I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and I completely understand the stress! Here's what I wish someone had told me: First, gather all your documents BEFORE you start the online application - your Social Security card, driver's license, last pay stub, and a list of all employers from the past 18 months with their addresses and phone numbers. The application will time out if you take too long looking for information. Second, file your claim the week you lose your job, don't wait! I made that mistake and it delayed everything. Third, once you file your initial claim, you MUST file weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still being processed - this is super important or you'll lose benefits for those weeks. The whole process usually takes 2-3 weeks if there are no complications, but start filing those weekly claims right away. You've got this!

I filed for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor about 3 months ago and wanted to share a few tips that really helped me. First, create your account at labor.ny.gov early in the morning (like 6-7 AM) when the system is less busy - I had way fewer technical issues that way. Second, when they ask for your employment history, don't stress if you can't remember exact dates or addresses - approximate information is fine for the initial filing and they'll verify details with your employers later. Third, save a copy of everything you submit and write down your confirmation numbers! I also recommend setting up direct deposit right away so your benefits go straight to your bank account. The whole process took about 10 days for me to get my first payment, but that was because I filed immediately after my last day of work. You're going to be okay - just take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to call if you get stuck on any part of the application.

You should also update your job search log to show that you're no longer actively searching since you accepted employment. This helps keep your records clean with NYS Department of Labor.

Make sure to also check if you need to report any wages earned during your last week of unemployment benefits. Since your job starts Monday, you'll want to be clear about which week was your final week of eligibility. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about accurate wage reporting, so it's better to over-communicate than leave anything unclear when you submit your return to work notification.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The most important thing is to file your weekly claim as normal this week and accurately report your return-to-work date when prompted. Don't panic about potential overpayments - as long as you're honest and report it through your next certification, NYS DOL will handle stopping your benefits automatically from your start date. I was worried I'd mess something up too, but the system is actually designed to handle this transition smoothly when you report it properly. The key is being proactive like you're doing now rather than trying to hide it or figure it out later. You've got this!

I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely doing the right thing by asking about this now rather than waiting! The weekly certification system is specifically designed to capture employment changes, so when you file this week, just answer all questions honestly including your start date. One tip: keep a record of when you reported your return to work (screenshot your certification if possible) just in case you need to reference it later. The automated system will handle stopping your benefits correctly, and being proactive like this shows good faith if there are ever any questions down the line. Best of luck with your new position!

I've been collecting unemployment from NYS Department of Labor for about 4 months now and have KeyBank. My deposits consistently hit around 2:45 AM on Wednesday mornings - the timing has been super reliable! What I learned early on is that the NYS Department of Labor processes payments Tuesday evening, but your bank doesn't actually credit your account until their overnight ACH batch runs, which is typically between 2-6 AM Wednesday. I always check my NYS unemployment account Tuesday night to confirm it shows "payment released" - that way I know the money is definitely coming overnight. For anyone planning bill payments around their unemployment deposit, I'd strongly recommend waiting until you can actually see the money in your account Wednesday morning rather than scheduling anything for early Wednesday. I made that mistake my first week and had to scramble when the deposit came through a bit later than expected. The system is pretty predictable once you know what to expect though!

I've been collecting unemployment from NYS Department of Labor for about 2 months now and have Santander Bank. My deposits consistently hit around 4:10 AM on Wednesday mornings - it's been really reliable timing! What I noticed is that Santander seems to process ACH transfers a bit later than some of the bigger banks others mentioned, but it's still within that overnight window. The key thing I learned is to always check your NYS unemployment account on Tuesday evening - if it shows "payment released" or "payment issued," you can count on the money being there by early Wednesday morning. For bill planning, I always wait until I can actually see the deposit in my account before making any payments, even though the timing has been consistent. One week there was a slight delay until around 5:30 AM and I was glad I hadn't scheduled anything too early! The NYS Department of Labor has been pretty dependable with their payment schedule once you're established in the system.

Just be really careful about this stuff. I reported my wages wrong once and they hit me with an overpayment notice months later. NYS Department of Labor doesn't mess around with wage reporting errors.

For tips specifically - if you're in a restaurant job, make sure you're reporting what you actually received, not what the restaurant reports as your tip income. Sometimes there's a difference and you want to be accurate on your weekly claim certification.