Just to add - if you do decide to appeal, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during the appeal process. If you win the appeal, you'll get paid for those weeks. If you don't file, you lose those weeks forever even if the appeal goes in your favor.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and found out there are actually different types of disqualifications. For voluntary quit without good cause, it's what Zoe mentioned - you need to work and earn 10x your weekly benefit rate. But there's also a misconduct disqualification which has different rules. You should look at your determination letter carefully because it should specify which type you got. Also, definitely don't wait too long to appeal if you think you had good cause - that 30 day window goes by fast. I made the mistake of waiting and missed my chance.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to verify your benefit amount or have other questions about your claim, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was stuck on hold for hours trying to reach someone about my adjudication issue, but this got me through in about 20 minutes.

The whole system is such a mess. They make it impossible to get straight answers about anything. I've been dealing with an overpayment notice for months and can't get anyone to explain why they think I owe money back. At least you're getting the max amount - that's something!

Just to update everyone on the latest processing times - NYSDOL's current reported average is: - Monetary Determination letters: 5-10 business days - First payment after certification: 10-14 business days (if no issues) - Regular weekly payments: 2-3 business days after certification These times have actually improved since last year when they were severely backlogged. The key factor that delays most claims is incomplete or inconsistent information between what you provided and what your employer reported.

Filed my claim about 10 days ago and just got my letter yesterday! The process was pretty similar to yours - phone rep was actually really helpful and walked me through everything. My first certification is this Sunday so fingers crossed the payment comes through smoothly. One thing I noticed is they sent me a separate letter about work search requirements that came a few days after the monetary determination letter, so don't be surprised if you get multiple pieces of mail. Also make sure to save all the confirmation numbers they give you during the phone call - I wrote mine down and it helped when I had to reference my claim later.

My brother works in HR and he says their company pays like $800 per employee per year into unemployment on average. Seems like a lot but I guess it adds up when you consider all the people collecting benefits. The NYS Department of Labor definitely doesn't make it easy to understand how any of this works though.

Just wanted to add that the NYS Department of Labor also adjusts these rates annually based on the overall health of the unemployment fund. In years when there are more claims (like during economic downturns), the rates can increase across the board. The taxable wage base also changes - it was $12,300 in 2025 but gets adjusted for inflation. One thing that surprised me when I was researching this is that employers can't pass these costs directly to employees - it's entirely employer-funded, which is different from other payroll taxes where costs are sometimes shared.

basically if you quit or got fired for being bad at your job youre probably screwed. layoffs and company closures are usually fine though

Another thing to watch out for is if you're getting any severance pay or vacation payout - that can delay when your benefits start. NY has a waiting period if you receive certain types of separation pay. Also, if you do any freelance or part-time work while collecting, you have to report it or they can deny future claims for fraud. Since you mentioned downsizing, make sure you have documentation of that (layoff notice, WARN Act notice if applicable) in case they question the separation reason.