ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why cant they just make it simple instead of having all these random rules that nobody understands

One thing that catches a lot of people off guard is the earnings disqualification. If you work part-time while collecting benefits, you need to report ALL earnings - even cash payments or gig work. If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you won't get any UI payment that week. And if you don't report earnings accurately, that's considered fraud which can disqualify you permanently. I learned this the hard way when I did some freelance work and didn't think a small payment mattered.

One thing that caught me off guard - even if you go out of business, you still need to file a final report with NYS Department of Labor. I closed my restaurant last year and almost forgot about this until my accountant reminded me.

As someone who's been through this process recently, I'd add that you should also budget for the administrative time this takes - it's not just the UI taxes themselves. Between the quarterly filings, responding to claims notices, and keeping proper payroll records for audits, it adds up. Also, if you're planning to hire seasonal workers, that can complicate your experience rating calculations. NYS Department of Labor has some online resources that help, but honestly the learning curve is steep when you're just starting out.

wait so when they say unemployment is low does that mean like statewide or just in your area? because my town has tons of jobs but they're all retail and food service and i worked in accounting

I'm in a similar boat - been unemployed for about 8 weeks and finding it really tough to hit the 3 job contacts weekly in my field (IT support). What's helped me is mixing in some of the alternative activities others mentioned here. I've been attending virtual networking events through LinkedIn, reaching out to former colleagues for informational interviews, and even volunteering at a local nonprofit that uses technology - all of which count toward the requirement if you document them properly. Also started following up on applications I submitted weeks ago, which my caseworker said counts as a legitimate job search activity. The key seems to be showing genuine effort rather than just hitting a number. Keep your documentation detailed - date, company, contact method, and outcome for everything you do.

ugh the whole system is so confusing, why can't they just make it simple? i never know if i'm doing things right with these claims

Just to add - when I filed my second claim last year, NYS Department of Labor required me to do the whole job search requirement thing again even though I had done it before. So be prepared for that if your claim gets approved.

Been dealing with this for months now. Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment by at least one business day, sometimes two depending on your bank. I've learned to just automatically add 2-3 extra days to any payment that falls around a holiday. Also, if you're really stressed about timing and need to talk to someone at NY unemployment, I ended up using claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here. Worked way better than trying to call directly - got connected to an actual person in under an hour instead of spending days redialing. Worth it when you're worried about missing rent! Pro tip: set up payment alerts with your bank so you know exactly when the deposit hits, and maybe talk to your landlord now about the potential delay. Most are understanding if you give them a heads up.

Yeah, Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment. I've been on NY unemployment for about 6 months now and every federal holiday pushes things back at least one day, sometimes two. The frustrating part is their website never updates to reflect the actual delay - it'll still show your regular payment date even though it's not coming. My advice: always budget like your payment is coming 2-3 days later than scheduled whenever there's a holiday. I learned this the hard way after nearly getting hit with late fees multiple times. Also, if you haven't already, switch to direct deposit if you're still using the debit card - it's usually faster and more reliable during these delays. The whole system is honestly a mess but at least now you know what to expect. Hope this helps you avoid the stress I went through my first few months!