I'm seeing a lot of helpful advice here, but wanted to add one more important point - when you call NYS Department of Labor to self-report, make sure you ask them to put a note in your file that you voluntarily disclosed this information. This creates a paper trail that shows your good faith effort to correct the mistake. Also, if you're having trouble getting through on the phone (which is unfortunately common), you might want to try calling right when they open at 8 AM or during lunch hours when call volume is sometimes lower. I had success reaching them around 12:30 PM when I needed to make corrections to my claim last year. The wait was still about 45 minutes, but at least I got through! Don't give up if you can't reach them immediately - this is definitely worth the effort to resolve properly.

I've been following this thread closely as someone who went through a similar situation recently, and I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you call NYS Department of Labor, be prepared that they might temporarily suspend your benefits while they investigate and process the correction. This happened to me when I self-reported unreported work from 4 weeks prior. The suspension lasted about 3 weeks while they reviewed everything, calculated the overpayment, and updated my claim. It was stressful not receiving benefits during that time, but once everything was resolved, my benefits resumed and I just had to set up a repayment plan for the overpayment amount. The agent explained this is standard procedure to prevent further overpayments while they sort things out. Just wanted to give you a heads up so you're not caught off guard if this happens - it doesn't mean you're in more trouble, it's just part of their process for correcting claims. Having some emergency funds set aside if possible might help during that gap period.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this recently! I filed my claim about 6 weeks ago and had the same confusion navigating the portal. One thing I discovered that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're having trouble finding the unemployment services section, sometimes it helps to log out completely and log back in. I was getting stuck on an old cached version of the site that was missing some menu options. Also, I found it helpful to check my claim status at the same time each day rather than randomly throughout the day - it helped reduce my anxiety about the waiting process. The "Adjudication in Progress" status lasted about 4 weeks for me, but once it changed to "Approved," my first payment came through within 3 business days. Keep filing those weekly claims and checking the Messages section regularly - you've got this!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim about 8 days ago and have been so confused about where to find my status updates. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the Messages section or that I needed to keep filing weekly claims during adjudication. Just logged in using everyone's step-by-step directions and found my claim shows "Adjudication in Progress" too. Reading all these experiences makes me feel so much better about the waiting process. I was starting to worry something was wrong with my claim, but it sounds like this status is totally normal. Going to bookmark the direct unemployment services link and set up those text notifications right now. Thanks to everyone who shared their detailed guidance - it's exactly what us newcomers need to navigate this system!

I've been on unemployment for about 3 months now and I've noticed that payment timing can be pretty unpredictable sometimes. Most weeks my payment hits my Bank of America account around 6 AM on Tuesday, but I've had it come as late as Thursday when there were system issues or holidays. Since you certified Sunday night, I'd definitely check your payment history on the NYS DOL website first - if it shows "Payment Released" then it's just a matter of waiting for your bank to process it. I've also found that contacting your bank can sometimes speed things up if they're having processing delays. Don't stress too much yet - delays happen more often than you'd think, especially if there's any kind of system maintenance going on. Keeping my fingers crossed your payment shows up soon!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who's been dealing with NYS DOL payments for about a year now. I've noticed that Tuesday deposit times can vary significantly - sometimes I get mine at 5 AM, other times not until late afternoon or even Wednesday morning. What really helped reduce my anxiety was setting up text alerts with my bank for any incoming deposits, so I don't have to keep obsessively checking my account balance. Also, I learned that federal holidays (even ones that don't affect state offices) can sometimes cause ACH processing delays that push payments back a day or two. If you're still waiting and the DOL website shows "Payment Released," try not to stress too much - in my experience, it always shows up eventually, just not always when we expect it to!

Just wanted to share an update and some additional resources that might help! I successfully filed my unemployment claim online last week after reading all the advice here. The key was really framing it as "lack of work" since my position was eliminated while on leave, rather than focusing on the maternity aspect. I also discovered that NY has a specific fact sheet about unemployment benefits and pregnancy/maternity situations on their DOL website - it's buried pretty deep but has helpful clarification about when you can and can't collect benefits. For anyone still struggling with the phone system, I ended up trying the early morning call strategy (calling right at 8 AM) and actually got through on my third attempt! The wait was still about 45 minutes but much better than the endless busy signals. The agent confirmed that since my employer permanently filled my position, I should qualify for benefits once I'm cleared to work. Still waiting for my first payment but wanted to share what worked for me. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this community really came through when I needed help most!

As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago in NY, I can confirm that you likely DO qualify for unemployment benefits! The key distinction everyone's making here is absolutely correct - it's not about leaving for maternity leave, it's about your job being permanently filled while you were on approved leave. That's essentially a layoff. Here's what really helped me: when I filed online, I made sure to emphasize three main points: 1) I was medically cleared to return to work, 2) my employer permanently replaced me during my leave, and 3) I was actively seeking employment. I also kept screenshots of job postings I applied to as documentation. One thing I didn't see mentioned - if you're still within your first few weeks postpartum, you might want to wait until you're fully cleared by your doctor before filing, as they will ask about your ability to work immediately. But don't wait too long since there can be delays in processing. The phone situation is definitely a nightmare. I ended up using that Claimyr service others mentioned after two weeks of failed attempts, and it was worth every penny just for peace of mind. But the early morning calling strategy does work too if you're persistent. Hang in there - navigating this with a newborn is incredibly stressful, but it sounds like you have a solid case based on your employer permanently filling your position. Document everything and don't let them discourage you!

I'm so glad I found this thread! Just went through the exact same thing last month - had a forfeit week show up out of nowhere and I was completely panicking about it. Turns out it was because I accidentally reported some overtime pay for the wrong week during certification. The key things that helped me get it resolved: 1. Found the determination notice buried in my online account under "Correspondence" 2. Organized all my pay stubs and work schedules by date before calling 3. When I finally got through to an agent, I asked for the specific reason code (mine was "IR-301" for income reporting error) 4. Filed an appeal with the agent's help right on the call The whole process took about 2.5 weeks total and I got my back payment deposited automatically. The waiting week is totally normal - everyone gets that unpaid first week when starting a claim. Don't panic about future payments either! As long as you keep certifying correctly while the appeal is processing, your other weeks won't be affected. The agent told me forfeit weeks are super common and usually just reporting mistakes that get fixed pretty quickly. One tip - I called right at 8am on a Tuesday and got through on my 3rd try. Seems like Tuesday/Wednesday mornings might be less busy than Mondays. You've got this! 💪

I'm dealing with this same exact situation right now and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Just had a forfeit week show up yesterday and I was completely spiraling about it until I found all these helpful responses. Based on everyone's advice, I've already gone through my online account and found a determination notice that mentions "income verification issue" but doesn't give specifics. I'm pretty sure I know what happened though - I had some irregular shifts at my part-time job and I think I reported the hours for the wrong certification week. Going to spend today organizing all my pay stubs and creating that timeline everyone mentioned before attempting to call tomorrow. The tip about asking for the specific reason code seems crucial - definitely writing that down as my first question. It's so reassuring to see how many people got their forfeit weeks reversed! I was terrified this would mess up all my future payments but reading that you can keep certifying normally while the appeal processes gives me so much relief. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - knowing this is fixable and relatively common makes this whole situation way less scary! 🙏