How long after waiting week is released till NY unemployment releases remaining payments?
I finally got my waiting week payment released yesterday after filing my NY unemployment claim 3 weeks ago. The payment hit my account this morning, but I'm still owed for the other 2 weeks I certified for. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for the rest of the payments to show up once the waiting week releases? My account shows those weeks as 'processed' but nothing's in my bank yet. Getting worried because rent is due next week and I was counting on this money.
38 comments


Muhammad Hobbs
same thing happened 2 me last month... waiting week came thru first then the other payments took like 3-4 business days after that. dont worry yet
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Sasha Reese
•That's a relief to hear! Did your payment status change on the website before the money hit your account or did it just show up?
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Noland Curtis
Generally, once your waiting week is processed, your regular benefits should follow within 2-3 business days. However, if this is your first claim for 2025, there might be additional verification steps happening in the background. The system processes payments in batches - waiting week is handled separately from regular benefit weeks. Check your payment history page for the exact status. If it shows 'processed' or 'released' but hasn't arrived, it's likely just the normal bank processing delay. Direct deposits usually take 1-2 business days after NYSDOL releases them.
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Sasha Reese
•Thanks for the detailed info. The payment history shows 'released to bank' for the other weeks as of this morning, so sounds like I should see them in the next day or two hopefully!
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Diez Ellis
If ur worried abt timing of payments def call them!! Sometimes they can speed things up if you explain ur situation with rent etc. I wasted 2 whole weeks trying to get thru last month bcuz of a slight mistake on my claim. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from an actual agent within an hour! Totally worth it - solved my payment holdup in one call. They have a demo video if ur curious: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Muhammad Hobbs
•is that service legit? seems sketchy to pay money when ur already broke and waiting for unemployment...
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Diez Ellis
•Yeah I thought the same thing at first but it actually worked. Was stuck in limbo for weeks before using it. Better than losing out on hundreds in benefits over a stupid system glitch.
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Vanessa Figueroa
It's completely normal for the waiting week to process first, followed by your regular benefit payments. The NY unemployment system processes different payment types on different schedules. Here's what typically happens: 1. Waiting week gets released first (which you've seen) 2. System verifies your eligibility one final time 3. Regular benefit weeks are batched for payment 4. Payment is transmitted to your bank/payment method 5. Your financial institution processes the deposit From my experience helping claimants, you should see your regular benefits within 3 business days after the waiting week payment arrives. If you don't see anything by Monday, that's when I'd recommend reaching out to NYSDOL directly.
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Sasha Reese
•This is really helpful, thank you! I'll give it until Monday before I start panicking. It's just stressful when you're counting on that money for bills.
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Abby Marshall
Am I the only one who NEVER got a waiting week payment AT ALL??? Everyone talks about the waiting week payment but I thought that week was unpaid by definition??? The DOL website even says "the waiting week is the first week of your claim, and you don't receive benefits for it" so I'm super confused reading this thread!!!
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Vanessa Figueroa
•You're actually correct about the traditional policy. However, NY changed their waiting week rules in late 2024. Now, the waiting week is still processed separately, but it is payable after your claim is fully approved. The DOL website information might be outdated if you're looking at older sections. This change was part of the 2024-2025 unemployment system modernization.
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Abby Marshall
•OMG THANK YOU!!! Now I need to figure out how to get my waiting week payment from my claim back in January!!! Do you think I can still get it retroactively???
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Sadie Benitez
In my experience, once waiting week clears, the rest follows pretty quickly. I remember last year when I was on NY unemployment, it took about 2 days after waiting week for the rest to hit my account. Just make sure you've been certifying correctly each week!
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Drew Hathaway
This waiting period after the waiting week is COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS!!! The whole system is designed to delay payments as long as possible hoping people just give up. I had to wait 8 DAYS after my waiting week before getting my first real payment and almost missed my car payment because of it. NYSDOL knows exactly what they're doing - holding onto our money to make interest while we suffer. And just wait until they randomly decide to "review" your claim and payments stop for a month with NO EXPLANATION. The whole system is BROKEN BY DESIGN!!!
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Sasha Reese
•8 days sounds awful. I'm already stressing at 2 days. Did you have to do anything special to get the payments moving or did they eventually just show up?
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Drew Hathaway
•They eventually showed up but only AFTER I spent 3 hours trying to get through to a human being on the phone. The system is intentionally understaffed. They literally told me "everything looks fine on our end" when I finally reached someone. Then magically the money appeared the next day. COINCIDENCE?? I think NOT!!!
