How is unemployment benefits process working in NY right now - worth applying?
I've been out of work for about 6 weeks now and I'm wondering if it's even worth trying to file for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. I keep hearing mixed things about how the system is working these days. Some people say claims are getting processed quickly, others are talking about weeks of delays and adjudication issues. I used to work in retail management making about $52,000 a year before I got laid off in December. Has anyone filed recently? How is unemployment benefits actually working right now - are people getting approved without major headaches or should I expect a nightmare? I really need to know what I'm getting into before I start the process.
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Sofia Ramirez
I filed my initial claim about 3 weeks ago and it went pretty smoothly actually. The online system on my.ny.gov worked fine and I got approved within 10 days. You do need to make sure you have all your employment info ready - Social Security number, employer addresses, dates of employment, and your reason for separation. The weekly claims are easy once you get set up. Just make sure you're doing your job search activities because they do check on that.
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NebulaKnight
•That's encouraging to hear! Did you have to deal with any adjudication or did it go straight through? I'm worried they'll want to investigate my layoff even though it was clearly company downsizing.
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Dmitry Popov
honestly the system is hit or miss right now... I filed in November and STILL waiting for my claim to get resolved. Been stuck in adjudication for over 2 months with no explanation. every time I call I get disconnected or they tell me to wait longer. its ridiculous
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Sofia Ramirez
•That's really frustrating. Have you tried reaching out through the my.ny.gov message center? Sometimes that gets better response than calling. Also make sure there aren't any outstanding issues in your account that need documentation.
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Dmitry Popov
•yeah tried everything. sent messages, called dozens of times, even tried going to the local office but they just tell you to call the same number that never works
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Ava Rodriguez
The unemployment system is definitely functioning better now than it was during the pandemic chaos, but you still need to be prepared for potential delays. Your retail management background should make the process straightforward since you were a W-2 employee. Make sure you file as soon as possible because benefits are backdated only to the week you file, not when you lost your job. You'll need to certify weekly and meet the job search requirements - 3 job contacts per week that you need to log. The current maximum weekly benefit is $504 if you qualify for the full amount.
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NebulaKnight
•Thanks for the specific info! I didn't realize about the backdating - I definitely need to file this week then. Do you know if the job search requirement is strict about what counts as a 'contact'?
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Miguel Ortiz
If you do run into issues getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone, I had good luck 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. I was stuck in adjudication limbo for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone until I tried this. Within a day of talking to an agent, my issue was resolved and payments started coming through.
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Zainab Khalil
•Never heard of that before - is it legit? Seems weird to pay someone to help you call a government office.
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Miguel Ortiz
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked. The regular phone system was just impossible - either busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. This got me through to someone who could actually look at my account and fix the problem.
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QuantumQuest
Just apply already! Yeah there might be some delays but you're losing money every day you wait. The worst that happens is you get denied and have to appeal, but if you were laid off from a regular job you'll almost certainly qualify. I've been on UI twice in the last 5 years and both times it was fine.
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