@Aisha Jackson, definitely file your claim today if you can! Even though you'll miss out on those 8 weeks of back pay, you're still eligible to file since it's been less than a year. And regarding your termination for "attendance issues" after complaining about safety violations - that could potentially be considered retaliation, which might help your case if your employer contests your claim. Make sure to document everything about those safety complaints when you file. The worst thing you can do is wait any longer and lose out on even more potential benefits.

I'm in a similar boat - got laid off from my retail job about 6 weeks ago and kept putting off filing because I thought I'd find something quickly. This thread is a real wake-up call about how much money I'm probably losing by waiting. Does anyone know if there are any differences in the filing process or requirements when you wait this long to apply? Like do they ask more questions about why you didn't file sooner, or is it pretty much the same process as filing right away?

Your BYE date (8/21) is the last day of your current benefit year, but you can still certify for that week. After that, you'll need to file a completely new claim - it's not an extension, it's starting over. Since you've been working part-time, they'll calculate your new weekly benefit based on your earnings from the past 18 months, so it'll likely be lower than what you're getting now. The good news is you should still qualify since you have recent work history. Just be prepared for the new claim to take a few weeks to process, and make sure you have all your employment info ready when you apply!

I went through this exact same situation last year! Your BYE date of 8/21 means you can certify for the week ending on that date, but after that you'll need to file a brand new claim. Since you've been working part-time, you should definitely qualify for a new claim, but your weekly benefit amount will be recalculated based on your earnings from the past 18 months. So it'll probably be lower than what you're getting now, but at least you'll still have some income coming in. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for me, and they did backpay once it was approved. Just make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file the new claim!

The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing about this stuff! I thought minimum wage going up would automatically boost everyone's unemployment but apparently that's not how it works at all. Wish they explained this better when you file.

I went through the same confusion when I first filed! The key thing to understand is that NYS Department of Labor uses your actual wage history from the "base period" (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed). So if you earned $14/hour during those quarters, that's what they use - not the current minimum wage. Your weekly benefit is typically about half of your average weekly wage during your highest-earning quarter, up to the state maximum. The minimum wage changes only affect future earnings requirements, not past wage calculations for existing claims.

For future reference, the NYSDOL actually posts system outages and maintenance schedules on their Twitter account @NYSLabor. They don't always update it immediately when there's an unexpected issue, but it's worth checking there first to see if there's a known problem before you spend hours trying to get through.

This is such a common issue - I've been dealing with NY unemployment for about 8 months now and the website crashes almost every Sunday evening. What's helped me is setting a reminder to certify on Monday mornings instead of waiting until the last minute. The system is usually much more stable earlier in the week. Also, if you're on mobile, try switching to incognito/private browsing mode - sometimes that helps with the login issues. Hope everyone was able to get through eventually!

Just to add - benefit payment control can also trigger if there's been unusual activity on your account or if their system flagged something for manual review. Sometimes it's as simple as certifying for benefits on a different day than usual or reporting earnings in a different format. The important thing is to not panic and get the right information from an agent about your specific situation.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! In my case, the benefit payment control was triggered because I had reported some freelance work income but hadn't provided enough detail about the dates. What helped me was logging into my account multiple times a day to check for any new messages or requests - sometimes they don't send email notifications right away. Also, try calling first thing in the morning around 8 AM when they open, that's when I finally got through. The hold lasted about 10 days for me but once resolved, I got all my back payments. Don't give up on trying to reach them by phone - persistence pays off!