How do you know if you got approved for unemployment benefits in NY?

You'll get a determination letter in the mail and your my.ny.gov account will update to show your weekly benefit amount. Usually takes 2-3 weeks for a decision on a standard claim. If there are no issues with your application, you should see the status change from 'under review' to showing your benefit rate and payment schedule. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval - you can certify for those weeks retroactively once approved.

same boat here, filed 3 weeks ago and still waiting. my friend got approved in like 10 days so im starting to think somethings wrong with mine

The approval process can vary significantly depending on your employment situation. If you were laid off from a traditional W-2 job with clear separation, approval is typically straightforward. However, if there are any questions about your reason for separation, work history, or if you need identity verification, it can take longer. Check for any 'To Do' items in your my.ny.gov account - sometimes there are additional documents they need that people miss. The system should show any outstanding requirements.

ugh the NYS Department of Labor system is SO SLOW right now. i swear they make it as confusing as possible on purpose. took me a month to get approved last year and that was with no issues at all!!

You're overthinking it! Two weeks is nothing, I waited almost a month and everything was fine. Just keep doing your weekly certs and be patient.

I went through this exact same anxiety when I first applied! The waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking. In my experience, you'll typically get a paper determination letter in your mailbox before you see any updates online. The my.ny.gov portal can be slow to update sometimes. Since you were laid off due to downsizing and don't have any outstanding to-do items, that's actually a really good sign - it means your case is probably just working through the normal processing queue. I'd say give it another week or two before getting too worried. The system is just backed up right now, but two weeks is still within the normal timeframe.

I'm going through the same thing right now - filed about 10 days ago and still showing "claim under review." From what I've read on the NY DOL website, they have up to 21 days to make a determination on your claim, so you're still well within that window. I've been checking my account obsessively too but trying to remind myself that no news isn't necessarily bad news. The fact that you don't have any outstanding items in your to-do list is definitely a positive sign. I've heard from others that once you do get approved, the system updates pretty quickly with your benefit amount and payment schedule. Hang in there!

Hey there! I totally get the anxiety - I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. The waiting is honestly the worst part! In my case, I got the determination letter in the mail on day 16, and my online account updated the next day showing my weekly benefit amount. What really helped my stress levels was setting up informed delivery with USPS so I could see what mail was coming each day - at least then I knew if there was a letter from DOL on its way. Since you were laid off due to downsizing and have no outstanding to-do items, you're in a really good position. The system is just processing a lot of claims right now. Try to resist checking your account more than once a day if you can - I know it's easier said than done! You're doing everything right by continuing to file your weekly claims.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 2.5 weeks ago and just got my determination letter yesterday! It was approved and my online account updated the same day showing my weekly benefit amount. The letter actually arrived a day before the online portal reflected the change. What really helped me during the waiting period was remembering that NY DOL processes thousands of claims and they're just working through them systematically. Since you were laid off due to company downsizing (which is clearly qualifying), don't have any to-do items, and are continuing to file weekly claims, you're doing everything correctly. The anxiety is totally normal - I was refreshing my account constantly too. Try to stay patient, you should hear something soon!

I just went through this same process a few months back and completely understand your anxiety! The good news is that 2 weeks is still totally normal - I didn't hear anything until week 3. What helped me was knowing that NY DOL typically processes claims in the order they were received, so if you filed correctly (which it sounds like you did since you have no outstanding items), you're just in the queue. One thing I learned is that the mail notification usually comes 1-2 days before your online account updates, so keep an eye on both. The fact that you were laid off due to downsizing is actually one of the clearest qualifying reasons, so try not to worry too much. Keep filing those weekly claims and hang in there - you should hear something soon!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed about 18 days ago and still waiting! The anxiety is real, especially when you see some people getting approved in 10 days while others wait weeks. What's been helping me is remembering that processing times can vary based on when you filed (weekends vs weekdays), system volume, and even which office is handling your region. I've noticed that people who filed on Mondays or Tuesdays seem to get processed faster than Friday filers, probably because of workflow patterns. Since you were laid off due to downsizing and have clean documentation, you're in a really strong position. I've been tracking other people's timelines in various forums and 2-3 weeks seems to be the sweet spot for most straightforward cases. Keep doing those weekly certifications and try not to check your account more than once a day - I know it's hard but the constant refreshing just makes the wait feel longer!

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed my claim 16 days ago and still showing "claim under review" on my.ny.gov. Reading through all these responses is honestly so reassuring! I've been driving myself crazy checking my account multiple times a day and wondering if I messed something up on my application. Like you, this is my first time filing for unemployment and I had no idea what timeline to expect. I was also laid off due to company restructuring, so it sounds like we're both in similar straightforward situations. The tip about signing up for USPS informed delivery is brilliant - just did that so at least I'll know when mail is coming. It's really comforting to see so many people sharing their experiences and timelines. Seems like 2-3 weeks is totally normal even for clean cases. Going to try to limit myself to checking once per day from now on (easier said than done!). Thanks for posting this question - you definitely aren't alone in the anxiety!

I'm also waiting on my unemployment determination - filed about 12 days ago and still showing "under review" status. This thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! It's my first time applying for unemployment benefits too, and I had no idea what the normal timeline looked like. I was starting to panic thinking something was wrong with my application, but seeing that 2-3 weeks is completely normal for straightforward cases really puts my mind at ease. I was also laid off due to company downsizing, so hopefully my case will be processed smoothly like many of yours. Already signed up for informed delivery based on the great suggestions here. It's amazing how much the anxiety decreases when you realize you're not alone in this process and that the waiting is just part of how the system works. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim about 2.5 weeks ago and have been refreshing my my.ny.gov account way too many times daily. This thread is honestly a godsend - I had no idea that 2-3 weeks was the normal processing time and was convinced I'd messed something up on my application somehow. I was also laid off due to company downsizing, so it's reassuring to see so many others in similar straightforward situations. The informed delivery tip is genius - just signed up for that immediately after reading these comments. It's wild how much the anxiety builds up when you don't know what to expect timeline-wise. Reading everyone's experiences here has really helped me realize that "claim under review" for this long is totally normal and not a red flag. Going to try to limit myself to checking once per day instead of my current obsessive refreshing habit. Thanks for asking this question - you've helped so many of us realize we're not alone in this waiting game!

I'm so glad I found this thread! Just filed my unemployment claim 5 days ago and was already starting to get anxious about not hearing anything yet. Reading everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that 2-3 weeks was the normal processing timeline. Like many of you, this is my first time applying for unemployment benefits and I've been checking my my.ny.gov account multiple times a day wondering if something was wrong. I was also laid off due to company downsizing, so it sounds like I'm in a similar straightforward situation as most people here. Definitely going to sign up for that informed delivery service - what a smart tip! It's amazing how much better I feel knowing that "claim under review" status is completely normal at this stage and that I'm not alone in this waiting process. Going to try to be more patient and limit my account checking to once daily. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and experiences - this community support makes such a difference during an already stressful time!