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Here's what I learned after dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months - you need to meet the basic eligibility first: worked enough hours in your base period, lost work through no fault of your own, able and available for work, and actively job searching. The 'when' really depends on WHY you're unemployed. Layoffs = immediate eligibility. Firing for performance = usually eligible after adjudication. Quitting = very limited eligibility unless you can prove good cause. If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask about your specific situation, I had success using claimyr.com - they help you get through to actual agents. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
Thanks for the claimyr info! I've been dreading trying to call NYS Department of Labor because I heard the wait times are horrible.
just wanted to add my experience - i was able to file immediately when i got laid off but it still took forever for my first payment because of some stupid adjudication thing. the whole process is such a nightmare honestly
Maybe look into getting a secured credit card? You put down a deposit and that becomes your credit limit. Not ideal but might be better than predatory loans
This whole system is messed up! You need a car to find work but you can't get money to fix your car because you don't have work. It's like they want to keep people trapped in the unemployment cycle. I went through the same thing and ended up taking a payday loan that took me months to pay off. Such a scam.
ugh the whole system is such a nightmare. took me 6 weeks to get my first payment because they kept asking for more documentation. make sure you answer every single message they send you or your claim will just sit there forever
The key is being super responsive to any requests from NYS Department of Labor and making sure you file your weekly claims on time every week. Even if your initial claim is still pending, you need to keep filing weekly or you'll lose benefits for those weeks. Also double-check that all your employer information is exactly correct when you file - any discrepancies can trigger adjudication which adds weeks to the process.
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about DUA eligibility, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a real person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was stuck trying to figure out if I qualified for DUA or regular UI after storm damage, and talking to an actual NYS Department of Labor rep helped me understand which program applied to my situation.
Just want to add that DUA applications usually have pretty tight deadlines once they open up. I think it's like 30 days from when the application period starts? Don't wait around if you think you might qualify - get your paperwork together now in case they announce DUA is available for your flooding incident.
Grace Thomas
the processing time depends on alot of factors like if you quit or got fired, if theres any issues with your wages, stuff like that. mine took 2 weeks but my friend's took over a month because they had to verify something with her employer
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Marcus Williams
•I was laid off due to company downsizing so hopefully that helps speed things up. No issues on my end that I know of.
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Hunter Brighton
Just be patient and keep checking your my.ny.gov account daily. The system will update when there's news. In the meantime, make sure you're doing your job search activities because you'll need to start filing weekly claims once approved.
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