Update from someone who dealt with this last week: mine eventually showed up, but they ended up paying me a day later than usual. Don't panic yet, but if it's not there by tomorrow definitely try to recertify.

This happened to me about 6 months ago and it was terrifying! Filed on Sunday, confirmation page looked normal, but then Monday morning it was like I never filed at all. I was freaking out because I had bills due that week. Turns out it was some kind of server sync issue on their end - my claim was actually processed but just wasn't showing up in the system. Took about 48 hours to appear and then my payment went through normally. The NY DOL system has so many weird glitches like this. I'd give it another day before panicking, but definitely keep trying to get through to someone if it's still missing tomorrow. And yeah, always screenshot that confirmation page now - learned that lesson the hard way!

Update: I got my determination letter today! I was approved with the weekly benefit amount I expected. Looks like the effective days were indeed just part of the setup process, but approval came pretty quickly afterward. Thanks everyone for your help and explanations!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim 5 days ago and just saw they added effective days yesterday. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - sounds like it's just part of their standard process but not a guarantee either way. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, especially when you're counting on these benefits. Sofia, congratulations on getting approved so quickly! That gives me hope that maybe the system is moving faster than I expected. I'll keep certifying weekly and watching for that determination letter.

I remember when I first filed, I was shocked at how much paperwork there was. But yeah definitely worth it. Even if you only get like $250 a week, that's still $1000 a month to help with rent and stuff. Plus you have to do the job search requirements but honestly that just helps you stay motivated to find something better anyway.

Based on your income ($18/hour, 32-35 hours/week), you'd likely qualify for a decent amount. I was making similar wages and got around $320/week when I filed last year. The key thing is they look at your earnings over the past 18 months, not just your current reduced hours. And yes, you can definitely file for partial benefits if you're still working reduced hours - you don't have to be completely unemployed. The application process is pretty straightforward online, just have your employment history and wage info ready. Don't let the paperwork intimidate you, it's worth it!

just apply asap there's literally no downside to filing early but there definitely is to filing late

@Chloe Green - Don't stress too much about the 8 month thing! I was in a similar situation last year where I'd only been at my job for about 6 months when I got laid off. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim because they look at ALL your work history in the base period, not just your most recent job. If you had any other jobs in the past 18 months, those earnings count too. The key is to apply TODAY - seriously, don't wait another day. You can do it all online at labor.ny.gov and it takes maybe 30-45 minutes to complete the initial application. Make sure you have your SSN, driver's license, and last employer's info handy. The waiting period that your manager mentioned is just the one week waiting period before benefits start, but you still need to file your weekly claims during that time.

NYSDOL posted on Twitter last month about some banks increasing their security measures and causing payment rejections. Check if your bank is on their list (Chase, Bank of America, and several credit unions were mentioned).

This is such a frustrating situation! I've been dealing with something similar lately. One thing that helped me was calling my bank's technical support line (not regular customer service) and asking them to check their ACH rejection logs. They were able to tell me the exact reason code for why the payment was rejected - in my case it was a "name mismatch" even though everything looked correct on my end. Sometimes the unemployment system sends your name in ALL CAPS or with different formatting than what your bank has on file. Also, if you have any joint account holders or authorized users, that can sometimes cause issues with government deposits. Hope you get this sorted out soon!