I'm so glad you posted this question! I just started collecting unemployment benefits three weeks ago and I'm still figuring out all the timing. The first payment took forever (or at least it felt like it) and I was constantly refreshing my bank app. What I've learned so far is that the NYS Department of Labor is pretty good about sticking to their 2-3 business day timeline once they show "payment released." I use Bank of America and usually see my deposits around 6am on the day they come through. One thing that really helped my anxiety was calling my bank to ask specifically how they handle ACH deposits - turns out they process them overnight and post them first thing in the morning. Since you certified Tuesday and it's showing as released, I'd expect to see it by Monday morning at the latest. The waiting is definitely the worst part, especially when bills are due!

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! Started unemployment three weeks ago and that first payment delay had me in full panic mode. What really helped me was learning that once NYS Department of Labor shows "payment released," they've literally done everything on their end - the rest is just waiting for your bank to process it. I bank with TD and they usually post my unemployment deposits around 2-3am on the day they arrive. Since you certified Tuesday and it's showing released, you should definitely see it by Monday. One tip that saved my sanity: I started taking a screenshot of the "payment released" status each week so I have proof that the money is coming, which helps me relax instead of constantly second-guessing whether I did something wrong. The first few weeks are absolutely brutal for anxiety but everyone here is right that it gets SO much easier once you learn your bank's specific timing!

I'm currently going through this exact situation - got laid off yesterday and have about 1.5 weeks of vacation pay coming in my final paycheck. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! It's clear that the main factors are: 1) Getting HR to code it correctly as "accrued vacation time" vs "pay in lieu of notice", 2) having proper documentation, and 3) being transparent from day one when filing. I'm planning to call my HR department Monday morning to make sure they send the right paperwork to NYS Department of Labor before I file my claim. One question - has anyone dealt with vacation pay where the amount might be right at the edge of the weekly earnings limit? I'm trying to figure out if my payout could result in a partial benefit reduction for that week versus complete disqualification. Also, should I wait to file my claim until after I receive my final paycheck with the exact vacation amount, or file immediately with an estimate and update during weekly certifications? Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical real-world advice - this is way more helpful than anything I could find on the official NYS unemployment website!

I just went through this exact process a few months ago and can share some insights that might help! Regarding your question about being "right at the edge" of the weekly earnings limit - NYS Department of Labor typically uses an all-or-nothing approach rather than partial reductions. If your vacation payout exceeds their weekly threshold (which is usually tied to your weekly benefit amount), you'll be completely ineligible for that week rather than receiving a reduced payment. As for timing, I'd strongly recommend filing your claim immediately rather than waiting for your final paycheck. You can provide an estimate of the vacation pay amount in your initial filing and then report the exact amount during your weekly certification once you receive it. This approach gets your claim processing started and shows transparency from day one, which everyone here seems to agree is crucial. The key thing is making sure your HR department codes it properly as "accrued vacation time" when they report to NYS Department of Labor. When I called my HR, I specifically requested they mark it as "vacation time earned during employment" rather than any form of severance or notice pay. Having that conversation before filing really made the difference in how smoothly my claim was processed. Good luck!

Just wanted to add another option that worked for me when I couldn't find the Payment Summary section that others mentioned. If you go to your NY.gov account and look for "Correspondence" or "Documents" (sometimes it's called "My Inbox"), there might be payment notifications that were automatically generated when you received each payment. These usually have a "Print" or "Download" option and show the payment details in an official format. They're not as comprehensive as a full payment summary, but if you need something quickly for your landlord, you can print multiple individual payment notifications to show your payment history. I found these were easier to locate than navigating through all the different payment menus, and they still have the official NYS DOL formatting that landlords typically accept.

I just went through this same frustrating process last week! What finally worked for me was logging into ny.gov, going to "Unemployment Services," then "UI Online Services," and looking for "Payment and Deduction Statement." This creates an official PDF that shows all your payments with dates, amounts, and the NYS DOL letterhead - exactly what landlords want to see. The tricky part is that it's buried in the menu and easy to miss. If you can't find it there, try calling the unemployment customer service line at (888) 209-8124 early in the morning (around 8 AM) when hold times are shorter. They can email you an official payment statement usually within 24 hours. I know it's a pain, but don't give up - the document you need definitely exists, it's just hidden in their confusing website structure!

Hi Miguel! I see you've started a post but it looks like the content didn't come through. As someone new to this community, I'm also navigating the NY unemployment system and would be interested to hear what you wanted to share or ask about. Feel free to add more details when you get a chance - this community seems really helpful for supporting each other through the process!

yeah you can work just dont go over the limit or they take it away dollar for dollar which sucks

Just want to add that when you do report your Instacart earnings, make sure you're tracking your expenses too (gas, car maintenance, etc.) for tax purposes. The income you report to NYS DOL should be your gross earnings before expenses, but you'll want those expense records when tax time comes around since you'll likely be filing as a 1099 contractor. Also, keep detailed records of what you earned each week - screenshots of your Instacart earnings, dates, amounts. This will make your weekly certifications much easier and protect you if there are ever any questions later.