How do you get paid unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I just lost my job last week and I'm completely lost about how to actually get unemployment money. Like I know you file a claim but then what? How does the payment part work? Do they mail you a check or is it direct deposit? How long does it take to get your first payment? I've never been unemployed before and the NYS Department of Labor website is confusing me. Can someone break down the actual process of getting paid?
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Alina Rosenthal
First you need to file your initial claim on the NYS Department of Labor website. After that gets approved, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to certify that you're still unemployed and looking for work. The payments come through direct deposit if you set that up, or they'll send you a debit card. Usually takes 2-3 weeks to get your first payment after filing.
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Mohammad Khaled
•Thanks! So I have to do something every week? What exactly do you mean by weekly claims?
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Finnegan Gunn
The weekly claim is basically you telling NYS Department of Labor that you're still unemployed and actively looking for work. You answer questions about any work you did that week, any job offers you got, and confirm you're able and available to work. You HAVE to do this every week or you won't get paid for that week.
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Miguel Harvey
•yeah and dont forget you need to keep a job search log too! they can ask for it anytime
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Ashley Simian
ugh the whole system is so confusing when you first start! I remember being so stressed about messing something up. Make sure you set up direct deposit right away - the debit card option has fees for everything. Also your weekly benefit amount is based on what you earned in your base period, not your last job.
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Mohammad Khaled
•What's a base period? This is getting more complicated than I thought...
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Alina Rosenthal
Base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in January 2025, they'd look at your wages from January 2024 through September 2024. Your weekly benefit is roughly half of what you averaged per week during that time, up to the maximum which is $504 in NY.
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Oliver Cheng
•Just wanted to add that I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my payment calculation. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. Really saved me from sitting on hold for hours!
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Taylor To
THE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! I've been waiting 5 weeks for my first payment because they keep saying my claim is under review. Meanwhile I can't pay my rent! And good luck trying to call them - the phone just hangs up on you after an hour on hold.
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Miguel Harvey
•that sucks! is your claim in adjudication? thats when they review stuff and it takes forever
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Ella Cofer
Same happened to me last year - took forever but eventually got all the back pay. Just keep filing your weekly claims even if you're not getting paid yet!
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