When you file, be honest about what happened but emphasize any work-related issues that contributed to your decision. Mental health is taken more seriously now than it used to be. If you do get denied, you have 30 days to file an appeal and request a hearing.

I went through something similar last year. The key is to document everything you can remember about why you felt you couldn't continue working - even if you don't have official medical records, write down dates when you had panic attacks, any interactions with supervisors that made things worse, or changes in your work environment. NYS DOL does consider mental health as a valid reason for leaving if you can show it was work-related. Also, don't let your employer's initial response discourage you - many employers will claim "job abandonment" but if you can show you had good cause, the adjudicator might see it differently. The process takes time but it's worth pursuing.

unpopular opinion: maybe try the unemployment office in person? everybodys always calling and doing stuff online but i went to the office in queens and got my issue fixed same day. just bring ID and proof of ur new bank account

This is such a nightmare! I went through something similar last year when my bank merged with another one and changed all the routing numbers. The NY unemployment system is seriously broken when it comes to updating payment info. What finally worked for me was calling at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday and staying on hold for 2.5 hours until I got a human. The rep told me that the online system has known issues with bank updates and they basically expect people to call. Super frustrating but once I got through, they fixed it immediately and released my pending payments within 24 hours. Don't give up - your money is definitely still there, just stuck in the system!

Two weeks isn't even that long honestly. I've seen people wait 3+ months during busy periods. The system is completely broken and they don't care about people struggling to pay bills while they take their sweet time 'reviewing' obvious cases.

I'm going through something similar right now - my claim has been pending for about 3 weeks after I was laid off from my job in February. The waiting is incredibly stressful when you're trying to make ends meet. From what I've read on various forums, retail separations sometimes get flagged for review more often, possibly because they want to verify it wasn't a quit situation. I'd definitely recommend continuing to file your weekly claims like others mentioned - that seems to be crucial for getting back pay later. Have you tried reaching out to your local career center? Sometimes they can provide guidance or at least give you a better sense of typical wait times in your area. Hang in there!

There's a lot of confusion on this topic because the rules changed during COVID and then changed back. Let me break it down: • Pre-COVID: Unemployment benefits were 100% taxable • 2020 only: The first $10,200 was tax-free federally (American Rescue Plan) • 2021 and beyond: Back to being 100% taxable So your friend was partly right - there WAS a time when some unemployment wasn't taxed, but that ended. If you're receiving benefits now, they are definitely taxable. You have two options: 1. Continue withholding taxes now (what you're currently doing) 2. Stop withholding but set aside money yourself for tax time Personally, I recommend keeping the withholding to avoid a nasty surprise when filing. If you need to change your withholding settings and can't figure it out online, good luck reaching someone by phone! After weeks of trying, I finally used claimyr.com to get through to a live agent. It was a game changer - finally got all my questions answered in one call instead of endless busy signals.

Wait, I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in the exact same situation - just started collecting unemployment last month and was totally confused about the tax thing. My sister told me the same thing about unemployment not being taxed anymore, but everyone here is saying otherwise. I guess I should probably elect to have taxes withheld then? I was planning to opt out because I need every dollar right now, but sounds like that might bite me come tax season. How much do they typically withhold? Is it a flat percentage or does it depend on your benefit amount? Also seeing lots of mentions of claimyr.com - has anyone actually used this successfully? The NY unemployment phone system is absolutely brutal and I've been trying to get through for days about a different issue with my claim.

Just want to add that timing is really important here. If you know layoffs are coming at your company, you might want to talk to HR about the sequence of events. Sometimes it's better to wait and see if you get laid off first, then you could potentially use unemployment while also having FMLA job protection for intermittent family care. But definitely get proper advice for your specific situation.

I went through something similar when my father was going through chemotherapy. The timing coordination is crucial - you really need to think strategically about when to use each benefit. In my case, I used intermittent FMLA first (unpaid leave for medical appointments) while still working, then when our company downsized and I was laid off, I was able to file for unemployment. The key is that you can't be actively receiving PFL payments and UI payments simultaneously. If your mom's care needs are ongoing, you might also want to look into whether your employer offers any flexible work arrangements that could help you manage both situations without having to choose between benefits.