I just want to add my voice to everyone encouraging you to apply! I was self-employed as a freelance graphic designer and had to stop working due to severe migraines that made it impossible to look at screens for months. Like you, I had worked part-time at a local print shop while building my client base. That W-2 employment was exactly what made me eligible for unemployment benefits. The key thing I learned is that NYS Department of Labor doesn't care about your self-employment income at all - they only look at wages from employers who paid into the unemployment insurance system. So that garden center job is definitely worth pursuing! I'd suggest applying online during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) when the system is less busy. The application will ask about all your employment in the past 18 months, so just be thorough and honest about both your self-employment and your W-2 work. Even if the weekly benefit isn't huge, it can be a real lifeline when you're unable to work due to injury.

I want to echo what everyone else is saying - definitely apply! I was in almost the exact same situation when I had to close my small auto repair shop due to carpal tunnel surgery. I had worked part-time at a tire shop for about 6 months while getting my business off the ground, and that W-2 employment was enough to qualify me for benefits. The whole process was much more straightforward than I expected. NYS Department of Labor's online application really does walk you through everything step by step, and they'll automatically calculate if your garden center wages meet their requirements. The most important thing is gathering all your documentation first - W-2s, pay stubs, exact employment dates, etc. I was worried about being "partly" self-employed affecting my claim, but the representative I eventually spoke with explained that they completely separate your W-2 wages from any 1099 or self-employment income. Your landscaping business income won't hurt your eligibility at all. Given that you worked at the garden center for 8 months, that sounds like it should easily meet their base period requirements. I'd say apply online this week while you're gathering your paperwork!

I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely right to apply now even though it's been a couple months. NYS Department of Labor is pretty forgiving with late applications - the one year filing window gives people flexibility for situations exactly like yours. Since you were fired rather than laid off, make sure you have any documentation about the circumstances ready in case they request it during the adjudication process. The fact that you didn't think you qualified initially is actually a common reason people cite for delayed filing, and the department understands that the eligibility rules aren't always clear to applicants. Good luck with your application!

I was in a very similar situation - got fired in September but didn't apply until December because I thought being terminated disqualified me automatically. Turns out that's a huge misconception! The NYS Department of Labor actually approved my claim after adjudication because my firing was due to a restructuring situation, not misconduct. The hardest part was just getting started with the application on ny.gov, but once I did it was pretty straightforward. You definitely won't get those October-December weeks back, but don't let that stop you from filing now. Every week you delay is another week of potential benefits lost going forward. I'd also recommend keeping detailed notes about your termination circumstances since they'll likely ask follow-up questions during the review process.

Just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who shared actual working solutions in this thread! 🙏 I was about to give up completely after 2 weeks of phone hell, but thanks to all your tips I finally got through! Used the secure messaging feature in the app that @Connor Richards mentioned - got a response in 6 hours and they resolved my card issue without any phone calls. Also tried the lunch hour + press 0 combo from @Aisha Abdullah and @Chloe Martin as backup and that worked too when I needed to follow up. It's honestly ridiculous that we had to crowdsource these solutions ourselves, but this community is incredible for having each other's backs. Bookmarking this thread forever - it's basically the Way2Go customer service bible now 😂💯

This thread is absolutely incredible! I've been struggling with the exact same issue for over a week and was starting to think I'd never reach a real person. Reading through all these solutions has given me so much hope - the secure messaging through the app, the lunch hour timing, pressing 0 immediately, and even the callback feature I had no idea existed! It's honestly mind-blowing that we've had to reverse engineer their customer service system ourselves, but this community is pure gold for sharing what actually works. Already downloaded the app and found that buried secure message feature. Planning to try the lunch hour + press 0 combo tomorrow as backup. Thank you all for turning this nightmare into something manageable! 🙏✨

I went through this exact process when I closed my retail store two years ago. Here's what I wish someone had told me from the start: 1) Request that Status of Account letter Marcus mentioned ASAP - do this before you even set your final closing date. 2) File your final NYS-45 quarterly report within 30 days of your last day of operations. 3) Send written notice to NYS DOL with your final operation date and confirmation you have no remaining employees. 4) Pay any outstanding contributions and file all final wage reports. 5) Don't forget to cancel workers' comp and disability insurance policies separately. The whole process took about 10-12 weeks for me, and yes, they do keep your account liable for potential claims for up to 18 months after closure. I kept getting notices for about a year afterward, but most were just routine correspondence. Pro tip: call their business line first thing in the morning (8 AM sharp) - that's when I had the best luck getting through to an actual person.

I just went through this process last month when I closed my photography studio. One critical thing I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you have any equipment financing or business loans tied to your unemployment account (some lenders require you to maintain UI coverage as part of loan covenants), you'll need to notify those lenders before closure and potentially provide alternative collateral or pay down balances. I almost got into trouble because my equipment lease required active UI coverage and I hadn't thought to check that before starting the closure process. Also, make sure to download and save all your quarterly reports and payment history from their online portal before closing - once the account is closed, you lose access to those records but you might need them for tax purposes later. The IRS can ask for UI documentation up to 7 years after closure.

I'm currently in this exact situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I've been getting $315/week in unemployment and was honestly intimidated by the idea of applying for SNAP - partly because I didn't know if it was even allowed and partly because government applications always seem so overwhelming. But reading through everyone's real experiences here, especially seeing the actual benefit amounts people are getting ($180-200+ per month), makes it clear this is definitely worth pursuing. The tips about having the unemployment determination letter ready and applying through myBenefits are super helpful. I'm planning to start my application this weekend. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have issues with the myBenefits website timing out or being glitchy during the application process? I've had some frustrating experiences with other government websites and want to be prepared if I need to save my progress and come back to it. Thanks everyone for being so open about sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical information that's impossible to find on official websites!

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread is giving me so much hope! I've been getting $310/week in unemployment for about 6 weeks now and have been really struggling to afford groceries after paying my $850 rent. I had no idea you could qualify for both programs at the same time - honestly thought they would conflict with each other somehow. Seeing that people with similar weekly benefit amounts are getting approved for $180-200/month in SNAP benefits is incredible - that would basically cover my entire grocery budget. I'm definitely going to apply this week after reading everyone's success stories. One quick question - for those who've been approved, did they require any documentation beyond the unemployment determination letter, like bank statements or proof of rent? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I start the application. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for getting real answers instead of just confusing government website info!