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Muhammad Hobbs
my roommate said they release payments on specific days of the week depending on last name. anyone know if thats true??
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Noland Curtis
•That's partially true. NYSDOL processes initial claims in batches that are sometimes organized alphabetically, but regular ongoing payment processing is based on when you certify, not your last name. The key factor is when your certification is processed, which is why some people see deposits on Tuesdays while others get them on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
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Sasha Reese
UPDATE: The rest of my payments just hit my account this morning! So it was exactly 2 business days after the waiting week payment came through. Thanks everyone for the advice and support! What a relief to finally have this sorted out.
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Noland Curtis
•Great news! Thanks for updating the thread. This timing (2 business days) is consistent with what most claimants are experiencing in the 2025 system. For anyone else reading this thread in the future, remember that bank processing times can vary, so don't panic if it takes 2-3 business days after your payment shows as 'released' in the system.
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Sadie Benitez
•Glad it worked out! Make sure you keep certifying each week at the same time to keep your payments consistent. Sometimes the system gets glitchy if you certify at different times each week.
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Dylan Hughes
So glad you got your money! This thread is super helpful for understanding the timing. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my waiting week just processed yesterday so hopefully I'll see my other payments by early next week. It's crazy how stressful this whole process is when you're relying on these benefits to pay bills. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update!
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Malik Robinson
•I'm in the exact same boat! My waiting week just processed yesterday too and I'm anxiously waiting for the rest. This whole thread has been so reassuring - sounds like we should both see our payments by early next week if the 2-3 business day timeline holds true. It really is stressful when you're counting on this money for basic expenses. Fingers crossed for both of us!
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Liam Sullivan
This is such a helpful thread! I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed my claim about 2 weeks ago and still waiting for my first payments. It's really reassuring to see that the 2-3 business day timeline after the waiting week seems to be pretty consistent for most people. The stress of waiting for these payments when you have bills due is no joke. I'll definitely keep an eye on my payment status page and try not to panic if it takes a few days. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update - it gives me hope that the system is actually working, just slowly!
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Isla Fischer
•I'm dealing with this exact same situation too! Filed my claim 3 weeks ago and my waiting week JUST got released yesterday. Reading through this thread has been so helpful - especially seeing that Sasha got her remaining payments in exactly 2 business days. It's such a relief to know this is normal and not some glitch with my claim. The timing really is stressful when you're budgeting around these payments. Hopefully we'll all see our money by early next week! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences.
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Mason Stone
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just had my waiting week release two days ago and I'm still waiting on the other 3 weeks of payments. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like the 2-3 business day timeline is pretty standard. The anxiety of waiting for these payments when you have rent and bills due is really tough. I keep refreshing my bank account every few hours hoping to see something! Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines, especially Sasha for the update. It gives me hope that the system is actually working as intended, just with these nerve-wracking delays.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
•I totally get that anxiety! I'm in a similar spot - filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week just processed yesterday. It's so stressful when you're counting on this money for basic expenses like rent. This whole thread has been a lifesaver for understanding what to expect. Seeing that Sasha got her payments in exactly 2 business days after the waiting week gives me hope that we'll see ours soon too. The constant bank account refreshing is so real - I've probably checked mine 20 times today already! Hang in there, sounds like we should both see something by early next week if the pattern holds.
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Paolo Rizzo
Just wanted to add another data point here - I went through this exact same process last month. My waiting week released on a Tuesday and the rest of my payments hit my account that Thursday, so exactly 2 business days just like Sasha experienced. The key thing I learned is to check your payment history page rather than just your bank account - it'll show you when NYSDOL actually releases the payments to your bank, which helps you know if it's a DOL delay or just normal bank processing time. Also worth noting that if you have any pending eligibility issues (even minor ones), it can hold up those follow-up payments even after the waiting week goes through, so definitely call if it goes beyond the 3-4 business day window everyone's mentioning.
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Olivia Harris
•This is really helpful Paolo, thanks for adding that data point! The tip about checking the payment history page is gold - I've been obsessively checking my bank account instead. Just checked and it shows my payments as 'released to bank' as of this morning, so sounds like I should see them hit my account by tomorrow or Friday. It's such a relief to hear from multiple people that the 2 business day timeline is pretty consistent. I didn't realize that pending eligibility issues could hold things up even after the waiting week processes - that's good to know in case my timeline ends up being different.
