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 this exact situation with my marketing consultancy in 2023. After 8 years of steady growth, I suddenly lost 3 major clients within a month and my income dropped by about 80%. I was terrified about applying for UI while still technically "running" my business. The best advice I can give you is to be 100% transparent with NYSDOL from the start. When I applied, I explained exactly what happened - how the business was still legally operating but generating almost no income, how I was actively job searching while trying to salvage what I could, and provided detailed financial records showing the dramatic revenue drop. What really helped my case was having quarterly tax payments that clearly showed the decline, and I made sure to track every single hour I spent on business activities vs. job search activities. I reported maybe 8-10 hours per week on average trying to keep the business alive while spending 25-30 hours job searching and interviewing. They did put me through additional review because of the self-employment situation, but I was eventually approved for partial benefits. It took about 5 weeks to get my first payment, but having that support allowed me to take the time to find a really good full-time position instead of just grabbing the first thing available. Your 9-year investment is worth fighting for, but don't let pride keep you from getting the support you've already paid into the system. Document everything and be honest - the worst they can do is say no, but you might be surprised by the support available.

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.

definitely keep filing weekly! friend of mine stopped filing during adjudication thinking it didn't matter and lost out on like $4000 in back pay

I'm going through something similar right now - filed in January and still waiting on adjudication for an identity verification issue. Reading all these responses gives me some hope that I'll eventually get the back pay. It's frustrating how long these processes take, especially when you're already financially stressed. Michael, I hope your claim gets approved soon and you get all that money you've been waiting for!

hey at least u got approved, mine been in adjudication for 8 weeks now with no end in sight

For future reference, you can also check your payment history and pending weeks through the NY.gov unemployment portal once your claim is approved. It should show a breakdown of all the weeks you're entitled to receive back pay for. The processing time for the actual payments can vary - some people get it within a few business days, others might wait up to two weeks depending on how backed up their system is. Hang in there, the financial relief should be coming soon!