One thing to watch out for - make sure you report any severance pay you might have received. That can affect when your benefits start. Also if you worked in multiple states, that can complicate things, but since you said it was just the one job in NY you should be fine filing a regular claim with NYS Department of Labor.

Hugo, based on what you've described, you should definitely be eligible for unemployment benefits in NY. Being laid off due to business reasons (not misconduct) qualifies you, and 8 months of work history should meet the earnings requirements if you were making $16/hour consistently. A few tips: 1) File your claim online at labor.ny.gov as soon as possible - you can backdate up to one week but don't delay, 2) Have your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment records ready when you apply, 3) Start keeping a job search log right away since you'll need to document those 3 weekly job contacts. The online application walks you through everything step by step. Good luck!

same thing happened to my neighbor, she just had to apply for other benefits and keep looking for work

This is such a frustrating situation and unfortunately very common. The system calculates your total benefit amount when you first file based on your previous wages, and once that money is gone, that's it - even if you have weeks left in your benefit year. It's not based on a guaranteed 26 weeks, but rather on your specific monetary entitlement. I'd suggest calling the NYS DOL to confirm you don't qualify for any extensions, and definitely look into other safety net programs like SNAP, emergency rental assistance, and local food banks while you continue your job search. Don't give up - keep applying and using all the job placement services available through the state.

I've been filing unemployment claims with NYS DOL for about 6 months now and can confirm what others are saying - the online system stays accessible during federal holidays like Labor Day. I always stick to my regular filing schedule regardless of holidays. The key thing to remember is that while you can file on the holiday, the actual processing and payment timeline gets pushed back by one business day. So don't panic if your direct deposit doesn't arrive on the usual day - it'll just be delayed. The system is pretty reliable overall, just plan your budget around that one-day delay during holiday weeks.

I'm new to the unemployment system and this thread has been really helpful! I was panicking about Labor Day too since I just started filing last month. From what everyone is saying, it sounds like the main thing is just to expect that one business day delay in processing. Does anyone know if this same rule applies to other federal holidays throughout the year, or is Labor Day different somehow? I want to make sure I'm prepared for future holidays too.

FINAL UPDATE: The money hit my account this morning! For anyone else who makes a certification mistake - make sure you speak with someone who can actually approve the correction, not just submit it. Regular agents seem to give standard timeframes that aren't accurate for these special cases. Huge relief to finally have this resolved.

So glad to see this resolved! This thread is really helpful for understanding the difference between getting a correction "submitted" vs actually "approved." I'm dealing with a similar issue right now where I accidentally marked the wrong earnings amount during certification. It's been 6 days since they said it was "fixed" but my payment is still showing as pending. Based on what everyone shared here, sounds like I need to call back and specifically ask to speak with someone who can actually approve the correction, not just the regular agents who can only see the status. Thanks for all the detailed updates - this gives me hope that it can actually get resolved quickly once you reach the right person!

The key is understanding that unemployment isn't automatic even when you're terminated. NYS Department of Labor has to determine if the termination was for cause (misconduct) or not. Attendance issues can be tricky - it depends if you followed company policy for reporting absences and if there were legitimate reasons.

I went through this exact situation last year and it's really nerve-wracking but you have a good chance if you have documentation. Since you have texts showing you communicated about childcare issues and called in when late, that works in your favor. NYS Department of Labor will look at whether your employer had clear attendance policies, if they gave you progressive discipline (warnings before termination), and if your reasons were legitimate. Childcare issues are generally considered valid reasons for attendance problems. Make sure to submit all your text messages and any emails as evidence during the adjudication process. It took about 6 weeks for my case to be resolved but I did get approved in the end.