How long after filing for unemployment does NYS Department of Labor process the claim?
I submitted my initial unemployment application through the my.ny.gov portal about 5 days ago and I'm wondering what I should expect for timing. The status just says 'claim pending' and I haven't heard anything back yet. This is my first time filing for unemployment benefits after being laid off from my retail job. Should I be worried that it's taking this long? What's the normal timeframe for NYS Department of Labor to process new claims and start sending payments?
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Kevin Bell
The initial processing time for NYS Department of Labor unemployment claims is typically 2-3 weeks from when you file. During this time, they verify your employment history and wages with your former employer. You should receive a monetary determination letter by mail or through your online account within 10-14 business days that shows your weekly benefit amount. First payments usually come 3-4 weeks after filing if there are no issues with your claim.
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Ella Cofer
•Thank you! That's really helpful to know. I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong with my application.
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Savannah Glover
mine took forever last year, like 6 weeks before i saw any money. but i think there was some issue with my employer not responding to their request for info or something
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Felix Grigori
Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the initial determination. You can do this through your my.ny.gov account starting the week after you filed your initial claim. If you don't file weekly claims, you won't receive benefits for those weeks even if your claim gets approved later. Also check that you're meeting the job search requirements - you need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep records.
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Ella Cofer
•I didn't know about the weekly claims! I better log in and check if I missed any. Do I file for this current week or wait until next week?
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Felix Grigori
•File for any weeks you've been unemployed since your application date. The system should show you which weeks are available to claim when you log in.
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Felicity Bud
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your claim status, I had good luck using a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me time when I needed to resolve an issue with my weekly claim certification.
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Max Reyes
•Is that legit? I've been trying to call for days and keep getting disconnected after waiting 2+ hours.
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Felicity Bud
•Yeah it's real, I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Much better than the endless busy signals and dropped calls.
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Mikayla Davison
Just be patient, the NYS Department of Labor system moves slowly but it usually works out. I got my first payment exactly 3 weeks after filing. Make sure your bank account info is correct in your profile for direct deposit.
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