Your manager was absolutely trying to manipulate you - this is unfortunately super common. Employers know that unemployment claims can affect their experience rating and potentially increase their future UI tax rates, so some try to discourage employees from filing. But here's the thing: you PAID for this coverage through your work! Every paycheck you earned helped fund the system through your employer's contributions. You're not taking charity or hurting anyone - you're accessing a benefit you literally earned by working there for 2 years. File your claim ASAP and don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it. The NYS Department of Labor website has all the info you need to get started.

I went through this exact same situation when I got laid off from my restaurant job last year! My manager also tried to make me feel guilty about filing, saying it would "hurt the business" and that I should "be loyal" even after they let me go. It's such a common manipulation tactic. The reality is that unemployment insurance is exactly that - insurance. Your employer has been paying premiums into this system the whole time you worked there, just like they pay into workers comp or any other mandatory business insurance. When you file a claim, you're not personally costing them money any more than filing a car insurance claim personally costs your insurance company - it's literally what the system is designed for. Don't let them guilt you into not accessing benefits you've earned. File your claim immediately because there can be delays, and you need that income to survive while job hunting.

wait so when they say unemployment is low does that mean like statewide or just in your area? because my town has tons of jobs but they're all retail and food service and i worked in accounting

I'm in a similar boat - been unemployed for about 8 weeks and finding it really tough to hit the 3 job contacts weekly in my field (IT support). What's helped me is mixing in some of the alternative activities others mentioned here. I've been attending virtual networking events through LinkedIn, reaching out to former colleagues for informational interviews, and even volunteering at a local nonprofit that uses technology - all of which count toward the requirement if you document them properly. Also started following up on applications I submitted weeks ago, which my caseworker said counts as a legitimate job search activity. The key seems to be showing genuine effort rather than just hitting a number. Keep your documentation detailed - date, company, contact method, and outcome for everything you do.

ugh the whole system is so confusing, why can't they just make it simple? i never know if i'm doing things right with these claims

Just to add - when I filed my second claim last year, NYS Department of Labor required me to do the whole job search requirement thing again even though I had done it before. So be prepared for that if your claim gets approved.

Been dealing with this for months now. Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment by at least one business day, sometimes two depending on your bank. I've learned to just automatically add 2-3 extra days to any payment that falls around a holiday. Also, if you're really stressed about timing and need to talk to someone at NY unemployment, I ended up using claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here. Worked way better than trying to call directly - got connected to an actual person in under an hour instead of spending days redialing. Worth it when you're worried about missing rent! Pro tip: set up payment alerts with your bank so you know exactly when the deposit hits, and maybe talk to your landlord now about the potential delay. Most are understanding if you give them a heads up.

Yeah, Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment. I've been on NY unemployment for about 6 months now and every federal holiday pushes things back at least one day, sometimes two. The frustrating part is their website never updates to reflect the actual delay - it'll still show your regular payment date even though it's not coming. My advice: always budget like your payment is coming 2-3 days later than scheduled whenever there's a holiday. I learned this the hard way after nearly getting hit with late fees multiple times. Also, if you haven't already, switch to direct deposit if you're still using the debit card - it's usually faster and more reliable during these delays. The whole system is honestly a mess but at least now you know what to expect. Hope this helps you avoid the stress I went through my first few months!

same thing here, got the audit notice last month and was totally confused about what they wanted

I just went through this audit process a few months ago and wanted to share what helped me. The key is organization - I created a simple spreadsheet with all my job applications, dates, company names, and contact info. Also kept screenshots of online applications and copies of any email confirmations. The NYS Department of Labor auditor was actually pretty reasonable and just wanted to verify I was actively looking for work. The whole thing was resolved in about 2-3 weeks. Don't stress too much, just be thorough with your records and respond promptly to any requests they make.