Filed for unemployment - how long does it take to get approved by NYS Department of Labor?
I just filed my initial unemployment claim online through the NYS Department of Labor website yesterday after losing my retail job. The system gave me a confirmation number but I have no idea what to expect next. How long does it usually take before I hear back from them? When can I start filing my weekly claims? I'm really stressed about covering my rent next month and need to know if there's a typical timeline for getting benefits started.
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Donna Cline
The initial processing usually takes about 2-3 weeks if there are no issues with your claim. You should receive a monetary determination letter first that shows your benefit amount, then you can start filing weekly claims. Make sure you keep filing every week even if your claim is still pending - you won't get paid for weeks you don't certify.
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Lucas Parker
•Thanks! Do I file weekly claims starting right away or do I wait for some kind of approval first?
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Harper Collins
mine took almost 4 weeks because they had to verify my employment history with my last employer. if your employer doesn't respond quickly to nys department of labor it can delay everything
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Kelsey Hawkins
•Oh no, my old manager was really vindictive when I got laid off. What if they try to block my claim somehow?
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Dylan Fisher
You can start filing weekly claims immediately after your initial application is submitted. Don't wait for approval - this is crucial because you won't receive benefits for any weeks you don't file. The NYS Department of Labor will process your claim in the background while you continue to certify weekly. If there are any issues, they'll send you correspondence through your online account.
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Lucas Parker
•That's really helpful to know. I was worried about filing too early and messing something up.
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Edwards Hugo
Getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor on the phone is basically impossible these days. I've been trying for weeks to check on my claim status. If you run into issues and need to actually talk to an agent, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals.
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Gianna Scott
•How much does something like that cost though? I'm already broke from being unemployed.
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Edwards Hugo
•It was worth it for me since I was stuck in adjudication for over a month. Much better than calling hundreds of times and never getting through.
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Alfredo Lugo
just keep filing every week and eventually it works out. the system is slow but it does work eventually. took me about 3 weeks to get my first payment
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Amina Diallo
I went through this same process about 6 months ago after getting laid off from my restaurant job. The waiting period is really nerve-wracking, especially when you're worried about bills! In my experience, it took about 2.5 weeks to get my monetary determination letter, and then I was able to receive my first payment the following week. One thing that helped me was setting up direct deposit right away in my online account - it made the payments come through faster than waiting for a debit card. Also, make sure you're checking your online account regularly for any correspondence or requests for additional information, because they don't always send email notifications. Hang in there, the process does work even though it feels slow when you're stressed about money.
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