my company went through similar situation last year. had to lay off 12 people and our rate went from like 1.2% to 3.8%. it's not immediate but it definitely hits your bottom line the following year. make sure you're putting money aside for the increase

Just went through this exact scenario with my small business last month. One thing to keep in mind is that NYS also looks at your "benefit ratio" - the total benefits paid out to your former employees divided by your total taxable payroll over the past 3 years. So even if you've had low turnover historically, 6 claims at once will definitely move the needle. I'd recommend reviewing your separation documentation carefully - if any of those layoffs involved performance issues or policy violations, you might want to consider whether they should have been terminations for cause instead. Also, start setting aside funds now because that rate increase will hit your 2026 tax bills pretty hard.

just want to add that even if you qualify for benefits after quitting, you still have to meet all the other requirements like doing job searches and being available for work. don't forget about that part!

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago - quit due to a hostile manager who was creating an unbearable work environment. The key thing I learned is that NYS Department of Labor takes "constructive discharge" seriously if you can prove it. Document EVERYTHING - not just the obvious stuff like inappropriate emails or comments, but also things like sudden schedule changes designed to make you quit, being excluded from meetings, having your responsibilities stripped away, etc. I kept a daily log of incidents with dates and times. It really helped my case during the adjudication interview. The whole process was stressful but I did get approved eventually. Start your claim as soon as possible even while you're gathering documentation - the sooner you file, the sooner your potential benefit period starts.

When I went through this, I uploaded all my documents online but ALSO faxed physical copies to them (yes, they still use fax 🙄). For some reason the physical copies got processed faster than the online submission. Worth a try if you're desperate.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Lost my job in September, submitted wage docs in early November, and it's been radio silence for 6 weeks. My landlord is breathing down my neck and I'm down to my last $200. The worst part is not knowing if there's an issue with my documents or if they're just buried in the pile. I've called literally hundreds of times and can never get through. This system is absolutely broken and it feels like they're hoping we'll all just give up and disappear. Stay strong OP - sounds like we're all in this together unfortunately 😤

Just wanted to update everyone - my refund came through today via direct deposit! So it looks like they are using the same payment method as regular benefits in most cases. Thanks for all your help!

That's great news Victoria! Glad it worked out with direct deposit. For others still waiting, I've found that checking the NY DOL website under "Payment History" sometimes shows the refund status before you actually receive it. It might show as "pending" or "processed" which can give you a heads up on timing. Also, if you're moving like Victoria was, definitely update your address in the system ASAP - I've heard of people missing checks because of address changes during processing.

Also bring your alien registration number if you're not a US citizen - they need that for work authorization verification. And if you have any union information that's helpful too since it affects your benefit calculation.

One thing people forget is if you had any severance pay or vacation payout when you left your job, NYS Department of Labor needs to know about that too. It can affect when your benefits start.