Congratulations Romeo! That's such amazing news after 2 months of stress and uncertainty. I'm actually in a similar boat - just got my appeal decision last week after a 7-week wait, and like you, I'm trying to figure out the payment timeline. From what I've been reading online and from others' experiences, it sounds like NYS DOL is usually pretty quick with processing payments once the appeal decision is made - most people seem to get their first retroactive payment within 3-7 business days. I'm expecting about 6 weeks of back pay myself, so I totally understand that mix of relief and anxiety about when the money will actually show up! One thing my cousin mentioned (she went through this last year) is to make sure you keep doing your weekly certifications even while waiting for the retroactive payments, because the system needs those to process everything correctly going forward. Really hoping both of us see our payments hit our accounts soon - we've definitely earned it after dealing with all this bureaucratic mess!

Congratulations Romeo! What a huge relief that must be after 2 months of financial stress. I went through a similar appeal last year and can totally relate to that mix of excitement and anxiety - finally winning but then wondering when you'll actually see the money. In my case, NYS DOL processed the retroactive payments within 6 business days of the decision letter. They sent mine as 3 separate deposits rather than individual weekly payments, which actually worked out better. Just wanted to add to what others have said about double-checking your direct deposit info in your online account - even if it hasn't changed, sometimes updating it can help speed things along. Also definitely keep doing those weekly certifications religiously while you wait! The system needs those to process everything correctly going forward. After dealing with all that uncertainty and having to borrow money just to survive, you should hopefully see that first payment by early next week. Wishing you a quick resolution - you've definitely earned it after fighting this battle for so long!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else going through this! I literally just went through the exact same thing last month - saw that $0.00 waiting week and immediately thought I had screwed something up with my application. But it's totally normal! NY makes everyone do a waiting week before they start paying out benefits. After that week ended, I started getting my regular weekly benefit amount deposited every Tuesday morning with US Bank (usually hits around 4am). The most important thing is to keep doing your weekly certifications even during that $0.00 week - if you skip it, it can mess up your whole claim timeline. And yeah, that first week's money is gone forever, but once you get past it the system works pretty smoothly. Set up those weekly reminders on your phone because missing even one certification can cause major headaches with their phone system. You're almost through the hardest part - hang in there! 💪

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been collecting NY unemployment for about a year now! That waiting week is definitely confusing when you first see it - I remember staring at that $0.00 amount thinking I had messed something up. But it's 100% normal and everyone has to go through it. Think of it as NY's way of making sure you're legitimately unemployed before they start sending payments. After your waiting week ends, you should start seeing your actual benefit amount in your next weekly certification. I'm with KeyBank and typically get deposits on Tuesday mornings around 7am. The key things to remember: never miss a weekly certification (even during the waiting week!), set up direct deposit if you haven't already, and unfortunately that first week's money is gone forever - you won't get it back later. The system definitely has its quirks but once you get into the rhythm of weekly claims, it's pretty reliable. And pro tip - if you ever need to call them, try calling right when they open at 8am on Tuesday or Wednesday. Those seem to be the best times to actually get through. You're almost past the hardest part though - hang in there! 💪

Just want to add that the NYS Department of Labor also considers the size of the employer when calculating these experience ratings. Smaller businesses like restaurants often get hit harder by rate increases from unemployment claims because they have fewer employees to spread the cost across. That might explain why your boss seemed particularly concerned - every claim really does impact their quarterly tax bill more significantly than it would for a big corporation.

Don't feel too bad about it - unemployment insurance is literally designed to protect workers like you who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Yes, employers pay into the system, but that's the whole point - it creates a social safety net while also incentivizing companies to maintain stable employment. Your boss calling you with "weird questions" is concerning though. They might be fishing for information to contest your claim. Just stick to the facts: you were laid off due to lack of work, not fired for cause. The NYS Department of Labor will investigate if they do contest, but legitimate layoff claims usually hold up fine.

I've been through this exact situation and completely understand your stress! About 7 months ago I was offered a job in food service paying $13/hour when I had been making $26/hour as a tax preparer. The anxiety about refusing and potentially losing benefits was intense, but I'm so glad I stuck to my guns. The job was completely unrelated to my accounting background and paid exactly half of what I was making - clearly not suitable work under NYS Department of Labor guidelines. I documented everything thoroughly - saved the job posting, screenshots of the offer email, and wrote detailed notes about why it wasn't suitable (wrong field, 50% pay cut, no use of my tax and accounting expertise). I never heard a single word from NYS Department of Labor about it. Your retail vs accounting situation at only 60% of previous pay definitely qualifies as unsuitable work. The key thing that helped me was realizing that these protections exist specifically to prevent people from being forced into jobs that would damage their career trajectory. Keep focusing your search on accounting positions, document everything about this offer, and don't let anyone pressure you into taking work that's genuinely wrong for your professional background. You've got legitimate grounds to refuse and the system is designed to support you finding appropriate employment, not just any job!

I went through this same anxiety about 3 months ago when I was offered a retail job paying $13/hour after losing my accounting position that paid $22/hour. The fear of losing benefits is totally understandable, but after going through the process, I can tell you that you're absolutely protected when refusing genuinely unsuitable work. Your situation - retail vs accounting at only 60% of previous pay - definitely falls outside the suitable work guidelines. I documented everything (job posting, offer email, detailed reasons why it wasn't suitable) and never heard from NYS Department of Labor. The key is continuing your active job search in accounting and keeping good records. Don't let anxiety push you into taking something that would actually set your career back - the protections exist for exactly this reason. Focus on finding work that actually matches your skills and experience level. You're making the right call by being thoughtful about this decision!

Just wanted to share what worked for me after reading all these tips! Called this morning at 8:03 AM (855-233-8223) on a Thursday and got through using @Isabella Martin's method. Pressed 1 for English, then 3 for card issues, and there WAS a callback option (press 9)! They called me back in about 30 minutes. Had my card unlocked in 5 minutes once connected. The rep confirmed that Tuesday-Thursday mornings between 8-8:30 AM are definitely the best times. Also pro tip: they asked for the last 4 digits of my SSN first, then full card number, then zip code - have it all ready to go! Don't give up @Ella Knight, these strategies actually work! 🙌

@Ella Knight I was in the exact same situation last week - so frustrating! What finally worked for me was calling at 8:10 AM on a Wednesday using the number everyone's mentioned (855-233-8223). Here's my exact sequence: Press 1 for English, then 3 for card issues, then when you hear the menu starting to list options, immediately press 9 for callback instead of waiting on hold. They called me back in about 25 minutes from a different number (looked like a local area code, not the 855 number). Make sure to answer any unknown calls that morning! Had my SSN last 4 digits, full card number, and zip code ready when they called back. The whole thing took maybe 10 minutes once connected and they unlocked my card immediately. The key really is that early morning timing before everyone else starts calling. You got this! 💪