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Anita George
I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Filed my NY unemployment claim about 2.5 weeks ago and my waiting week payment just hit my account yesterday morning. Still waiting on payments for the other 2 weeks I certified for - they show as 'processed' in the system but nothing in my bank yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief! It sounds like the 2-3 business day timeline after the waiting week is pretty standard. The stress of waiting when you have bills coming due is real - I have car insurance and utilities due early next week. Thanks especially to Sasha for posting the original question and the update - knowing that your remaining payments came through in exactly 2 business days gives me hope that mine will follow the same pattern. This community is so helpful for navigating all the uncertainty around unemployment timing!
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Mateo Warren
•You're definitely not alone in this! I just went through the same exact timeline - filed about 3 weeks ago and had my waiting week release earlier this week. The anxiety of waiting when bills are due is so real, especially when you're budgeting down to the day. From what I'm seeing in this thread, the 2-3 business day pattern seems pretty reliable once that waiting week processes. I'd suggest checking your payment history page like Paolo mentioned - it should show if your payments have been "released to bank" yet, which helps distinguish between DOL processing delays vs normal bank transfer time. Hang in there, it sounds like you should see those payments hit your account by early next week at the latest!
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Isabella Santos
This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week just processed yesterday. It's such a relief to see so many people sharing similar timelines and that the 2-3 business day pattern seems pretty consistent. The stress of waiting for these payments when you have rent and bills due is overwhelming, but seeing Sasha's update that the money came through in exactly 2 business days gives me hope. I'll definitely be checking my payment history page instead of just obsessively refreshing my bank account. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community support makes navigating the unemployment system so much less scary!
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Carmen Ruiz
•I'm so glad this thread exists too! I literally just created my account because I'm going through the exact same thing and was starting to panic. Filed my claim 3 weeks ago and my waiting week finally processed yesterday - seeing everyone's similar experiences and timelines is such a huge relief. The constant worry about whether something went wrong with your claim is exhausting, especially when you're already stressed about money. It's really helpful to know that obsessively checking my bank account isn't the best approach - I'll switch to monitoring the payment history page instead. Fingers crossed we all see our payments by early next week following the same 2-3 day pattern!
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Connor Gallagher
I'm in the exact same boat as so many of you! Filed my claim about 2.5 weeks ago and my waiting week just processed two days ago. Still anxiously waiting for the other payments to come through. This thread has been a lifesaver - I was starting to think something was wrong with my claim until I read everyone's experiences. The 2-3 business day timeline seems really consistent based on what everyone's sharing. It's crazy how much stress this process adds when you're already dealing with being unemployed. I have my phone payment and groceries that I need to cover early next week, so I'm really hoping the pattern holds true for me too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and especially to those who came back with updates - it makes such a difference knowing we're not alone in this!
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Mary Bates
•I'm dealing with this exact same situation! Filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week just released yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge help - I was getting really worried that something was wrong with my claim. It's reassuring to see that the 2-3 business day timeline after the waiting week seems to be the norm for most people. The stress of waiting when you have bills coming due is no joke - I've got rent due Monday and was really counting on this money. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and timelines, especially the people who came back with updates. It makes such a difference to know we're all going through the same thing and that the system does eventually work, even if it's nerve-wracking while you wait!
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Evelyn Rivera
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My waiting week just processed yesterday and I'm still waiting on 3 weeks of back payments. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful - I was starting to worry something was wrong with my claim. The 2-3 business day timeline that keeps coming up gives me hope that I should see my payments by early next week. It's such a stressful process when you're already dealing with unemployment and have bills piling up. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and especially to those who came back with updates - it really helps to know we're not going through this alone!
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Sebastian Scott
•I'm literally in the same exact situation! Just had my waiting week process yesterday too and I'm anxiously waiting for my other 2 weeks of payments to come through. This whole thread has been such a lifesaver - I was getting really panicked thinking my claim was stuck or something went wrong. Seeing so many people with the same timeline and that consistent 2-3 business day pattern is really reassuring. The stress is so real when you're counting on this money for basic expenses. I keep checking my payment history page like Paolo suggested instead of just staring at my bank account. Hopefully we'll both see our payments hit by Monday or Tuesday! Thanks for posting, it's so comforting to know there are others going through this exact same waiting period right now.
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Omar Farouk
This thread has been incredibly helpful for me too! I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline - filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week just processed yesterday morning. Still waiting on payments for 2 additional weeks that show as 'processed' in the system. Reading everyone's experiences here has really calmed my nerves - I was starting to think there was an issue with my claim when the payments didn't show up immediately. The consistent 2-3 business day timeline that multiple people have mentioned gives me hope that I should see my money by early next week. It's so stressful waiting when you have bills due, but knowing this seems to be the normal process helps a lot. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and especially for the tip about checking the payment history page instead of just obsessively refreshing my bank account!
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