How long after being fired do you have to file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor?
Got terminated from my warehouse job last Tuesday and I'm honestly not sure when I need to file my unemployment claim. My supervisor said something about filing right away but my coworker told me I have like 30 days or something? I don't want to mess this up and lose out on benefits. Does anyone know the actual deadline for filing with NYS Department of Labor after you get fired? Also do I need any specific paperwork from my employer before I can file?
10 comments


Daniel Price
You should file as soon as possible! There's no specific deadline but NYS Department of Labor only pays benefits from the week you file your claim, not from when you were actually terminated. So if you wait 2 weeks to file, you're basically giving up 2 weeks of potential benefits. You can file online at labor.ny.gov and you'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months.
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Caleb Stone
•Oh wow I didn't realize I'd lose those weeks! I'll file today then. Do I need anything from my old job or can I just file with what I have?
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Olivia Evans
The sooner the better but there's technically no hard deadline. NYS Department of Labor will process claims filed even months later, but like the previous poster said, your benefit year starts when you file, not when you lost your job. Also make sure you have your termination reason clear - if you were fired for misconduct vs laid off vs performance issues, it affects your eligibility.
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Sophia Bennett
•What counts as misconduct though? I got fired for being late too many times but it wasn't like I was stealing or anything.
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Olivia Evans
•Chronic tardiness can be considered misconduct depending on your employer's policies and how well documented it was. You should still file - let NYS Department of Labor make the determination during adjudication.
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Aiden Chen
I waited almost 3 weeks to file after my layoff because I thought I might get called back and I'm still kicking myself for it. Lost out on like $1,200 in benefits that I'll never get back. The whole system is set up to punish people who don't know the rules inside and out.
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Zoey Bianchi
•That really sucks, sorry that happened to you. The system definitely doesn't make it clear that you lose those weeks.
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Christopher Morgan
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to file or have questions, I actually used this service called Claimyr recently when my claim got stuck in adjudication. They help you get connected to actual agents without waiting on hold forever. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to call the regular number and getting hung up on.
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Caleb Stone
•Thanks I'll check that out if I run into issues filing online. Hopefully the website works okay though.
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Aurora St.Pierre
just file ASAP dont wait around like i did
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