Wednesday mornings for me, like clockwork. Been on unemployment for 3 months now and it's always Wednesday around 6am if I file Sunday night. Your bank might be different though.

I'm new to the unemployment system and just filed my first claim last week. Reading through these responses is really helpful! One thing I'm wondering - do you get any kind of notification when the payment is actually sent, or do you just have to keep checking your bank account? Also, is there a specific time of day when NYS Department of Labor usually releases payments, or does it vary? Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!

ugh the whole unemployment tax system is so confusing for small businesses. between federal and NYS Department of Labor requirements its like they want us to fail. why cant they just make it simple??

As someone who went through this process recently, I'd recommend getting your NYS Department of Labor employer registration done ASAP if you haven't already. You'll need to register within 20 days of becoming liable for unemployment insurance. For the tax calculations, keep detailed records of your quarterly wages paid - you'll need this for both federal (FUTA at 6% on first $7,000 per employee annually, reduced to 0.6% if you pay state taxes timely) and NYS state unemployment taxes. The NYS Department of Labor will assign you a tax rate based on your industry initially, then adjust it based on your claims experience over time.

Hey @GalaxyGuardian, I went through the exact same thing last month. The $0.00 balance is usually because they're waiting on wage verification from your employer or need you to submit additional documents. A few things that helped me: - Log into your account and check the "Messages" section - sometimes they request docs there - Make sure you uploaded your most recent pay stubs if you haven't already - Keep filing weekly no matter what (this is key!) I know it's frustrating but once they process everything, you'll get all the back payments. Took about 6 weeks total for me but got a nice lump sum when it finally went through. Hang in there! 💪

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - filed 3 weeks ago and still showing $0.00. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here! @Esteban Tate your advice about checking the Messages section is super helpful, gonna do that right now. It's so frustrating not being able to get through on the phone but sounds like persistence is key. At least knowing I'm not alone in this makes me feel a bit better 😅

ugh this brings back memories of my own unemployment nightmare last year. took forever to get approved and then they said I was overpaid and wanted money back! the whole system is just broken. hang in there OP

I'm dealing with a similar situation - been waiting 8 weeks for adjudication after being laid off from my job of 5 years. What's frustrating is the lack of transparency about what's actually happening with your claim. They just say "pending" with no timeline or explanation. I've tried calling dozens of times but can never get through. Has anyone had success with contacting their local assembly member or senator's office? I heard they sometimes have staff who can help navigate NYS Department of Labor issues.

also make sure you understand the difference between your weekly benefit amount and your maximum benefit amount, those are two totally different things that confuse everyone

Just to add to what others have said - your $320 weekly benefit amount is indeed the gross amount before taxes. If you opted for federal tax withholding (which is 10%), you'd receive $288 per week. New York state doesn't have income tax on unemployment benefits, so you only need to worry about federal taxes. Also keep in mind that this $320 is what you get for a full week of unemployment - if you work any hours during a week, NYS Department of Labor has a partial benefit formula that will reduce your payment based on your earnings that week.