Confused about how does the waiting week work for unemployment benefits in NY
I just filed my first unemployment claim and I'm getting mixed information about the waiting week. I've been reading that NY has a waiting week but some people are saying it was eliminated? I filed last Monday and certified my first weekly claim yesterday but I'm not sure if I'll get paid for that first week or if I have to wait. Can someone explain how this actually works? I really need to know because I'm budgeting for rent next month and need to figure out when my first payment will come through.
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Jake Sinclair
New York eliminated the waiting week in 2020 during the pandemic and it hasn't been reinstated. You should get paid for your first week as long as you're eligible and file your weekly claim on time. The confusion comes from the fact that many states still have waiting weeks but NY doesn't currently require one.
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Vera Visnjic
•Thank you! That's such a relief. Do you know roughly how long it takes for the first payment to process after you certify?
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Brielle Johnson
wait i thought there was still a waiting week? i filed in december and it seemed like my first week didnt get paid but maybe i messed up the certification
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Honorah King
•You might have had an issue with your certification or there could have been a problem with your claim that caused a delay. The waiting week was definitely eliminated in NY. Check your payment history on the NYS Department of Labor website to see if there are any issues flagged.
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Oliver Brown
Just went through this same thing! No waiting week in NY anymore. My first payment came through about 5 days after I certified my first weekly claim. Make sure you're certifying on the right day for your schedule though.
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Mary Bates
ugh the whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple and tell you exactly when youll get paid instead of all this waiting around
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Jake Sinclair
•I understand the frustration. The timing can vary based on when you file, your payment method, and if there are any issues with your claim. Direct deposit is usually faster than debit card payments.
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Honorah King
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to confirm your payment status, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a live agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals when I needed to check on a payment delay.
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Vera Visnjic
•Never heard of that service before but might be worth looking into if I run into issues. Thanks for the tip!
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Clay blendedgen
Same boat as you last month - no waiting week in NY definitely. Just make sure you keep certifying every week even if payments seem delayed because you can't go back and certify for missed weeks.
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Kai Santiago
Just to add some clarity - NY eliminated the waiting week in March 2020 as part of COVID relief measures and it has remained eliminated since then. You should receive payment for your first week as long as you meet all eligibility requirements and file your weekly certification on time. Typically first payments take 2-3 business days after certification if you have direct deposit set up, or a bit longer if you're using the debit card option. Keep an eye on your online account for any issues that might delay payment.
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