Can my daughter claim NY unemployment benefits she missed filing for 2 weeks ago?

Yes, she can absolutely request backdate payments for those missed weeks! In NY, it's called requesting a "retroactive certification." She needs to call the NYSDOL directly at their claims center - this can't be done through the website. Make sure she has her NY.gov ID and PIN ready, plus the exact dates of the weeks she missed filing for. Just be prepared that the phone lines are incredibly difficult to get through. It might take many attempts.

tell her to do it ASAP!! there IS a time limit but I'm not sure what it is exactly. i think its like 3 months or something? but dont wait.

Oh no, if it's 30 days then she's definitely past that. But she does have documentation from the hospital. I'll tell her to call and explain the situation.

I tried calling them for a similar issue last month and spent THREE DAYS trying to get through. Kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and disconnected. NYSDOL phone system is a complete joke. I finally got through using this service called Claimyr that connects you to an unemployment agent. Costs money but saved me like 8 hours of redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The NYSDOL rep was actually really helpful once I got through and approved my backdated certification because I had a legitimate reason (also medical). Just make sure your daughter has her hospital paperwork ready when she calls.

wait i'm confused does she still get paid if she doesnt certify every week???

Your daughter needs to submit form TC-403E "Request for Backdated Claim Credit" along with her proof of hospitalization. My cousin works for NYSDOL and tells me they're generally understanding about medical situations, but she will need to speak with an actual agent who can process this request. The 30-day limit can be waived for "good cause" - and hospitalization definitely qualifies. Also, when she calls, have her specifically ask for a "backdated certification due to medical circumstances" rather than just asking about missed weeks. Using the right terminology helps get to the right department faster.

i missed a week last year cause i was on vacation and completely spaced on doing my weekly claim. called them and they were like sorry too bad. but i think hospital is different maybe?

Thanks everyone for the advice! She's going to try calling tomorrow morning when they first open. I told her to be prepared for a long wait but to be persistent. I'll let you know how it goes if anyone's curious.

UPDATE: She couldn't get through this morning after trying for 2 hours. She's going to try the Claimyr service tomorrow. I'll update again when we know something!