If ur claim has any issues at all ur gonna need to talk to someone. Best bet is using claimyr.com to get through or ur gonna be calling forever. The phone lines are impossible these days fr fr

Hey! I'm in a similar situation - just got my determination letter last week. From what I've read on the DOL website, first payments usually take 2-3 weeks after you get the letter, assuming there are no issues with your claim. Make sure you keep certifying every week even if you haven't gotten paid yet - that's super important! Also check your online account regularly for any requests for additional documentation. Good luck! 🤞

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your claim status, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I needed to clarify something about my separation reason during adjudication.

I went through something similar when I got fired for attendance issues due to my child's daycare problems. The key thing that helped my case was keeping detailed records of everything - dates of absences, reasons, any communication with my employer about the issues. NYS Department of Labor really does look at whether it was willful misconduct or circumstances beyond your control. Since you have those car repair receipts, definitely include those when you file. Also, if you ever communicated with your manager about the transportation issues beforehand (like emails or texts), gather those too. The more documentation you have showing it wasn't intentional, the better your chances. Good luck!

I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my eligibility question but their phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a real person there? This is so frustrating when you need answers about whether you even qualify.

Don't forget you also have to be able and available for work and actively seeking employment. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your job search activities. Even if you qualify initially, you have to maintain eligibility by meeting these ongoing requirements.

The whole system is so confusing!! Why can't they just post the rates clearly online instead of making everyone hunt around for information? I spent hours on the NYS Department of Labor website last month trying to figure this out.

One thing to remember is that the taxable wage base for 2024 increased to $12,300 per employee, up from $12,000 in 2023. So even if your rate stays the same, you'll be paying slightly more per employee due to the higher wage base.

I went through something similar with my consulting business last year. One thing that really helped was keeping a detailed log of all my job search activities from day one - not just applications, but also networking events, LinkedIn outreach, informational interviews, etc. NYSDOL accepts a pretty wide range of activities for the work search requirement. Also, if you do get approved, consider setting up a separate business checking account just for tracking the reduced income from your business. It makes the weekly income reporting much cleaner and gives you clear documentation if they ever audit your claim. The cleaner your records, the less stress you'll have during the certification process. Your situation sounds very similar to what qualifies as "partial unemployment" in NY - you're not fully unemployed but your work and income have been substantially reduced through no fault of your own. That's exactly what the system is designed to help with.

I'm facing a very similar situation with my freelance design business - been running it for 5 years and January completely destroyed my client base. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about the S-Corp vs sole proprietor distinctions and the importance of detailed documentation. One thing I wanted to add that might help others in similar situations: when I spoke to an accountant about potentially restructuring my business, they mentioned that if you're considering converting from sole proprietor to S-Corp for future protection, now might actually be a good time to do it while income is low. Obviously that's a longer-term strategy and won't help with immediate UI eligibility, but it could set you up better for any future economic downturns. @Aisha Khan - your situation with the S-Corp structure and proper tax payments sounds like it should definitely qualify for benefits. The fact that you've been paying into the system for years means you've earned this support. Don't feel guilty about using a safety net you've been contributing to - that's exactly what it's there for. The advice about using Claimyr to get through to an actual person also sounds like it could save a lot of frustration. Has anyone tried their service recently? The regular phone lines have been absolutely impossible to get through on.