How do you get paid for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I just got approved for unemployment after being laid off from my restaurant job last month. My claim status changed to 'approved' but I'm confused about how the actual payments work. Do they mail checks or is it direct deposit? How long does it take to get the first payment after approval? I set up my account on my.ny.gov but I don't see any payment information yet. Also do I need to do anything special to keep getting paid each week?
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Liam Sullivan
Congratulations on getting approved! NYS Department of Labor offers both direct deposit and debit card options for payments. Direct deposit is faster - usually takes 1-2 business days after your weekly claim is processed. The debit card (KeyBank) takes 3-5 business days for the first payment, then 1-2 days for subsequent payments. You'll need to file your weekly claim every week to continue receiving benefits, and make sure you're doing your required job search activities.
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Mei Chen
•Thank you! How do I set up direct deposit? I don't remember seeing that option when I filed my initial claim.
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Liam Sullivan
•You can add direct deposit info by logging into your my.ny.gov account and going to the payment options section. You'll need your bank routing number and account number. It usually takes one payment cycle to take effect, so your first payment might still come on the debit card.
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Amara Okafor
i got the keybank card and it works fine, just watch out for the ATM fees if you use random machines
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CosmicCommander
•How much are the fees? I don't want to lose money just trying to access my benefits.
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Giovanni Colombo
The payment timing depends on when you file your weekly claim. If you file on Sunday (the earliest you can file), your payment typically processes by Tuesday or Wednesday. I had so much trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my first payment delay. Spent hours on hold getting nowhere. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at NYS Department of Labor in minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. Turned out my payment was just delayed because of a bank verification issue.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•That's interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did it actually work or was it just luck?
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Giovanni Colombo
•It definitely worked for me. I was skeptical at first but I was desperate to talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor. Worth trying if you're stuck on hold for hours like I was.
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Dylan Cooper
DON'T FORGET TO FILE YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS! I missed one week because I thought since I was approved the payments would just come automatically. WRONG. Had to call and explain and it was a nightmare. You have to certify every single week that you're still unemployed and looking for work.
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Mei Chen
•Oh no! What happened when you missed the week? Did you lose that payment forever?
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Dylan Cooper
•No I eventually got it back but it took like 3 weeks and multiple phone calls. Just don't make the same mistake I did - set a reminder on your phone or something.
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Sofia Ramirez
The first payment usually takes longer than the rest, mine took almost two weeks but after that it was pretty regular. Make sure you have all your job search documentation ready too because they can audit you at any time.
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Mei Chen
•What kind of documentation do they want for job searches? I've been applying to places but not really keeping detailed records.
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Zara Ahmed
•You need to keep records of where you applied, when you applied, and what type of job it was. I keep a simple spreadsheet with company name, position, date applied, and how I applied (online, in person, etc.). NYS requires you to make at least 3 job search contacts per week. They can ask for this documentation anytime so it's better to be prepared from the start!
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