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!

Hope you figure it out! These benefit programs are so hard to navigate when you're dealing with multiple agencies.

I went through something similar a few years ago. The tricky part is that SSDI allows for a Trial Work Period where you can earn up to a certain amount ($1,050/month in 2024) for up to 9 months while keeping your benefits. But unemployment benefits require you to certify that you're actively looking for work and available for immediate employment, which could potentially conflict with your disability determination. The timing matters a lot too - if you lose a job during your trial work period, you might have a case for unemployment, but you'd need to be very careful about how you present your availability for work. Definitely get clarification from both your disability attorney and maybe a consultation with someone who knows NYS unemployment law before proceeding.

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?

also keep all your paperwork! you'll need the 1099-G and any records of what you had withheld when you file your taxes

Just wanted to add that if you're working part-time while collecting unemployment, that income will also affect your tax situation. I was working a few hours a week at a retail job while on unemployment and forgot to factor that in when estimating my taxes. The 10% withholding from NYS Department of Labor might not be enough if you have other income sources. You might want to calculate your expected total income for the year and see if you need to make additional quarterly payments or increase your withholding at your part-time job if you have one.

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.