How long do you have to apply for unemployment after being fired NYS Department of Labor deadline?
Got terminated from my warehouse job last Thursday and I'm freaking out about missing some kind of deadline. My supervisor said I could probably get unemployment but didn't give me any specifics about timing. I've been putting off filing because I'm still trying to understand if I was fired for cause or not (they said it was performance related but I think it was really about the new management wanting their own people). Does NYS Department of Labor have a strict deadline for when you have to file after termination? I don't want to screw myself over by waiting too long but I also want to make sure I have all my paperwork together first.
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Gabriel Freeman
You should file as soon as possible! There's no strict deadline per se, but your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you were terminated. The longer you wait, the more money you're potentially losing. NYS Department of Labor recommends filing within the first week after job loss. You can always gather additional documentation later if needed during the adjudication process.
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Debra Bai
•Thanks! So even if they're still deciding whether my termination was for cause, I should file now? I'm worried it might hurt my case somehow.
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Laura Lopez
File immediately - like today if possible. I made the mistake of waiting 3 weeks after I got fired because I was embarrassed and thought I'd find something quick. Those 3 weeks of benefits I could have gotten are just gone forever. The NYS Department of Labor will investigate whether your termination disqualifies you during adjudication, but that's separate from when you file. Better to file and potentially get denied than not file at all.
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Victoria Brown
•This is exactly right. I waited almost a month after my layoff thinking I needed to have everything perfect first and it was such a dumb mistake.
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Samuel Robinson
just file now dont overthink it, worst case they say no but at least youll know
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Camila Castillo
I'm dealing with something similar - got let go two weeks ago and I've been calling NYS Department of Labor every day trying to get through to someone to ask about my specific situation. The phone system is absolutely terrible, I've been hung up on probably 15 times. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a human there? I have so many questions about the job search requirements and whether my termination reason will disqualify me.
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Brianna Muhammad
•I had the same problem with reaching them until someone here recommended using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that calls NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got through to someone within a few hours instead of days of trying myself. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you're stuck.
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JaylinCharles
The whole system is designed to discourage people from filing honestly. They make it confusing on purpose so fewer people claim benefits. I got fired for 'attendance issues' which was complete BS - I had documented medical reasons for my absences but they didn't care. Still got approved after a long adjudication process but the stress of not knowing for 6 weeks was awful.
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Debra Bai
•How long did your adjudication take? I'm worried about how I'll pay rent if this drags on for months.
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JaylinCharles
•Mine was about 6 weeks but I've heard of people waiting 8-10 weeks. The key is to respond to any requests for information immediately and keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending.
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