eats - gas, wear and tear, etc. While you still have to report the gross earnings to NYS Department of Labor, you can deduct those business expenses when you file your taxes next year since you'll be getting a 1099 from Uber. It won't help with your weekly unemployment calculation, but it'll save you money at tax time. Also, definitely download a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Stride - the IRS standard mileage deduction is pretty generous for delivery drivers and can add up to significant savings.