I had a similar situation last year with a seasonal job that ended. One thing to keep in mind is that when you reopen, they'll ask about your job search activities during the gap period. You don't necessarily need to have been actively searching the entire 6 weeks your claim was closed, but you should be prepared to explain what you were doing (like if you were expecting to be called back to work, dealing with personal issues, etc.). Also, make sure you file your weekly certification as soon as your claim is reopened - don't wait! The system can be glitchy and sometimes there's a delay between when you reopen and when the weekly filing option becomes available. If you run into any technical issues with the my.ny.gov site, try using a different browser or clearing your cache.

I just went through this exact situation a month ago! The key thing is to make sure you're still within your benefit year before trying to reopen. You can check this on your my.ny.gov account - it should show your benefit year dates somewhere in your claim summary. When I reopened mine, I had to answer questions about why I became unemployed again and confirm I was able and available for work. The process took about 3-4 business days for me, and then I could start filing weekly certifications again. One heads up - they may ask you to do a phone interview if there are any questions about your job separation, so make sure you have documentation about when and why your temp job ended. The reopening process is definitely better than filing a new claim since it preserves your original weekly benefit amount!

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I want to add is that you should also consider reaching out to a local legal aid society or employment attorney for a consultation before you quit. Many offer free consultations and can help you understand if your situation truly meets the "good cause" standard. They might also advise you on specific steps to take before quitting that could strengthen your case - like filing formal complaints with HR or documenting any company policy violations. I know it's an extra step when you just want out of a toxic situation, but having a legal perspective on your documentation and approach could save you months of stress during the adjudication process.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and this whole thread has been a lifesaver! My supervisor has been creating such a hostile environment that I dread going to work every day. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that there's actually a path forward. I've started documenting everything now - keeping screenshots of nasty emails, writing down verbal incidents with dates and times, and I even got a coworker to witness some of the inappropriate behavior. One question I have is about the timing - is it better to file a formal HR complaint first before quitting, or does that sometimes backfire and make things worse? I'm worried that if I complain and they don't do anything (or worse, if it gets back to my supervisor), it might escalate the harassment. But I also don't want NYS Department of Labor to ask why I didn't try to resolve it internally first. Has anyone navigated this part successfully?

Wow, reading through all these experiences is incredibly helpful! I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster and was totally confused about the order of steps. It sounds like the consensus is definitely ID.me verification first, then unemployment application. I'm planning to tackle this next week and feel so much more prepared now thanks to everyone's detailed tips - especially about doing it during off-peak hours, having backup documents ready, and using the mobile app. It's reassuring to see that while some people had challenges, many recent experiences have been pretty smooth. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice that the official websites don't provide!

I just went through the ID.me verification process this morning and wanted to share my experience while it's still fresh! Like many others have mentioned, yes you definitely need to complete ID.me first before you can access the NY unemployment application. I followed the advice from this thread about doing it during off-peak hours (around 10:30am on a Thursday) and it made a huge difference - only had to wait about 8 minutes for video verification. One thing I didn't see mentioned here: make sure you're in a room with minimal background noise because the agent asked me to repeat some information when a car honked outside. Also, they had me turn my head left and right during the video call to match my ID photo angles, so don't be surprised by that. The whole process took about 25 minutes total, and I was able to immediately start my unemployment application afterward. Having read through all these experiences beforehand really helped me feel prepared and confident going in. Thanks everyone for sharing your tips!

I just wanted to add something that helped me when I was in your exact situation - if you're having trouble finding the unemployment services section on your my.ny.gov dashboard, sometimes it's hidden under different menu names depending on how your account is set up. I had to look under both "Services" and "Benefits" before I finally found it listed as "Labor Services" in my case. Also, once you do get to your claim information, pay attention to any "Next Action Required" or "Action Items" sections - these will tell you if there's anything specific you need to do while waiting for the eligibility review to complete. I missed one of these initially and it delayed my processing by almost two weeks. The waiting period while it says "Pending Eligibility Review" is honestly the most nerve-wracking part, but just know that most claims do get approved eventually as long as you meet the basic requirements!

Just wanted to share another tip that helped me during the waiting period - set up email notifications in your my.ny.gov account settings if you haven't already! I was obsessively checking the website multiple times a day, but once I enabled notifications, I got an email immediately when my status changed from "Pending Eligibility Review" to "Active." It saved me so much anxiety and time. You can find the notification settings usually under "Account Settings" or "Profile Settings" on your dashboard. Also, when your claim does get approved, don't panic if your first payment takes an additional week or two to actually hit your bank account - there's usually a processing delay even after you start filing weekly certifications. The system will show "Payment Issued" before you actually see the money, which confused me at first. Hang in there, the waiting is definitely the hardest part!

I just had my phone interview yesterday and wanted to share a few things that really helped me get through it! They asked all the standard questions everyone mentioned - reason for leaving, job search activities, availability to work - but they also asked me about any workers' compensation claims I might have filed and whether I was receiving any other benefits like disability or pension payments. Make sure you have your Social Security number ready because they verify that early in the call. One thing that really stood out to me was how much they emphasized the importance of continuing to look for work while receiving benefits - they explained the work search requirements in detail and made sure I understood that I need to be actively applying to jobs. The interviewer also asked if I had any questions about the process, which was nice because I was able to clarify a few things about certifying for benefits. The whole call took about 25 minutes and honestly, the interviewer was so much nicer than I expected. I was worried it would feel like I was being interrogated, but it was really just a fact-finding conversation. Just be prepared, be honest, and remember that they're not trying to deny your claim - they just need to make sure everything is legitimate. You'll do great!

I had my phone interview about 8 weeks ago and wanted to add something that really helped me - they asked about any potential conflicts with accepting work, like childcare arrangements or transportation issues. I wasn't expecting that question but it makes sense since they need to verify you're truly available for work. They also asked if I was enrolled in any training programs or school that might interfere with full-time employment. The interviewer was very patient when I needed to look up some dates from my calendar, and they even repeated questions when I asked for clarification. One thing that surprised me was they asked about my previous unemployment claims - whether I'd ever filed before and when. Overall it was much more conversational than I expected. My biggest tip is to have a pen and paper ready to jot down any important information they give you about next steps or requirements. The whole process took about 35 minutes but it didn't feel rushed at all. Don't stress too much - they really are just trying to gather the facts to process your claim properly!