UPDATE: My benefits FINALLY hit my KeyBank account this morning! It took exactly 32 days from when they were released. For anyone else waiting, hang in there - they do eventually come through. I'm definitely switching to direct deposit to my regular bank now though - never going through this stress again!

Wow, what a relief to see this thread! I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare - my benefits were released on 4/20 and it's now 5/16 with absolutely nothing in my KeyBank account. I've been checking obsessively every day thinking maybe I missed something. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful, especially knowing there's an official timeline now (May 24th). I had no idea about the option to switch to direct deposit with my regular bank - that's definitely my next move once this gets sorted out. The stress of not knowing when (or if) the money will show up is almost worse than being unemployed in the first place! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and updates. It's nice to know we're not alone in this mess and that the money does eventually come through, even if it takes over a month. Keeping my fingers crossed that mine shows up soon!

wait so if it says denied with relief that means approved?? this is so backwards lol why cant they just say APPROVED instead of using lawyer words

I'm dealing with something similar right now! When I called the NYS Department of Labor help line (after waiting on hold for 2 hours), the representative explained that "denied with relief" specifically means your initial denial was overturned through the appeals process. The "relief" part is the legal term for the remedy you received - basically the judge ruled in your favor and granted you relief from the original denial decision. You should see retroactive payments within 3-5 business days. Keep filing your weekly certifications while waiting for the back pay to process. Also double-check that all your banking info is correct in your account to avoid any payment delays.

direct deposit takes longer to setup than they tell u. first payment always goes to the old method no matter what 💅

Had the exact same issue last month! My payment showed "paid" with release date but took 6 business days to actually hit my account. Turns out there was some kind of processing delay on the bank's end. I'd give it until next week before panicking - the money is probably just stuck in the system somewhere. If nothing by Wednesday definitely call them!

I went through something similar when I was laid off from my main job but still had a small freelance gig ending around the same time. Definitely file just one claim and include both employers - the system is designed to handle multiple work histories. When you get to the work history section, you'll see fields for multiple employers where you can enter dates, wages, and separation reasons for each. The NYS DOL will use whichever quarters give you the highest benefit calculation, so having both jobs reported actually works in your favor. Just keep all your documentation handy (W-2s, pay stubs, etc.) in case they need verification.

I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now! I was let go from my main office job in January but also had a small tutoring gig that ended around the same time. From what I've learned through the process, you definitely need to file just one claim and report both employers in the work history section. The NYS DOL website has a pretty clear step-by-step guide that walks you through adding multiple employers. One thing that helped me was gathering all my employment documents beforehand - pay stubs, W-2s, and exact employment dates for both jobs. The seasonal aspect of your weekend job shouldn't complicate things too much, just make sure to note that when you're filling out the reason for separation. Good luck with your claim!

definitely not public record but honestly the whole system feels so invasive anyway with all the job search requirements and verification stuff they make you do

Just wanted to add that I work in HR and can confirm - we absolutely cannot access unemployment records during background checks or hiring processes. The only time we'd know is if an applicant voluntarily mentions it or if we're the company that laid them off originally. Your unemployment history is protected information, so don't let privacy concerns prevent you from getting benefits you're entitled to. The stigma around unemployment is outdated anyway - most employers understand that layoffs happen and it doesn't reflect poorly on you as a candidate.