The ny unemployment system is LITERALLY the worst in the country. I eventually had to show up IN PERSON at my state senator's office and refuse to leave until they helped me. Took 3 visits but they finally assigned someone to my case.

I feel your pain - I was stuck in unemployment hell for 4 months last year. Here's what finally worked for me: I contacted both my state assemblyperson AND senator on the same day, then used Claimyr.com to actually get through to a real person at NYSDOL. The combination of political pressure + talking to an actual agent got my claim moving within 72 hours. Don't waste time with the Governor's office - they just redirect you back to the same broken system. Focus on your local reps and getting to a human who can see your account. Also document everything with dates/times in case you need to escalate further. Hang in there!

just to add - you can also make quarterly estimated tax payments if you dont want to do the withholding thing. some people prefer that so they have more control over the timing

I'm new to unemployment benefits and this thread has been really helpful! Just to clarify - when you elect the 10% withholding through NYS Department of Labor, does that get sent directly to the IRS or do I need to do anything else? Also, if my usual tax bracket is lower (like 12%), would it make sense to withhold less than 10% or is it better to err on the safe side and maybe get a refund?

been there! mine got denied first time but approved on appeal. just make sure you appeal within the 30 days or you're SOL

Don't panic - denials are actually pretty common and most can be successfully appealed if you have a legitimate case. Since you mentioned it was a company downsize, that should definitely qualify you for benefits. The key is acting fast on that 30-day appeal deadline. I'd recommend calling the NYS DOL first thing tomorrow morning to get the specific reason for denial, then start gathering any paperwork you have from your employer about the layoffs. If you can't get through by phone, the online appeal through ny.gov is usually faster than mailing forms.

Just wanted to say good luck with this! It's not easy navigating both systems but it sounds like you're taking the right steps by getting medical clearance first.

I'm in a similar boat - been on SSDI for a year due to chronic fatigue but my condition has improved enough that I could handle remote work. Reading through these responses is really helpful! @Oliver Schulz, when you mention needing medical documentation, does it have to be from the same doctor who originally supported my SSDI claim, or can it be from any treating physician? Also wondering if anyone knows how strict they are about the "actively seeking work" requirement - like do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs per week?

ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why cant they just make it simple to understand what you can and cant do when your on disability?? i hate having to navigate all this bureaucracy when your already dealing with health issues

Make sure you report any disability payments when you file your weekly claim if you do end up being eligible. NYS Department of Labor needs to know about all income sources, even if they don't affect your benefit amount. Being upfront about everything will save you headaches later if they do an audit of your claim.