The unemployment system is SO broken!! Employers shouldn't even be able to contest claims unless there's clear proof of misconduct. They lay us off then try to screw us out of benefits we paid into. It's ridiculous how much power they have in this process.

Just went through this exact situation last month. My employer contested my claim saying I had "poor performance" but couldn't provide any documentation of warnings or disciplinary actions. The DOL investigator called me for a phone interview where I explained my side and provided my performance reviews showing I met expectations. Got approved within 3 weeks. The key is being honest and having any documentation that supports your case. Since you were laid off (not fired for cause), your employer will have a hard time proving misconduct just because they're upset about you job hunting.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to get answers about your benefit amount or claim status, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours just to get hung up on.

Just to add - you can only collect unemployment for 26 weeks maximum in NY, so it's not permanent income. Use the time wisely to find something better than your restaurant job if possible. The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week minimum.

Been getting mine on Wednesdays consistently. The only time it was delayed was when there was a federal holiday on Monday and everything got pushed back a day. Make sure you're filing your weekly claim by Sunday night to avoid any delays.

For Chase specifically, I've noticed they usually post unemployment payments early Wednesday morning, sometimes even late Tuesday night. You won't get a notification from DOL when it's processed, but Chase will send you a mobile alert when the deposit hits if you have notifications enabled. I'd recommend setting up account alerts so you know right away when it comes through!

Unpopular opinion maybe, but I actually prefer certifying Sunday night cuz the website is way less glitchy than Sunday morning when EVERYONE is trying to log in at once. Never had an issue with payment timing.

You should be totally fine! I've been certifying late Sunday nights for months (usually between 10-11:30pm) and my payments always hit Tuesday morning like clockwork. The system processes everything submitted on Sunday in the same batch regardless of what time you did it. As long as you got that confirmation number, you're good to go. The rent stress is real though - I feel you on that! 🤞

Also make sure you file during your designated day if you're doing weekly claims later. But for the initial claim filing, any day should work once you get past the system issues.

I filed my initial claim last month and had the same frustrating experience with the system errors. What finally worked for me was trying around 11 PM on a weeknight - the system was much more responsive then. Also, before you start, make sure you have your W-2s or paystubs ready for ALL employers from the last 18 months, not just your most recent job. The system will ask for specific dates, wages, and reasons for leaving each job. Having everything organized beforehand saved me from having to restart multiple times when the system timed out.