If its ur first time, write down all ur answers somewhere safe. Makes it easier next week when u gotta do it again. Same questions every time

First time can be nerve-wracking but you got this! Just to add - if you're doing it Sunday morning and the site is slow, don't panic and submit multiple times. That can create duplicate claims and cause issues. Wait for the confirmation page before closing your browser. Also keep screenshots of your confirmation just in case!

This whole system is so messed up! They expect you to take any job but then half the employers want you to jump through ridiculous hoops like drug tests, background checks, credit checks. Meanwhile NYS Department of Labor makes it impossible to actually talk to a human being when you have questions. I've been fighting with them for months over my claim status.

I went through something similar about 6 months ago. From what I learned, the NYS Department of Labor generally considers refusing a pre-employment drug test as withdrawing your application rather than refusing suitable work. The key distinction is that you never actually received a firm job offer - the drug test was a prerequisite TO getting the offer. I ended up calling the unemployment office (took forever to get through) and they confirmed that as long as you're still actively job searching and meeting your weekly requirements, this shouldn't affect your benefits. Just make sure you're documenting all your job search activities in case they ever audit your claim.

LOL another day another person trying to navigate the nightmare that is ny unemployment and taxes. Welcome to the club, we have jackets and therapy sessions on Thursdays 😂

Based on what I'm seeing in your transcript, it looks like you might not be getting an additional refund because your tax situation already resulted in zero tax owed. With an AGI of $10,898 and only $698 potentially taxable after the $10,200 unemployment exclusion, plus the standard deduction, you'd still owe $0 in taxes. The IRS only sends additional refunds if you actually paid tax on the unemployment income that's now excluded. Since your transcript shows $0 taxable income originally, there's probably nothing more coming. It's frustrating when everyone talks about getting money back from this law change, but it really depends on your individual tax situation!

Been doing this for 2 months now and haven't had any issues. Just stay consistent with your weekly claims and job searches and you'll be fine.

One thing I'd add is to make sure you're actively looking for work in your field or related fields. NYS DOL expects you to accept "suitable work" which generally means jobs that match your skills and pay at least 80% of your previous wage (after the first few weeks). Also, if you get called for an interview, you MUST go - turning down interviews without good cause can disqualify you from benefits. Keep track of all your activities in a spreadsheet or notebook with dates, company names, and what type of contact you made. It really helps to stay organized from the start rather than trying to recreate everything later if they ask for your records.

i just wanna add that i was in the same boat last year and honestly what worked for me was just showing up at the OTDA office in person with all my paperwork. they dont like to admit it but the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these programs. good luck!

I've been dealing with ERAP for months too and it's incredibly frustrating! One thing that helped me was creating a paper trail - I started sending emails to erap@otda.ny.gov with my application number in the subject line every week asking for status updates. Even though they rarely respond, it creates documentation that you've been trying to get information. Also, if you're really close to eviction, make sure you have documentation of your ERAP application when you go to housing court. Judges are usually willing to postpone proceedings if you can show you have a pending ERAP application. Bring your confirmation email and any correspondence you've received. The waiting is awful but don't give up - I know people who waited 4+ months and then suddenly got approved and had everything back-paid. Keep pushing through all the channels people mentioned above!