How late can I apply for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?
I've been putting off filing for unemployment because I thought I'd find something quickly, but it's been 8 weeks since I lost my job. I'm starting to panic - is there a deadline for applying? Can I still get benefits backdated to when I was first unemployed? I heard different things from friends but want to know what the actual NYS Department of Labor rules are. Really kicking myself for waiting this long.
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CosmicCaptain
You can still file but there are time limits. NYS Department of Labor allows you to file up to one year from when you became unemployed, but you'll only get backdated benefits for a maximum of 4 weeks prior to your application date. So if you file today, you could potentially get benefits for the last 4 weeks, but you've lost those first 4 weeks of eligibility permanently.
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Amara Oluwaseyi
•Oh no, so I've already lost a month of benefits? That's like $1200 down the drain. Should I file immediately or does it matter if I wait another day or two?
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CosmicCaptain
•File TODAY. Every day you wait is another day of benefits you're losing. The sooner you file, the sooner your weekly benefit period starts.
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Giovanni Rossi
same thing happened to me last year, waited like 6 weeks because I was embarrassed. you can still get something but definitely not the full amount you would have gotten
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Fatima Al-Maktoum
•Wait, I thought you could get all your benefits backdated if you had a good reason for not filing right away? Like if you were in the hospital or something?
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Dylan Mitchell
•There are very limited exceptions for 'good cause' delays, but waiting because you thought you'd find work quickly isn't considered good cause by NYS Department of Labor standards. The 4-week backdate limit is pretty firm for most situations.
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Sofia Gutierrez
The whole system is ridiculous - they make it so confusing that people miss out on benefits they're entitled to! I had such a hard time even getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I needed help with my application. If you're having trouble reaching them by phone, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of trying to call.
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Amara Oluwaseyi
•Thanks, I'll check that out. Right now I just need to get my application submitted before I lose any more time.
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Dmitry Petrov
Just file online at my.ny.gov as soon as possible. The application process itself isn't too bad, just make sure you have all your employment information ready - Social Security number, employer addresses, dates of employment, reason for separation. Don't overthink it, just get it submitted.
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StarSurfer
been there! better late than never though
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