Just make sure you understand that your unemployment benefits might be reduced based on your work history and wages. Since you were working part-time, your weekly benefit amount will be calculated on those earnings, not your social security amount.

I'm in a similar situation - 65 and collecting social security but was working part-time at a retail job until they cut hours completely. From what I've learned, you definitely can collect both, but be prepared for the paperwork. You'll need to report your social security income on your weekly certification, and yes, you still have to do the job search requirements even at our age. It feels a bit ridiculous sometimes, but that's the law. The good news is that your social security won't count against your unemployment eligibility, it's just something you have to disclose. Make sure you have all your employment records ready when you file - they'll want your last employer info, wages, etc. Good luck!

honestly the whole system is set up to screw small business owners. they make it super easy for employees to file claims but then you have to jump through hoops to contest bogus ones. and if you make one mistake on the paperwork they just approve everything automatically. been dealing with this BS for 15 years

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! This is really helpful. As a newcomer to NY business ownership, I'm realizing there's a lot more to track than I initially thought. The experience rating system makes sense - basically I'm incentivized to hire carefully and document everything thoroughly. I'm definitely going to look into that automated service Kayla mentioned since I travel a lot for my consulting work and can see myself missing those 10-day deadlines. Better to invest upfront than pay higher rates later. One follow-up question - when you register with NYS Department of Labor for the first employee, do they provide clear guidance on what records to keep, or is that something you have to figure out on your own?

I'm in the exact same boat right now! Just finished my waiting week and certified yesterday (Monday). The uncertainty is killing me because I have bills due this week too. From reading everyone's experiences here, it sounds like 3-5 business days is pretty normal for that first payment, which gives me some hope. I'm definitely going to try calling my bank tomorrow to see if they can spot any pending deposits like Raj suggested - that's such a smart idea! Also planning to set up those text notifications that were mentioned. It's reassuring to see so many people sharing their timelines and that most folks did eventually get their payments, even if some took longer than expected. The waiting game is brutal but at least we're not alone in this!

I went through this same anxiety just a few weeks ago! My first payment took 5 business days after certification, which felt like forever when you're watching every penny. What really helped was setting up account alerts with my bank so I'd get a text the moment any deposit hit my account - saved me from obsessively checking my balance 20 times a day. Also, if your payment doesn't show up by day 5, don't hesitate to call NYSDOL. I know their phone lines are terrible, but sometimes there are small issues that need to be resolved (like address verification or direct deposit confirmation) that can hold things up. The good news is once you get that first payment, the subsequent ones are much more predictable and usually arrive within 2-3 days. Hang in there - it's coming!

UPDATE: You guys are all amazing! We followed the advice about uploading his wage documents with a letter specifically requesting "monetary redetermination" and "claim backdating" (used those exact terms). Called at 8:01am this morning and got through after only 4 attempts! The claims specialist confirmed there was a wage verification flag and that the ID.me completion hadn't fully processed in their system. She was able to fix both issues during the call, and said payments should start processing within 3-5 business days including the back weeks! THANK YOU ALL for your help - this community saved us so much stress and confusion!

This is such great news and a perfect example of why this community is so valuable! Your success story gives hope to everyone dealing with similar NYSDOL nightmares. The fact that you got through in just 4 calls at 8am and found a knowledgeable claims specialist proves that persistence and the right terminology really do make a difference. For anyone else reading this thread dealing with similar issues, this shows the importance of: 1. Using specific terms like "monetary redetermination" and "claim backdating" 2. Uploading wage documents before calling 3. Calling right at 8am when the lines open 4. Asking specifically for a claims specialist Thanks for taking the time to update us with the resolution - it's going to help so many people who find this thread in the future!

Just make sure you're honest about everything when you file your weekly claims. They audit people all the time and if they find out you weren't reporting business income correctly you could owe back all the benefits plus penalties.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when I started doing freelance graphic design work. The key thing I learned is that you absolutely have to report ALL income from your business activities, even if it's just $20 here and there. NYS Department of Labor considers any work you do for pay as "employment" regardless of whether you're W2 or 1099. I kept detailed records of every client payment and reported it on my weekly certifications. As long as you're genuinely still job searching (and can prove it with applications), you should be okay. Just be prepared for your weekly benefit amount to fluctuate based on what you earn from the business each week.