Just wanted to add that you should still be honest if an employer directly asks about your current employment status during an interview. But they can't discriminate against you for being unemployed, and it definitely won't show up on any background check or credit report they run.

I went through this exact same worry when I was on unemployment last year! Can confirm what others are saying - it absolutely does not show up on credit reports. I was so paranoid about it that I actually pulled my own credit report from all three bureaus just to double-check, and there was zero mention of my NYS unemployment benefits anywhere. The only thing that could potentially impact your credit while unemployed is if you miss payments on existing debts, but the unemployment itself is completely invisible to credit agencies. Good luck with your job search!

have you tired going in person to a local office? sometimes thats the only way to get things done with these government dinosaurs lol

Call your state representative's office! I was stuck in document submission hell for 6 weeks and my assemblyman's office fixed it in 2 days. They have direct contacts at DOL that we don't have access to.

The NYS Department of Labor system is SO frustrating. They approve people who barely worked and deny people with legitimate reasons like illness. But definitely try anyway because the worst they can do is say no and you're already unemployed. Make sure you file your weekly claims even while it's in adjudication or you'll lose those weeks!

I went through something similar last year - got fired for attendance due to a kidney stone episode that kept me out for several days. I was really worried about applying but decided to file anyway. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim after about 3 weeks of adjudication. The key things that helped me: I kept all my medical records organized, wrote a detailed explanation of what happened when I filed, and was completely honest during the phone interview they conducted. Don't let the fear of rejection stop you from applying - legitimate medical issues are usually not considered misconduct. Good luck!

No waiting week anymore, that was eliminated. You can get paid for your first week if you're eligible. Just make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation.

Just wanted to add that with your $72k salary, you should definitely qualify for close to the maximum benefit. The key thing is that they look at your base period which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you're filing now, they'd look at your earnings from early 2024 through late 2024. Make sure you have your pay stubs or W-2 ready because sometimes their system doesn't have all your wage information right away, especially if you had multiple employers.

Forward the number they gave you to the real DOL fraud department. They keep track of these scammers and sometimes can shut them down.

This exact same thing happened to me last month! The scammer was super convincing too - they knew my name and claim details somehow. They even said my benefits would be stopped if I didn't "verify" my info immediately. I'm so glad you trusted your instincts and didn't give them anything! I ended up reporting it to the FTC and the real DOL fraud line. It's scary how sophisticated these scams are getting, but the real giveaway is always when they ask for your full SSN over the phone. The legitimate DOL already has all that information and would never need you to "verify" it like that.