Hey @Lindsey Fry! I just went through this exact process about a month ago and totally understand the confusion. Here's what I learned that might help: First thing - log into your NY.gov account and check your "Claim Summary" page. Look for two key things: your benefit year end date AND how many weeks you've used out of 26. These are totally different things and the difference matters A LOT. If you've used all 26 weeks but your benefit year hasn't ended yet, you're basically stuck waiting (NY doesn't have extended programs running right now). But if your benefit year is ending soon, you can file a new claim. I also discovered I had some "partial weeks" that weren't showing correctly in my balance - might be worth double-checking that with a rep if you can get through. For calling NYSDOL, the 8am sharp strategy everyone mentioned really works! I tried it on a Tuesday and got through in about 20 minutes instead of hours. Have your questions written down because you'll probably be nervous when you finally reach someone (I totally was!). The Twitter approach (@NYSLabor) is legit too - they responded to my DM faster than I could get through on the phone. Hope this helps! The system is definitely confusing but you'll figure it out. Good luck! 🍀

Hey @Lindsey Fry! I just wanted to jump in and say you're definitely not alone in this - the NYSDOL system is confusing even for people who've been through it before! I'm actually going through something similar right now where I'm trying to figure out my next steps. Reading through all these responses has been super educational - I had no idea there was such a big difference between exhausting your 26 weeks vs your benefit year ending. One thing that's been helpful for me is keeping a little notebook with all the important dates and info from my account. Like when my benefit year ends, how many weeks I've used, what my weekly benefit amount is, etc. That way when I do finally get through to someone (fingers crossed!), I have everything right in front of me. The 8am calling strategy that multiple people mentioned seems to be the real deal - I'm definitely going to try that this week. And honestly, while it sucks that we might have to pay for that claimyr service just to access our own benefits, it sounds like it could be worth it if you're really stuck. Hope you get some clarity on your situation soon! This whole process is stressful enough without having to decode all the confusing rules and requirements. Hang in there! 💪

I've dealt with this before - the correspondence issue date just means NYS DOL generated some kind of document on that date. It could be anything from a routine acknowledgment letter to something more important. Here's what I'd recommend: first check your online account messages thoroughly (sometimes they're in different sections), then give it a few more days for mail delivery since postal service can be slow. If nothing shows up by early next week, definitely call them to ask what was issued. Keep your claim number handy when you call. In the meantime, keep certifying as normal - the correspondence issue date alone won't affect your weekly benefits.

I had the same concern recently! In my case, the correspondence issue date was for a form letter about work search requirements that arrived about a week later in the mail. NYS DOL seems to have delays between when they generate correspondence and when it actually gets delivered. One thing that helped me was creating an account on USPS Informed Delivery so I could see what mail was coming - that way I knew to expect something from the Department of Labor. If you're really worried, you can also try visiting a local Career Center in person, they can sometimes look up what correspondence was issued for your claim.

As someone who recently went through the NY unemployment filing process, I want to emphasize how important it is to understand that NY automatically calculates BOTH base periods for you - you don't have to choose or request a specific one. When I filed my claim, I was initially worried because I thought they only used the Standard Base Period (which skips your most recent quarter). But after my determination letter arrived, I could see they had actually used the Alternate Base Period because my recent earnings were higher. The key thing to remember is: - Standard Base Period = first 4 of your last 5 completed quarters (skips most recent) - Alternate Base Period = your 4 most recent completed quarters - NY uses whichever gives you the higher weekly benefit For your situation with varying pay over the past year and a half, this automatic calculation feature should work in your favor. Just make sure when you file that you list ALL your employers accurately, even short-term ones, because missing wages could hurt your benefit calculation. The online system will guide you through everything step by step. Good luck with your claim!

I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who's never filed for unemployment before, the base period calculation seemed really confusing at first, but all these explanations have made it so much clearer. The key takeaways I'm getting are: - NY looks at 5 quarters but only uses 4 for the calculation - They automatically calculate both Standard Base Period (skips most recent quarter) AND Alternate Base Period (includes most recent quarter) - They give you whichever calculation results in a higher weekly benefit - Make sure to list ALL employers from the past 18 months when filing - Check your wage history on NY.gov before filing to catch any errors I feel much more confident about filing my claim now. It's also good to know about that Claimyr service if I need help getting through to speak with someone. Really appreciate this community for breaking down such a complex topic in plain English!

I went through this exact situation last year after leaving a toxic workplace. Yes, your employer gets notified automatically - there's no way around it. The notice they receive includes basic info like your claim date and employment period, but not detailed reasons why you're claiming benefits. However, if they contest it (which they might if you quit), then the specifics come out during the hearing process. I'd recommend documenting everything you can about the hostile work environment before filing - save emails, texts, write down incidents with dates, get witness contact info if possible. The good news is that if you truly have good cause, NYS does recognize hostile work environment as valid grounds for quitting. Just be prepared for a potentially lengthy appeals process if your employer fights it.

Just wanted to add that if you're worried about your employer finding out, you should know that they'll receive the notification regardless of whether you were fired or quit. However, the initial notice doesn't include your personal reasons for filing - it's mainly for wage verification. The detailed circumstances only come up if they decide to contest your claim. I'd suggest filing sooner rather than later since there are time limits, and you can always appeal if they contest it. Also, keep in mind that even if the relationship ended badly, many employers don't bother contesting claims unless there was serious misconduct involved, since it takes time and resources on their end too.

I just went through this exact same nightmare last week! The "session expired" error is super misleading - it's actually a backend sync issue between NY.gov ID and their unemployment system. Here's what finally worked for me after trying everything else: 1. Log out of EVERYTHING NY.gov related (not just unemployment) 2. Clear your browser cache AND cookies specifically for ny.gov domains 3. Wait at least 20 minutes (this is crucial - don't rush it!) 4. Try logging in directly through unemployment.labor.ny.gov instead of going through the main NY.gov portal 5. If you're still stuck, try using your phone's browser in private/incognito mode The mobile workaround that @Maya mentioned actually saved me too! Sometimes their mobile interface bypasses whatever server issues are happening on desktop. Don't stress about the certification deadline - I called when this happened to me and they said as long as you can show you attempted to certify (screenshots help!), they'll backdate it once the system is fixed. The rep told me this is a recurring issue they're aware of but haven't been able to permanently resolve yet. Keep trying different combinations and you'll eventually get through! 🤞

I've been dealing with this same issue since Wednesday! So frustrating when you're trying to certify and the system just keeps kicking you out. I tried most of the suggestions here - clearing cache, different browsers, waiting periods - but what finally worked for me was using my tablet instead of my laptop. For some reason the mobile/tablet interface seems to handle whatever backend issue they're having better than desktop browsers. Also, I found that going directly to unemployment.labor.ny.gov worked better than trying to navigate through the main NY.gov portal. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have the NY.gov ID mobile app, try logging in through that first, then switching to the browser. Sometimes that seems to "refresh" your session in a way that helps with the sync issues. Really glad to see the official acknowledgment from NYSDOL that they're working on it and will allow backdated certifications. Takes some of the panic out of the situation! Keep trying different devices and times - you'll get through eventually.