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.

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.

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.

same thing here, got the audit notice last month and was totally confused about what they wanted

I just went through this audit process a few months ago and wanted to share what helped me. The key is organization - I created a simple spreadsheet with all my job applications, dates, company names, and contact info. Also kept screenshots of online applications and copies of any email confirmations. The NYS Department of Labor auditor was actually pretty reasonable and just wanted to verify I was actively looking for work. The whole thing was resolved in about 2-3 weeks. Don't stress too much, just be thorough with your records and respond promptly to any requests they make.

Just wanted to add that if you exhaust your 26 weeks of regular UI, you might be eligible for extended benefits during periods of high unemployment, but that's rare and depends on statewide unemployment rates. For planning purposes, definitely count on 26 weeks and not a day more.

Hey Mateo! Just to add some practical advice - I went through this process last year and the 26 weeks goes by faster than you think. Start your job search immediately even if you're taking a few days to decompress. The weekly certification process becomes routine but don't skip it - I set a phone reminder for the same day/time each week. Also, your benefit amount is calculated from your highest earning quarter in your base period, so it might be different than what you expect. The NYS DOL website has a benefit calculator that can give you a rough estimate. Good luck with everything!