How do you apply for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor - need step by step help
I just lost my job yesterday and I'm completely lost on how to apply for unemployment benefits. I keep seeing different websites and I'm not sure which one is the official NYS Department of Labor site. Can someone walk me through the actual steps? Do I need to wait a certain amount of time before applying? I've never been unemployed before and I'm honestly panicking about how I'm going to pay my bills next month.
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William Schwarz
Don't wait - you should apply right away! Go to my.ny.gov and create an account if you don't have one. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates. The application takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. Make sure you apply during the first week you're unemployed or you could lose benefits for that week.
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Ella Knight
•Thank you! Do I need pay stubs or just the basic employer info? And what if I can't remember the exact start date at my last job?
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Lauren Johnson
The process is pretty straightforward once you get started. After you submit your initial claim on my.ny.gov, you'll get a confirmation number - write that down! Then you have to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. The NYS Department of Labor will also mail you information about job search requirements. You need to look for work and keep a log of your job search activities.
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Jade Santiago
•how many jobs do you have to apply to each week? i heard it was like 3 but not sure
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Lauren Johnson
•It's 3 work search activities per week, but they don't all have to be job applications. You can include things like updating your resume, attending job fairs, or networking events.
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Caleb Stone
Just a heads up - if you have any issues getting through to file your claim or if it gets stuck in adjudication, there's this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a real person at NYS Department of Labor. I was stuck for weeks trying to get through their phone system and this got me connected in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. Saved me so much frustration!
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Daniel Price
•never heard of that before... is it legit? seems too good to be true with how hard it is to reach anyone
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Caleb Stone
•Yeah I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than hitting redial for hours every day.
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Olivia Evans
MAKE SURE you have all your documents ready before you start!! I made the mistake of starting the application without everything and it timed out on me. Had to start over completely. Also double check all your info because fixing mistakes later is a nightmare with NYS Department of Labor.
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Ella Knight
•Good point about the timeout - how long do you have once you start the application?
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Sophia Bennett
been there! the whole process stressed me out too but its not as bad as it seems. just take it one step at a time and dont overthink it
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Aiden Chen
I went through this exact same situation last year and I totally understand the panic! One thing that really helped me was calling the NYS Department of Labor customer service line (1-888-209-8124) early in the morning around 8am when they open - you're more likely to get through then. Also, don't stress if you can't remember exact dates - they understand that and you can provide approximate dates. The system will ask your former employer to verify the information anyway. Most importantly, try to stay calm - once you get the initial application submitted, the weekly certifications are much easier and become routine. You've got this!
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