One more thing to keep in mind - when you file your claim, make sure you report your last day of work accurately and any final pay you received (like vacation payout or severance). The NYS Department of Labor will use this to determine your claim start date. Also, if you do any part-time work while collecting unemployment, you need to report those earnings on your weekly certification - they'll reduce your benefit amount but you can still collect partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit rate. The system is designed to encourage people to take part-time work while job searching.

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through this process recently in NYC. I was also confused about the requirements at first, but here's what I learned: The key is having enough "covered employment" - which means jobs where your employer paid into the unemployment system. Your restaurant job definitely counts since they would have been deducting unemployment taxes from your paychecks. The part-time hours don't matter as much as meeting those dollar thresholds that Jade mentioned. I'd recommend calling the Teleclaim Center at 1-888-581-5812 early in the morning (like 8am) to avoid the rush - I found that's when I could actually get through to speak with someone. They can look up your wage history and tell you right away if you qualify before you even file. Also, start gathering your documents now - you'll need your Social Security card, driver's license, and any pay stubs or tax forms from the restaurant job. The sooner you apply after your last day of work, the better, since benefits can be backdated but there are time limits.

Based on your $52k salary, you'll likely qualify for a decent weekly benefit amount. To give you a rough estimate - if your highest quarter was around $13k (which would be typical for that salary), you'd get about $500 per week, which is close to the maximum. The NYS Department of Labor calculator on their website can give you a more precise estimate if you know your quarterly earnings. Just make sure you have all your wage statements ready when you apply - it makes the process much smoother.

One thing to keep in mind is that the benefit duration is also capped - you can typically receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in NY, though this can sometimes be extended during periods of high unemployment. Also, you'll need to be actively searching for work and document your job search activities each week to continue receiving benefits. The NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep records of your applications, interviews, etc. It's worth setting up a system to track this from day one since they do audit claims periodically.

Just wanted to add something important that I learned the hard way - make sure you understand the timing requirements for these benefits! For Paid Family Leave, you have to give your employer at least 30 days advance notice if the need for leave is foreseeable (like childbirth). For short-term disability, there's usually a waiting period before benefits kick in, and you need to file the claim within a certain timeframe after becoming disabled. Also, if you're planning to take the full 12 weeks available under PFL, you can take it intermittently or all at once within the first year after your baby's birth. I'd really recommend getting in touch with your employer's benefits administrator now to understand exactly what paperwork you'll need and when to submit it. The last thing you want is to be dealing with benefit denials while you're caring for a newborn!

I just went through this process 6 months ago and wanted to share my experience! You're right to be confused about the unemployment eligibility - I thought I could collect UI benefits too, but learned that taking time off to recover from childbirth and bond with your baby actually disqualifies you because of the "able and available" requirement. However, New York has really good family leave benefits that might work better for your situation. I ended up using short-term disability for my 6-week recovery period (paid at about 50% of my salary), then transitioned to Paid Family Leave for an additional 8 weeks of bonding time (paid at 67% of my average weekly wage). The total 14 weeks gave me much more time with my baby than I initially thought I'd be able to afford. One tip - start gathering your paperwork now! You'll need forms from your doctor, and some need to be completed before your due date. Your employer's HR department should have all the forms and can walk you through the process. Also keep in mind that these benefits are funded through small payroll deductions you've probably been paying all along, so you've already "paid into" this system. Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about the application process!

I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when my claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks. Calling their regular number was impossible - always busy or would hang up after being on hold forever. Someone here recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me weeks of frustration trying to get my claim resolved.

Just wanted to add that I've been hiring in HR for 8 years in NY and we absolutely cannot and do not check unemployment records - it's not even legally accessible to most employers. The only time unemployment might come up is if YOU mention it in an interview, and honestly most hiring managers understand that layoffs happen and it's not a reflection of your work quality. Your dad's advice comes from an older generation when there was more stigma, but that's really not the case anymore. File immediately and don't stress about it affecting future opportunities!

This whole system is so frustrating! Why don't they explain this stuff when you file for unemployment? I've been stressed about the same thing and now I find out I was worrying for nothing since I already have enough quarters.

I went through this exact worry when I was laid off from my construction job last year. Like others mentioned, you can create an account at ssa.gov and view your complete earnings history - it shows every year you worked and how much you earned. Since you've been working 35 years, you definitely have the 40 quarters needed. The unemployment gap won't hurt your eligibility at all, just might slightly reduce the final benefit amount since it's calculated on your highest earning years. Don't stress too much about it - you're in good shape for retirement!