Just want to add that you should still try to make all your regular payments on time even while on unemployment. The benefit amount is usually less than your full salary, so budget carefully to avoid late payments that WOULD hurt your credit.

Great question and I'm glad you asked before filing! Everyone else is absolutely right - unemployment benefits won't show up on your credit report or affect your score. I went through the same worry when I was laid off from my tech job last year. Filed my claim right away and my credit score actually went UP a few points during those months (probably just normal fluctuation). The key is keeping up with your existing payments as others mentioned. NYS unemployment maxes out at $504/week so definitely budget accordingly if you're used to a higher income.

Cash App processing times >>> regular bank accounts frfr

Just got approved for benefits yesterday! This timeline gives me hope that I might see my first payment soon. Quick question though - can you use any digital wallet like Venmo or PayPal for direct deposit, or is Cash App the only one that works fast? Also, what exactly do you mean by "answer certification questions correctly"? Are there specific things to watch out for? Thanks for sharing your experience, really helpful for us newbies! 🙏

Also freeze your credit immediately if you haven't already. If they have enough info to file an unemployment claim, they probably have your SSN and other details that could be used for other types of fraud.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. In addition to reporting the fraud to NYS Department of Labor, make sure you also contact the IRS about the fraudulent 1099-G that will likely be issued. You can use IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) to report it. The IRS has a special process for unemployment identity theft cases. Also, when you file your taxes, you'll need to report only your actual income and attach documentation showing the fraudulent unemployment claim was reported. It's a pain but definitely manageable if you stay on top of it.

same thing happened to my sister but with back surgery. she was out for 3 months and couldn't get unemployment until she was cleared to work again. definitely look into disability benefits first

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - waiting for hip replacement surgery and my employer already told me they can't guarantee my job will be there when I get back. From what I've learned talking to others, the timing is really important here. You'll want to apply for short-term disability benefits first if your employer offers them, or look into New York State Disability Benefits if you've been paying into that. Once your doctor clears you to return to work, THEN you can file for unemployment if you don't have a job to go back to. The key is having that medical clearance - without it, NYS Department of Labor will consider you unable to work and therefore ineligible. It's frustrating but the system treats medical inability to work differently than involuntary job loss. Make sure to keep all your medical documentation organized for when you're ready to file.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now - just accepted an offer last week with a February 21st start date! This entire thread has been such a relief to read through. I was honestly losing sleep over whether I was somehow breaking the rules by continuing to file my weekly claims. After seeing all these success stories, I feel so much more confident about the approach I've been taking. I've been completely transparent on every weekly certification about accepting the job offer and including my February 21st start date. The way everyone explains being "still unemployed until you actually start earning" really clarifies everything perfectly. I'm keeping my offer letter and screenshots of all my filings just in case they need documentation later. It's amazing how much anxiety this whole process can cause when you're genuinely just trying to follow the rules correctly! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - knowing so many people have successfully navigated similar gap periods without any issues gives me so much peace of mind. This community is incredibly helpful for situations like this where the rules aren't always crystal clear.

I'm in this exact situation too - just accepted a job offer on Tuesday with a start date of February 27th! This thread has been absolutely incredible to find. I was honestly panicking about whether I should stop filing my weekly claims or continue, and reading through everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief. It's clear that complete transparency is the way to go - I've been making sure to answer "yes" about accepting work with a future start date and including February 27th on every weekly certification. The way everyone explains it really makes sense - we're still genuinely unemployed and not earning any income until we actually begin working. I'm definitely keeping my offer letter saved and taking screenshots of all my weekly filings just to have proper documentation. It's amazing how much anxiety this whole process can create when you're genuinely trying to follow all the rules correctly! Thanks to everyone who shared their success stories - it's so reassuring to know that so many people have navigated similar gap periods without any issues. This community has been incredibly helpful for understanding that this is completely normal and we're entitled to benefits until we're actually back to earning paychecks.