How do unemployment checks work in NY - confused about payment timing and amounts
I just started receiving unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor and I'm completely lost about how the payment system actually works. My first check was only $280 but I thought I was approved for $420 weekly. Also it came on a Wednesday but I certified on Sunday - is that normal timing? I'm trying to budget but I don't understand when payments come or why the amounts seem different. Can someone explain how unemployment checks work because the my.ny.gov website doesn't really break it down clearly.
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Diego Flores
The payment timing depends on when you file your weekly claim and when NYS Department of Labor processes it. Usually takes 2-3 business days after you certify. The amount difference could be taxes being withheld - did you elect to have federal and state taxes taken out? That would reduce your $420 to around $280. You can check your payment history on my.ny.gov to see the breakdown.
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Chloe Taylor
•Oh that makes sense! I think I did select tax withholding but forgot about it. Thanks for explaining that.
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Anastasia Ivanova
yeah the timing is weird at first but you get used to it. i always file sunday night and get paid wednesday morning, like clockwork. make sure you're filing every week even if you worked a little bit or they'll stop your payments
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Sean Murphy
Here's how it works: You file your weekly claim (usually Sunday-Tuesday), NYS Department of Labor processes it within 1-3 business days, then payment is issued via direct deposit or debit card. Your weekly benefit amount is reduced by taxes if you elected withholding (about 20-25% total), plus any earnings you report from part-time work get deducted dollar-for-dollar after the first $100. Check your 'Payment History' section to see exactly what was deducted from each payment.
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StarStrider
•Wait, they take out taxes automatically? I don't remember selecting that option when I filed my claim. How do I check if I have tax withholding turned on?
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Sean Murphy
•Log into my.ny.gov and go to 'Manage Tax Withholding' under your profile settings. You can turn it on or off there, but I'd recommend keeping it on unless you want a big tax bill next year.
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Zara Malik
the nys department of labor payment system is so confusing!! took me weeks to figure out why my amounts kept changing. turns out i was reporting my hours wrong and they were deducting way more than they should have been. spent forever trying to get through to someone to fix it
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Luca Marino
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, try using Claimyr at claimyr.com - they help you get through to an actual agent instead of waiting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling when I had payment issues to resolve.
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Zara Malik
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying. The regular phone system is absolutely useless.
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Nia Davis
Same boat here! My first payment was way less than expected and I panicked thinking something was wrong with my claim. Turns out it was just the waiting week and partial taxes. The system takes some getting used to but once you understand the pattern it's pretty predictable.
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