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Pro tip: Set a reminder on your phone for the weekly certification. Miss one week and you're in for a world of hurt trying to backdate claims. Trust me on this one!
Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! File the claim on your spouse's actual last day of work, not when severance ends. NY DOL will ask about the severance and any other payments - be completely transparent about it all. The system is designed to handle this stuff, so don't stress too much about the timing. Also, keep all your severance paperwork handy because they might ask for it later. The hardest part is just getting started, so don't overthink it! You got this! 💪
I'm in a similar situation right now - just had my claim authorized yesterday! Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful. It sounds like 2-3 business days is pretty standard for direct deposit, which gives me hope. I'm also dealing with the rent stress, so I totally understand that anxiety of waiting for the money to actually show up. One thing I learned from a friend who went through this is to screenshot the authorization notice in case you need to show your landlord proof that payment is coming. Most landlords are understanding about unemployment delays if you can show documentation. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - it really helps to know what to expect! 🙏
That's such a smart idea about screenshotting the authorization notice! I wish I had thought of that - would have made the conversation with my landlord much easier. It's really comforting to know I'm not the only one going through this stress right now. The waiting game is brutal when you have bills due! Hopefully we both get our payments quickly. Keep us posted on how long yours takes - it'll help others who are in the same boat. Good luck! 🤞
Hey everyone! I'm new to this community but went through the exact same thing about 2 months ago. My authorization came through on a Tuesday morning around 10 AM, and I had the money in my account by Thursday around 2 PM - so about 2.5 business days with direct deposit through Chase. The first payment was definitely nerve-wracking to wait for! One thing that helped me was calling my bank to make sure there weren't any holds on large deposits (some banks will hold unemployment payments for 24-48 hours if it's your first one). Also, if you're really cutting it close with rent, many utility companies and landlords have hardship programs right now - it's worth asking about a short extension while you wait. The system has gotten much more reliable this year compared to the horror stories from 2020-2021. Hang in there, you're so close! 🙏
Welcome to the community! That's really helpful info about calling the bank to check for holds - I never would have thought of that. 2.5 business days sounds pretty reasonable. I'm curious, did you get any notification from NY DOL when the payment was actually sent out, or did you just have to keep checking your bank account? Also, thanks for mentioning the hardship programs - it's good to know there are options if things get really tight with timing.
Thanks for the warm welcome! I did get an email notification when the payment was sent, but it came like 6 hours after it had already hit my account, so it wasn't super helpful for tracking purposes. The online portal was more reliable - it updated to show "payment issued" status about 2-3 hours before I actually saw it in my bank. Definitely recommend calling your bank about holds though - my friend had Chase put a 2-day hold on her first unemployment payment and she had no idea until she called to ask why it wasn't showing as available funds even though it was "deposited." The hardship programs saved me when I was between jobs - most companies would rather work with you than deal with collections later. You've got this! 💪
Wait, so if I document everything and quit for good cause, do I still have to do job searches while my claim is being reviewed? Or does that start after approval?
You need to start job searching immediately when you file your claim, even during adjudication. The job search requirement is 3 activities per week and you need to keep detailed records. Don't wait for approval to start looking - that could hurt your case.
The whole quarterly system is designed to screw workers over if you ask me. Why should some arbitrary calendar quarters determine your benefits instead of just looking at your most recent work history? Makes no sense.
The base period calculation definitely seems confusing at first! One thing that helped me understand it was thinking of it like this: NYS Department of Labor needs time to process all the wage data from employers before they can use it for benefit calculations. That's why they skip the most recent quarter - the wage reports might not be complete yet. Also, don't worry too much about gaps between jobs - what matters is having enough earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period. If you worked steadily for 18 months, you should be in good shape. You can always call or check online to see what quarters and earnings they have on file for you before filing your claim.
That's a really helpful way to think about it! I never considered that they need time to process the wage data. That makes the timing make more sense. Is there a way to check what earnings they have on file before filing, or do you have to wait until you actually submit the claim? I'm worried there might be some missing quarters from when I switched jobs.
Zoe Papadakis
Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep all your unemployment paperwork organized. When it's time to recertify for SNAP they'll want to see your benefit statements from NYS Department of Labor.
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Zainab Ibrahim
Don't let fear keep you from filing for unemployment - you worked for those benefits! I went through something similar when I lost my restaurant job a few years back. The key thing to remember is that unemployment is insurance you and your employer paid into, not a handout. Yes, it counts as income for SNAP calculations, but that just means they'll adjust your benefit amount based on your new income level. You won't automatically lose SNAP eligibility. The important thing is to report your unemployment income to your SNAP caseworker as soon as you start receiving it. This keeps you in compliance and prevents any issues down the road. File that claim ASAP - restaurants are hiring again but unemployment will help bridge the gap while you're job hunting.
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